Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME Former Notre Dame offensive tackle/tight end Dave Casper was one of 14 players and three head coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (see page 8) this year, and it put him in elite company. There are now only five former Irish football players who are in the College Football Hall of Fame and also the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Each represents one of five different decades in Notre Dame history: ✦ GIMME FIVE 1. Wayne Millner (1934-36) — The All- American end who caught the game-win ning touchdown in the epic 18-13 victory at Ohio State was inducted into the Col lege Football Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. All-American tackle for two national champs, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1963 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975 as a linebacker. 2. George Connor (1946-47) — A consensus 4. Alan Page (1964-66) — Another national champion with the Irish, the defensive end made the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993 after first getting into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. 5. Dave Casper (1971-73 — The tri-captain and tight end of the 1973 national champs took 39 years to make the College Foot- ball Hall of Fame. He was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002. 3. Paul Hornung (1954-56) — The Heisman Trophy winner was inducted into the Col- lege Football Hall of Fame in 1985 as a quarterback/athlete and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986 as a running back. Trophy winner who was inducted into the College Foot- ball Hall of Fame in 2009 and who has been on recent ballots to be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In the 1990s, the lone candidate for the Irish would be The logical answer is Tim Brown, the 1987 Heisman defensive tackle Bryant Young. There are none from the 2000s, because top NFL player Justin Tuck never made first-team All-American, a requirement to be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame. Alan Page is one of five former Irish players who are in both the Who's next, this time to represent the 1980s? JUNE/JULY 2012 25 Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS