Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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52 SEPT. 25, 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI T he contest against Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich., renews a rivalry that saw the Fighting Irish and Spartans meet every year but four (1953, 1958, 1995‑96) during a 66‑year stretch from 1948‑2013. Coupled with the series against Michigan that also was almost an‑ nual from 1978‑2014, the Wolverine State has been conspicuous on the Notre Dame football slate. Because the state almost borders Notre Dame's campus, Michigan was ranked by BlueandGold.com in 2014 as the sixth‑most productive state in the school's football history, with 137 players from within its borders having seen action for the Irish, most recently the sophomore defensive end trio of Daelin Hayes (Belleville), Khalid Kareem (Detroit) and Ade Ogundeji (West Bloomfield). Notre Dame's Golden Age of re‑ cruiting in Michigan was during the Ara Parseghian era in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Defensive backs coach Paul Shoults was the ace re‑ cruiter in the state, and seven of the 11 starters on Blue & Gold Illustrated's "All‑Michigan" defense were re‑ cruited during that era. Here is the All‑Michigan unit: QUARTERBACK: George Gipp (Laurium, Mich., 1917-20) The first consensus and unanimous All-America selection in Notre Dame history (1920) was of- ficially listed at "left halfback," but in pre-T-forma- tion days, the LH did much of the passing. While leading Notre Dame to an 18-0 record in 1919-20, Gipp completed 71 of 134 passes (53.0 percent) at an extraordinary 20.2 yards per com- pletion and 10.7 yards per attempt. He also paced the team in rushing those two years with 1,556 yards while averaging 7.5 yards per carry. The Hall of Fame member's 8.1 yards per carry in 1920 remains a single-season Notre Dame record for players who carried at least 100 times. The only other Fighting Irish quarterback from Michigan with more than two career starts was Terry Andrysiak (1984-87) with seven. RUNNING BACKS: Jerome Bettis (Detroit, 1990-92) and Rodney Culver (Detroit, 1988-91) As a sophomore fullback in 1991, Bettis romped for 972 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground during the regular season, and added 150 yards and three scores in the Sugar Bowl upset of No. 3 Florida. "The Bus," who turned pro after his junior season, finished his Irish career averaging a re- markable 5.7 yards per carry. His 32 catches aver- aged 13.4 yards and included six scores. Culver had the power to play fullback and the speed to play tailback. He made an impact for the 1988 national champs, including a TD in the national title game. Culver led the star-studded backfield of 1990 in rushing with 710 yards and was the team's lone captain in 1991. He was in his fifth season in the NFL in 1996 when he and his wife perished in a plane crash that spring. Running back is the most stocked position from Michigan. It includes "Jumpin' Joe" Savoldi (Three Oaks, 1928-30), the top ground gainer for the 1929 national champs; top 1964 rusher Bill Wolski (Muskegon, 1963-65) with 657 yards and nine touchdowns; 1969-72 fullback John Cieszkowski (Detroit); 1977 national champion tri-captain Terry Eurick (Saginaw, 1974-77); 1993-96 speedster Randy Kinder (East Lansing), who led the team in rushing in both 1994-95; and Jonas Gray (Beverly Hills, 2008-11). WIDE RECEIVERS: Jim Seymour (Berkley, 1966-68) and Jim Morse (Muskegon, 1954-56) Seymour earned All-America notice each of his three varsity seasons before becoming the No. 10 overall selection in the 1969 NFL Draft. In his career opener versus Rose Bowl champ Purdue, Seymour totaled 276 receiving yards (with three scores), which is still a single-game Irish record. He helped clinch the national title that year with 11 catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns at USC. A halfback in college where he rushed for 893 yards, Morse would fit well in the slot, where his 52 career catches averaged 21.2 yards. Honorable mention notice goes to Javin Hunter (Orchard Lakes, 1998-2001) and David Grimes (De- troit, 2005-08). TIGHT END: Pete Chryplewicz (Sterling Heights, 1993-96) Head coach Lou Holtz was often excoriated for not throwing enough to the tight end, but in his 11th and final season with the Irish, Holtz saw Chryplewicz pace the team in receiving with 27 catches for 331 yards and four scores before mov- ing on to a three-year NFL career. Honorable mention notice goes to Dom Vairo (Calumet), the captain of Elmer Layden's first Notre Dame team in 1934. OFFENSIVE LINE: Heartley "Hunk" Anderson (Hancock, 1918-21), Joe Carollo (Wyandotte, 1959-61), George Goeddeke (Detroit, 1964-66), Tom McKinley (Kalamazoo, 1966-68) and Steve Elmer (Midland, 2013-15) Anderson was inducted into the College Foot- ball Hall of Fame in 1974 and classified by Knute Rockne as the toughest player pound for pound he had ever coached. Tackle Carollo was a second-round pick that played 12 years in the NFL, making the Pro Bowl in 1968. Goeddeke, a center, bore a striking resemblance to "Mr. Clean" and received All-America notice for the 1966 national champs. McKinley was a starting guard in 1967-68. Elmer started at both tackle and guard during his three varsity seasons, and graduated after his junior year. He could have been an NFL prospect, but opted to move on to other realms in his life. DEFENSIVE LINE: Mike Kadish (Grand Rapids, 1969-71), Greg Marx (Redford, 1970-72), John Hankerd (Jackson, 1977-80) and Paul Grasmanis (Jenison, 1992-95) Kadish and Marx enrolled in 1968 (Marx took a NOTRE DAME'S All-MichigAn TeAM The border state has produced significant talent for the Fighting Irish Detroit native Jerome "The Bus" Bettis starred at fullback at Notre Dame before embarking on a Pro Football Hall of Fame career after his junior year in 1992. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS