Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com APRIL 2018 15 UNDER THE DOME 45 Years Ago: April 4, 1973 Notre Dame signs 40 student-athletes — National Signing Day was held in April back then — in what would be the final year before the NCAA would limit the scholarship count to 30 per year and 95 over four seasons (now down to 85). Notre Dame generally allowed about 30 to 35 grants-in-aid per year (35 in 1971 and 32 in 1972). Unique to this class is nine of the 40 are black. Previously, Notre Dame had never been able to attract more than five in a class (1968), and had only three in 1971, despite school president Rev. Theodore Hesburgh's renowned work on Civil Rights that would earn him the Medal of Freedom. The group inked by head coach Ara Parseghian is headlined by prized tight end/defensive end Ross Browner from Warren, Ohio. Also signed were Tennessee lineman Willie Fry, game-breaking North Carolina running back Al Hunter, Indiana running back/defensive back Luther Bradley and Ohio line- man Gene Smith — the current Ohio State athletics director — rated behind Browner and Gary Jeter (USC) as the best lineman in the state. 30 Years Ago: April 23, 1988 The 15,699 in Notre Dame Stadium for the Blue-Gold Game probably could not imagine they were witnessing a national title team eight months later. The Gold team wins 27-9 with a backfield of quarterbacks Steve Belles/Kent Graham, fullback Braxston Banks and tailback Tony Brooks. The Blue team features a backfield with the starting lineup of quarterback Tony Rice, fullback Anthony Johnson and tailback/captain Mark Green. Rice completes only 6 of 19 passes with two interceptions — and the lone Blue score comes on a 22-yard interception return by backup safety Greg Davis. In five scrimmages, including the Blue-Gold Game, Rice completes only 36.3 percent of his 77 passes, reinforcing popular belief that third-year head coach Lou Holtz's Power I/option offense can never take Notre Dame to the Promised Land. In the previous seven years, the Irish were a modest 43-36-1, and lost the final three games of 1987 while getting outscored 80-30. 25 Years Ago: April 24-25, 1993 Blue-Gold Game weekend begins with se- nior quarterback Kevin McDougal rallying his Blue team from a 17-7 fourth-quarter deficit to a 21-17 victory versus the Gold, quarter- backed by counterpart Paul Failla. Named the Offensive MVP, McDougal completes 16 of 26 passes for 260 yards with two scores, high- lighted by the 30-yard game-winner to Clint Johnson with 5:34 left. Still, head coach Lou Holtz does not name a starting quarterback, with the popular con- tention that he will make incoming National Player of the Year Ron Powlus the heir to three-year starter Rick Mirer. The next day, Mirer is the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft (behind Washington State quarterback Drew Bledsoe), the first of six Notre Dame players selected among the top 45. Also tabbed in the first round are junior fullback Jerome Bettis (No. 10), junior cor- nerback Tom Carter (No. 17) and tight end Irv Smith (No. 20), while linebacker Deme- trius DuBose (No. 34) and running back Reg- gie Brooks (No. 45) are chosen in the second round. 15 Years Ago: April 26, 2003 In an oft-repeated theme of a Blue-Gold Game, the backup quarterback steals the show. This time it's freshman Chris Olsen, named the Offensive MVP while leading the Gold to a 6-0 halftime lead, and then switching to Blue in the second half and directing it to a 17-8 "win." Starter Carlyle Holiday is used on only five plays because per second-year head coach Tyrone Will- ingham, "we're so much farther along" from last season, when Willingham is named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sporting News by leading the Irish to a turnaround 10-3 campaign (from 5-6) his first year. — Lou Somogyi Anniversaries In Notre Dame Athletics History: April BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED PO Box 2331 Durham, NC 27702 www.BlueGoldOnline.com 1-800-421-7751 DELIVERY LIMITED TO CONTINENTAL U.S. PLEASE ADD SALES TAX FOR ITEMS SHIPPING TO: (NC 7.5%, IN 7%, MI 6%) GRILL MAT $49.95 + FREE S&H Available in 2 Styles: ND or Leprechaun (Item #6622-ND or #6622-LEP) (Item #6621) CUSTOM GRILL COVERS Hand-made in the USA using the finest commercial grade vinyl. Mold-resistant, breathable vinyl with drawstring bottom. Logo printed with UV-resistant ink. AVAILABLE IN 2 SIZES & 3 LOGOS: Small: 55" wide x 36" tall x 21" deep $51.95 + $15.00 S&H Large: 66" wide x 36" tall x 21" deep $54.95 + $15.00 S&H Please allow up to 2 weeks for delivery. Grill covers are made to order and shipped direct from the manufacturer. Senior quarterback Kevin McDougal earned Offensive MVP honors after leading the Blue squad to a come-from-behind 21-17 victory in the 1993 Blue-Gold Game by completing 16 of 26 passes for 260 yards with two touchdowns. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS