Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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WHERE HAVE YOU GONE? Tim Ryan, 1987-90 Offensive Guard Three-year starter was part of esteemed recruiting haul 25 years ago BY LOU SOMOGYI T classes that helped begin a renais- sance under head coach Lou Holtz. The Irish finished 5-6 under first- wenty-five years ago, Notre Dame signed one of its epic recruiting year boss Holtz in 1986, marking the first time the program had back-to- back losing seasons. The Irish were 35-34-1 in their last 70 games. Amidst the rubble, Holtz and re- cruiting coordinator Vinny Cerrato assembled what would become the consensus No. 1-rated class with a 30-man harvest in February 1987. Among them was linebacker Tim Ryan from Rockhurst High in Kansas City, Mo. A Parade All-American and USA Today second-team All-America choice, Ryan was just another face in the crowd among the Irish haul that season. • The running backs included USA Today first-team All-American Ricky Watters (who would also line up at flanker) and Tony Brooks. There also was Greg Davis, a future starter at safety. • The quarterbacks were Kent Gra- Ryan, who was recruited to Notre Dame to play linebacker, made the move to left guard in his sopho- more season and started 34 games while twice earning honorable mention All-America notice. FILE PHOTO some sleeper from Chicago Vocational School named Chris Zorich. Originally, Ryan had his sights set on head coach Barry Switzer's super- power Oklahoma Sooners. "I guess you could say I liked the Heck was moved from tight end to left tackle. "I didn't see it coming, but it wasn't ham, named national QB of the year by the Washington D.C. Touchdown Club, and Bobby Carpenter. Both would later transfer and play in the NFL, Carpenter as a wide receiver. • The lines included USA Today social aspects of the visit," Ryan re- called with a chuckle. "I honestly did not know a lot about Holtz and Notre Dame at the time, but my mom and dad did. For them, it was about pre- paring for the future and not worry- ing about having a good time." Eventually, the good times rolled on All-Americans Joe Allen and Norm Balentine, three unbeaten state heavy- weight wrestling champs in Mike Heldt and Peter Rausch from Flor- ida and Winston Sandri from North Carolina, future NFL players George "Boo" Williams and Bob Dahl, and top tight end Frank Jacobs. • Todd Lyght was recruited as Tim the field at Notre Dame. ADJUSTMENT PHASE the equation. Using the ingredients, molding and developing them, and having a vision are just as essential. During and shortly after an im- Having the material is only part of a traumatic event," recalled Ryan, who had backed up Ned Bolcar at linebacker and played 14:37 as a fresh- man, with 43 special teams appear- ances. "It was obvious I was at least a step slow at the linebacker spot and I was only going to gain weight." Sandri started in place of Ryan at left guard the first two games of 1988, but Ryan moved into the top spot next and started 34 times in all while twice earning honorable mention All-Amer- ica notice. A dozen members of that 1987 re- Brown's heir at flanker, but would become a two-time consensus All- America cornerback. • In addition to Ryan, lineback- ers included Donn Grimm, whose brother Russ was an All-Pro offensive lineman; Scott Kowalkowski, son of a former star NFL linebacker; Maryland Player of the Year Andre Jones; and 80 MARCH 2012 proved 1987 season in which the Irish finished 8-4, the venerated freshman class was in a state of flux: Lyght was shifted to corner, Watters was moved to flanker, Zorich was beginning to get groomed at nose guard and Heldt lined up at center for the first time. Meanwhile, Ryan was given a try- cruiting class cracked the starting lineup at some point during their sophomore year, and the Irish team that was considered "a year away" finished as the 12-0 national champs in 1988. Ryan, Heldt and Sandri were all in out at center and guard in the spring of '88 because of the graduation of all five offensive line starters from 1987. Sophomore Tim Grunhard did have four starts in 1987, while senior Andy the 260-pound range, but the option- based offense guided by quarterback Tony Rice was like a military acad- emy's today in the way quickness and execution superseded bulk. "We were grossly undersized, but the offense we ran was tailor-made for quickness and scheme as opposed to 300-pound guys zone-blocking ev- ery play," Ryan said. "It played bet- ter to the skill sets I had, which was BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED