Listed are the minutes and seconds played at each position on offense or defense in 1) the bowl victory versus Hawaii and 2) the final 13-game total. Special teams appearances are in parentheses.
To earn a monogram based purely on playing time, 30 minutes of action are required, including special teams appearances.
For example, freshman linebacker Steve Filer played only two minutes and 57 seconds on defense, but he received a monogram based on his 98 special teams appearances. A special teams appearance is counted as 30 seconds, so 98 times 30 seconds translates into 49 minutes, resulting in a monogram.
Exceptions have been made in certain cases, and service monograms have also been awarded to walk-ons or to scholarship seniors if they have been in the program several years.
Notes:
• The previous record for most playing time by a Notre Dame quarterback in one season was Brady Quinn’s sophomore campaign in 2004 (356:30). Clausen eclipsed that figure in the Hawaii Bowl.
• Allen finished with only 51 seconds less playing time than the other running backs combined. The team-high in 2007 was 99:59 by Allen. Aldridge played 94:17 in 2007, 28:27 more than this year.
• No position had a more dramatic reversal in playing time among returning personnel. In 2007, Parris finished with the most action (188:08) at receiver, while classmate Tate had only 28:51…Despite missing the final three regular season games, Floyd’s playing time was the most ever by a freshman Irish receiver, easily surpassing Kamara’s figure of 184:29 in ‘07.
• Rudolph’s playing time is the most ever by any Notre Dame freshman at any position, breaking the previous standard of 292:17 set by offensive tackle Sam Young in 2006. Previous such records were held by Brady Quinn in 2003 (250:03) and outside linebacker Kory Minor in 1995 (239:38).
• Young has started all 38 games and could become the first 50-game starter in Irish history next season.
• Johnson’s playing time was the most by an Irish freshman defensive lineman since Victor Abiamiri totaled 189:46 in 2003.
• Fleming’s 198 special teams appearances were second only to senior linebacker Steve Quinn’s 239, but Fleming’s action on defense also increased in the second half of the season. In the first seven games Ryan totaled 78:59 and Fleming 36:03, but by the end of the year the totals were almost even.
• Harrison Smith accounted for the most playing time among the linebackers despite not playing as a freshman in 2007.
• Not only did Bruton and McCarthy see the most action on defense, but they were far and away the top two tacklers, with McCarthy at 110 and Bruton 97. Maurice Crum was a distant third with 65.
• Blanton’s playing time is the most by an Irish freshman defensive back since Bobby Taylor’s 175:13 in 1992…Gray was the lone player not to make the trip to Hawaii. He is not enrolled for the spring semester but it is anticipated he will return in the summer, a la Darrin Walls this winter after a semester-long exile last fall.
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