Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Dame hosted the defending national champs (USC) who had a 23-game unbeaten streak and had not lost to the Irish in six straight meetings. In one of the most emotional games ever in Notre Dame Stadium history, the Irish triumphed, 23-14, and made the ensuing week's cover of Sports Illus- trated. In the sixth game of 1988, Notre point win over No. 1-ranked Alabama. In 1988, Notre Dame inked fresh- man running back/flanker Raghib "Rocket" Ismail, the swiftest player in school history. His 97 yards receiving were instrumental in the one-point win over No. 1-ranked Miami. Both Hunter and Ismail wore No. 25. Dame entertained the defending na- tional champs (Miami) who owned a 36-game winning streak during the regular season and had not lost to Notre Dame in six years. But in the impassioned showdown, the Irish prevailed 31-30, putting them on the next week's cover of Sports Illustrated. so Parseghian emphasized speed in his recruiting. First-time starters Ross Browner at end and Luther Bradley at safety (both freshmen) and sopho- more end Jim Stock cracked the 1973 starting lineup in the opener and had an immediate impact with their quickness. The 1987 defense was categorized INCREASING THE SPEED LIMIT The 1972 defense was labeled slow, After the 1973 USC game, junior quarterback Tom Clements' six-game passing stats were 71 attempts for 597 yards. After the 1988 Miami game, junior QB COMPARISON PART 1 quarterback Tony Rice's six-game passing stats revealed 71 attempts for 596 yards. against Alabama, Tom Clements rushed for 74 yards and completed 7 of 12 pass attempts. In the 1988 national championship contest with West Virginia, Tony Rice rushed for 75 yards and completed 7 of 11 pass attempts. In the 1973 national title game QB COMPARISON PART II as snail-paced. Holtz also started re- cruiting more speed, and in 1988 he inserted first-time starters such as sophomore nose guard Chris Zorich, freshman outside linebacker Arnold Ale and junior safety Pat Terrell, who was shifted from offense. When he signed in 1973, freshman running back Al Hunter (9.3 speed in the 100-yard dash) was considered the fastest football player in school history. His 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was crucial in the one- 1972 campaign, the title of the 1973 season in Fighting Irish backfield coach Tom Pagna's "Era of Ara" book was, "From the Ashes of Disaster." The Irish went on to finish 11-0 for the first time in school annals. After falling apart at the end of 1987, After the debacle to conclude the WORKING THEIR ASHES OFF the 1988 players donned T-shirts that read "From These Ashes, Notre Dame Will Rise." That team was the first in Irish history to post a 12-0 record. Who says history doesn't repeat? ✦