The class ratings were based on 1) impact on the program through production and on-field results, 2) balance at the various positions and 3) overall depth in number of major producers.
THE 1975 RECRUITING CLASS
Players Originally Signed: 29 Record at Notre Dame from 1975-78: 37-10 (.787) AP Final Rankings: No. 12 (1976), No. 1 (1977), No. 7 (1978)
Haines' catch of a pass from Montana at the final whistle is still one of the most memorable plays in Cotton Bowl history.
Impact Dan Devine’s first recruiting class at Notre Dame proved to be his best in his six seasons with the Irish. Nine players from this haul were starters as juniors on the 1977 national title team, and many set new standards of excellence at their respective positions. Many others also contributed. As seniors in 1978 they played what was easily the toughest schedule in the country and still finished No. 7, capped by the dramatic 35-34 Cotton Bowl win over Houston. They finished 3-0 in bowls.
The impact was felt right away when Heavens set an Irish freshman record for rushing yards (756, held for 29 years), and Golic’s 82 tackles is still the standard for a Notre Dame rookie. Browner, the younger brother of All-America defensive end Ross Browner, started at fullback in the opener and rushed for 95 yards and the go-ahead TD in a 17-3 victory at Boston College. He moved to strong safety the next year because of how effective Heavens was.
• Heavens eventually became the all-time leading rusher at the school and is still No. 5 with 2,682 yards. He led the 1977 national champs with 994 yards in the regular season — and then added 101 in the 38-10 win over No. 1 Texas in the Cotton Bowl.
• Golic and Heimkreiter are the second and third leading tacklers in school history with 479 and 398, respectively.
• Haines became Joe Montana’s favorite target and his career average per catch of 21.5 yards is second only to Rocket Ismail’s 22.0. His final catch was a TD on the final play from scrimmage in the victory over Houston.
• Huffman became a three-year starter at center, an All-American, and a standout pro.
• Calhoun recorded 263 tackles, among the five most ever by an Irish defensive lineman.
• Browner had 228 stops at safety, among the most ever by a Notre Dame DB, and he made game-saving interceptions against South Carolina and Alabama in 1976, and had a TD return in a 29-25 victory at co-Big Ten champ Michigan State in 1978.
• Restic is tied for third in career interceptions (13) and was a four-year starter at punter with a 40.2 average.
Balance With the exception of tight end, either a record setter, an All-American, or a future NFL player, if not all of the above, represented every position in this class. Three-time All-American Ken MacAfee manned tight end from 1975-77, but Grindinger stepped in after his graduation and performed admirably in 1978, recording 16 receptions. Kevin Hart, son of 1949 Heisman winner Leon, also helped at the position.
Depth Although Lisch was replaced by Montana during the march to the 1977 national title, he had his share of fine games at quarterback and played several years in the NFL.
Horansky stepped in as a starting guard as a sophomore and held his spot for three years — even finishing fourth in the 1978 Cotton Bowl Offensive MVP balloting (extremely unusual for an offensive lineman) after the win over No. 1 Texas.
Defensive tackle Case was part of a four-man rotation at defensive tackle for the 1977 champs before recording 72 stops as a senior in 1978, when he led the team in both tackles for loss (12) and fumbles recovered (4).
Others who also helped in specified roles and/or on special teams were flanker Tom Domin, an exceptional blocker, linebacker Pete Johnson, defensive back Tom Flynn and fullback Pete Pallas.
Summary This class had superb balance across the board in star power, impact, balance and depth, making it one of the top dozen since the end of World War II.
The only reason we didn’t rate it in the top 10 is because it didn’t have to carry the program the way some other classes did. The 1975 group had a strong group in front of it in 1974 (as we shall see later), and plenty of quality in the one that arrived in 1976 and 1977. There were also three significant fifth-year seniors from 1973 (Ross Browner, Luther Bradley and Willie Fry) during the 1977 title march.
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