Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Lynch (No. 19), who was named a Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America, and Tuitt (No. 7) combined for 63 total stops, 10 tack- les for loss and 7.5 sacks during their freshman campaign. Ahead Of The Curve time Irish followers have yearned for a similar dominant tandem along the defensive line in one recruiting class. E 62 MARCH 2012 BY LOU SOMOGYI Stephon Tuitt make an instant impact Several have flourished since Frosh linemen Aaron Lynch and ver since the 1978 graduation of the venerated Notre Dame bookend tandem of Ross Browner and Willie Fry, long- then, but none was more ahead of the curve after their freshman season like the 2011 duo of Aaron Lynch and Stephon Tuitt. • Interior linemen Chris Zorich and and Williams saw only eight minutes and 16 seconds of action as a rookie and didn't record any tackles. • Bryant Young and Jim Flanigan George "Boo" Williams helped lead the Irish to the 1988 national title, but Zorich was redshirted as a freshman, lined up as ends in the 3-4 for the 11-1 Irish in 1993, and became first- and third-round picks in the NFL Draft, respectively. Young had eight tackles his freshman season, while BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS