3 - Michael Floyd
This number was dominated by quarterbacks for 50 years, starting with College Football Hall of Fame enshrine Ralph Guglielmi (1951-54) and No. 2 NFL Draft pick George Izo (1957-59), continuing with national title winners Coley O’Brien (1966-68) and Joe Montana (1975, 1977-78), and carrying over into the 1990s with another No. 2 draft pick, Rick Mirer (1989-92), and Ron Powlus (1994-97).
It actually continued with yet another quarterback recruit in 1998, Arnaz Battle, who started the first two games in 2000 before getting injured. He was shifted to receiver and had an outstanding senior campaign in 2002 with 58 receptions. Running back Darius Walker then excelled with the number from 2004-06.
Floyd looks to bring the magic of No. 3 to the WR position.
9 - Ethan Johnson and Kyle Rudolph
The NCAA permits players to wear the same jersey number as long as one plays on offense and another on defense (i.e. USC quarterback John David Booty and linebacker Brian Cushing both donning No. 10 last year).
This also has been worn most famously by quarterbacks, starting with Wally Fromhart in the 1930s and the two Bob Williams’, the first (1948-50) going to the College Football Hall of Fame and the next (1956-58) engineering the upset of Oklahoma in 1957. Tony Rice (1987-89) directed the last national and a school-record 23-game winning streak. The number also has been one of the more eclectic ones as it has included 1955 All-America fullback Don Schaefer, as well as All-America defensive back/running back Jeff Burris (1990-93) and most recently Tom Zbikowski. But to have the number worn by both a tight end and defensive end is unique.
The last time we can recall members of the defensive front seven donning single-digit numbers to show they were “athletes” was the 1995-96 linebacker corps that featured Kinnon Tatum (2), Kory Minor (4) and Lyron Cobbins (6).
Another No. 10 who starred as a freshman was safety Randy Harrison in 1974. He played nearly 300 minutes while recording 57 tackles and returning two interceptions for touchdowns on Ara Parseghian’s final team.
12 - Robert Blanton
This has been mainly a running backs number, highlighted by Jack Chevigny (1926-28), 1970 leading rusher Ed Gulyas, a walk-on, and Ricky Watters (1987-90). As for cornerbacks, Troy Wilson was a three-year starter from 1984-86.
15 - Dan McCarthy This number was at its peak from 1987 through 1993 with safety Pat Terrell and quarterback Kevin McDougal, both major figures during stellar campaigns in 1988-89 and 1993. Defensive backs have monopolized the number the past decade with Clifford Jefferson (1998-2001), Preston Jackson (2001-04) and Leo Ferrine (2005-07).
17 - Deion Walker Four-year starting punters Hunter Smith (1995-98) and Joey Hildbold (1999-2002) thrived in recent years, as did kicker Ted Gradel in 1987, when he converted 14 of his 18 field-goal attempts. Halfback Jim Morse (1954-56) and safeties Mike Crotty (1969-71) and Brian Magee (1992-95) also were prominent figures.
As for wide receivers, Alvin Miller enrolled at Notre Dame as Parade magazine’s Player of the Year in 1983, but his career was truncated early on with chronic knee problems.
25 - Jonas Gray
Although Gray isn’t necessarily renowned for his blinding swiftness, this is the greatest speed number in Notre Dame history, starting with Al Hunter in 1973. He enrolled with the fastest known 100-yard dash time (9.3 seconds) among any football player ever at that time. His 93-yard kickoff return for a TD in the epic 24-23 victory over Alabama in the 1973 Sugar Bowl helped win the national title. He also became the first Irish rusher to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season (1976). Later on there was the peerless Rocket Ismail (1988-90), Randy Kinder (1993-96) and Tony Driver (1997-2000), all of whom were state-champion sprinters in high school. Munir Prince also had the speed Charlie Weis raved about, but he transferred last semester to Missouri.
This number also has produced All-Americans such as end Earl Brown (1938) and DB Jim Smithberger (1967), as well as Dick Lynch, who tallied the game-winning TD in the 7-0 upset of Oklahoma in 1957 and was a standout defensive back in the NFL.
26 - Jamoris Slaughter No Notre Dame player has received All-America notice with this number, but Dom Vairo was the 1934 team captain for Elmer Layden’s first Irish squad. Larry Parker had his moments at running back in 1970-71, as did safeties Tom Lopienski (1973-75) and Greg Davis (1987-90).
36 - David Posluszny The best to wear this number was two-time captain and linebacker Bob Olson (1967-69), still among the top 5 tackle leaders at Notre Dame. Fullback Tom Lopienski (1999-02), son of the aforementioned safety, was a four-year regular at fullback.
45 - Darius Fleming Everyone likes to associate this number mainly with Rudy (1975), but the linebacker who wore it as a starter the three previous seasons, Drew Mahalic, was one of the more underrated three-year starters in school history. He recorded 253 tackles and four interceptions (one for a TD), plus a key fumble return in the 1973 Sugar Bowl win versus No. 1 Alabama.
Filer carries on a Windy City tradition at linebacker with No. 46.
46 - Steve Filer The Chicago native carries on the tradition of two other productive linebackers from the Windy City: Mark Zavagnin (1979-82) and Corey Mays (2002-05). Another linebacker who became a starter was Brian Ratigan (1989-92). Center Bill Walsh (1945-48) was a starter for Frank Leahy’s dynasty.
52 - Braxston Cave The incoming center will wear the same number as fellow center, and All-American, Jeff Faine (2000-02), a first-round pick. Guard Pat Filley was a two-time captain in 1943-44.
57 - Mike Golic Another good number for centers, featuring All-America and pianist virtuoso John Scully (1979-80), followed by Mark Fischer (1981-82).
73 - Lane Clelland All-American offensive tackles Ed Benoir (1936-38) and Tim Foley (1977-79) headline the list. Other prominent starters at OT included Joe Carollo (1959-61), who played 12 years in the NFL, Justin Hall (1988-92) and Mike Doughty (1994-97).
78 - Trevor Robinson George Kunz (1966-68) may have been the finest offensive tackle ever to play at Notre Dame, and Mike Gann (1982-85) had a superb career at defensive tackle. Others who became four-year regulars included Tim Huffman (1977-80), Jordan Black (1999-2002) and John Sullivan (2004-07) .
79 - Hafis Williams DT Ken Dike was the most productive defensive player to wear this number, recording 190 tackles, 14 for loss, in 1976-77. Offensive tackle Mike Rosenthal (1995-98) received All-America notice as a senior. Recent offensive lineman Sean Mahan (1999-2002) became a four-year regular.
81 - John Goodman Like No. 9, another eclectic number with All-America luminaries in defensive tackle George Connor (1946-47), defensive end Alan Page (1964-66), tight end Ken MacAfee (1974-77) and receiver/return man Tim Brown (1984-87). Connor won the Outland, MacAfee the Walter Camp Award and Brown the Heisman.
87 - Joseph Fauria No All-Americans, but the 1990s featured two primary pass-receiving targets in split end Lake Dawson (1990-93) and tight end Jabari Holloway (1997-2000).
89 - Kapron Lewis-Moore No Notre Dame defensive end will ever eclipse the career of Ross Browner (1973, 1975-77), but if Lewis-Moore can rival the career of another DE, Karl McGill (1989-92), that would be pretty darn good. Jim Kelly was an All-America receiver in 1962-63.
98 - Sean Cwynar The last two defensive linemen issued this number became second-round NFL picks: Anthony Weaver (1998-2001) and Trevor Laws (2004-07). Prior to them, the most famous 98 probably was kicker Bob Thomas (1971-73).
99 - Brandon Newman A hard-luck number for past and present Blue & Gold Illustrated employees Cliff Stroud (1992-96) and Jason Sapp (2000-2003), both of whom tore knee ligaments early in their freshmen years and never were the same athletically. Another defensive lineman, Troy Ridgley (1988-91), had a good career before running afoul of University laws.
