Irish Echoes: Notre Dame football’s All-Chicagoland defense
As the Chicago showdown with Wisconsin approaches, we continue our look at the greatest players from Chicagoland to don a Fighting Irish jersey. Today, the defense. All players are from Chicago unless otherwise noted.
Linemen
Dan Shannon, 1951-54 • 6-0, 190 • Mt. Carmel H.S.
His Notre Dame teammates had a term to describe an opponent being corralled by the ferocity of this Irish defender — “You’ve been Shannonized,” they’d proclaim. He was an inspirational leader of the 1953-54 teams, which went 18-1-1. He served as co-captain in 1954.
Backup: Chuck Collins, 1922-24 • 6-0, 177 • St. Ignatius H.S.
Chris Zorich, 1987-90 • 6-1, 282 • Vocational H.S.
One of the most prolific defenders in Notre Dame history, Zorich contributed to the national champions in 1988, then was a two-time consensus All-American in 1989-90, UPI Lineman of the Year in 1989 and winner of the Lombardi Trophy in 1990. He was defensive MVP of the 1991 Orange Bowl. Zorich played six years with the hometown Chicago Bears. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007.
Backup: Scott Zettek, 1976-80 • 6-5, 245 • Elk Grove Village, St. Viator H.S.
Bryant Young, 1990-93 • 6-3, 305 • Chicago Heights, Bloom H.S.
After an outstanding Notre Dame career in which he garnered first-team All-America honors in his senior year (1993), Young was the seventh player chosen in the 1994 NFL Draft and went on to a stellar 14-year career with the San Francisco 49ers. He was a four-time All-Pro selection, the NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 1999 and was selected to the NFL’s 1990s All-Decade Team. Young was a Super Bowl champion with the 49ers and totaled 89.5 career sacks.
Backup: Jeff Alm, 1986-89 • 6-7, 270 • Orland Park, Sandburg H.S.
Renaldo Wynn, 1993-96 • 6-3, 280 • De La Salle Institute
Following the path of earlier stars from De La Salle who excelled at Notre Dame, Wynn became a formidable force from his defensive end position. He made 67 tackles with 6.5 sacks in 1995, then added 61 tackles with nine sacks in his senior year, 1996. A first-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Wynn played 13 seasons for five NFL teams.
Backup: Darrell Campbell, 2000-03 • 6-4, 300 • South Holland, Thornwood H.S.
Linebackers
Marty Wendell, 1944, 1946-48 • 5-10, 215 • Evanston, St. George H.S.
Wendell’s college career was interrupted in 1945 for service with the U.S. Navy during World War II. At Notre Dame, he was shifted from fullback to guard to center on offense, but was a mainstay of the Irish defense. After the 1948 season, when Wendell earned All-America recognition, head coach Frank Leahy called him the best linebacker he had ever coached.
Backup: Mark Zavagnin, 1979-82 • 6-2, 228 • Evergreen Park, St. Rita H.S.
George Connor, 1946-47 • 6-3, 240 • De La Salle Institute
Connor took a circuitous route to become one of ND’s all-time greats. Out of De La Salle, he played two seasons (1942‑43) at Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., then served two years in the U.S. Navy. In 1946, he was drafted by the New York Giants but chose to enroll at Notre Dame, to be closer to his ill father in Chicago. He led the undefeated national champions of 1946 and 1947, earning consensus All-America honors. In 1946, he was awarded the first Outland Trophy as the nation’s best interior lineman. He followed his time in South Bend with eight years with the Bears, becoming a six-time All-Pro selection and a member of the NFL’s 1940s All-Decade team. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1963 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975.
Backup: Corey Mays, 2002-05 • 6-1, 245 • Morgan Park H.S.
Tony Furjanic, 1982-85 • 6-1, 228 • Mt. Carmel H.S.
The tough-as-nails Furjanic became nothing short of a tackling machine from his linebacker spot. He led the Irish in stops as a sophomore in 1983 (142) and in 1985 (147), when he served as co-captain. He’s remembered for breaking up Doug Flutie’s two-point conversion pass in the 1983 Liberty Bowl, preserving Notre Dame’s 19-18 victory over Boston College.
Backup: Darius Fleming, 2008-11 • 6-2, 255 • St. Rita H.S.
Defensive backs
Nick Rassas, 1963-65 • 6-0, 185 • Winnetka, Loyola Academy
Rassas was a big fan favorites as DB and kick returner due to his penchant for making big plays, whether it was separating a receiver from the ball or taking a kick to the house. He was a walk-on under coach Joe Kuharich, then emerged as a star in his final two years under Ara Parseghian. He returned three punts for touchdowns in 1965, setting a school record.
Backup: Elmer Angsman, 1943-45 • 6-0, 185 • Mt. Carmel H.S.
Tony Carey, 1964-65 • 6-0, 190 • Mt. Carmel H.S.
Like Rassas, Carey was one of the Irish players who blossomed with the arrival of Ara Parseghian in 1964. In that magical season, Carey intercepted eight passes for 121 return yards, helping Notre Dame go undefeated through its first nine games and nearly taking another national title. Carey has used lessons from football to become a successful Chicago lawyer and businessman.
Backup: Bill Gay, 1947-50 • 5-11, 170 • Tilden Tech
Tom Zbikowski, 2003-07 • 5-11, 200 • Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove H.S.
As electrifying a player as there has been in the past several decades at Notre Dame Stadium, Zbikowski was a threat to score — returning a punt or an interception — at seemingly any moment. In his breakout season of 2005, he had two of each, along with 71 tackles and five interceptions overall to garner All-America mention as the Irish reached the Fiesta Bowl. He continued his strong play the following two years, with 79 and 80 tackles, along with another punt return TD and a returned fumble for another score.
Backup: Tim Rudnick, 1971-73 • 5-10, 187 • Niles, Notre Dame H.S.
Julian Love, 2016-18 • 5-11, 195 • Westchester, Nazareth Academy
In March of 2015, Love committed to his “dream school” in accepting a Notre Dame offer. He went on to live the dream, as a lock-down corner leading the Irish. In his junior year of 2018, he led a defensive effort that resulted in a 12-0 regular season and a spot in the College Football Playoff. He garnered All-America honors, made himself eligible for the NFL draft and was chosen by the New York Giants.
Backup: Stan Smagala, 1986-89 • 5-10, 184 • Burbank,St. Laurence H.S. F
Jim Lefebvre is an award-winning Notre Dame author and leads the Knute Rockne Memorial Society. He can be reached at: jlefebvre@blueandgold.com.
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