The 27 Notre Dame scholarship freshmen were issued their jersey numbers as they begin summer school this Monday (June 18).
While the numbers are subject to change, we look at who some of the best were to don the ones issued to them. Today we feature the defensive line:
Justin Ademilola: No. 19
Best To Wear Number at Notre Dame: Jack Cannon (1929-31)
The left guard for Knute Rockne’s 1929 national champs was a first-team All-American and is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. He also was the last Notre Dame player to compete in games without wearing a helmet.
It makes us wonder if his nickname might have been “Loose.”
Best Defensive Lineman To Wear No. 19: Aaron Lynch (2011)
Cannon qualifies here as well because in Rockne’s day football players played both sides of the ball, although it would be difficult to say whether Cannon was in the line or at linebacker.
Two things we know for certain is one, the number is seldom donned by a defensive lineman and two, the one who did at Notre Dame — Lynch — was a force before transferring to South Florida . In the one season he played, Lynch earned Freshman All-American honors while leading the Irish in sacks (5.5) and with 14 quarterback hurries, the most since the stat was first kept in 1998.
Honorable Mention: John Krimm (1978-81) & Glenn Earl (2000-03)
Krimm was a three-year starting cornerback who earned first-team Academic All-America honors as a senior and also first-team notice from Sporting News for his work on the field.
Earl was a playmaker for the 9-2 regular-season Notre Dame teams in 2000 and 2002 and played six years in the NFL.
The best position overall for this number has been kicker with Jim Sanson (1996-99), D.J. Fitzpatrick (2002-05), who also punted, and currently Justin Yoon, the most accurate field-goal kicker in school history (minimum 50 kicks) at 80.8 percent (42 out of 52 attempts) and who needs 46 points this year to become the school’s all-time scoring leader.
Jayson Ademilola: No. 57
Best To Wear Number at Notre Dame: John Scully (1977-80)
Earned consensus All-America notice at center for the 1980 squad that lost to No. 1 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, and then played 10 years with the Atlanta Falcons.
That in itself would be enough to put him No. 1, but extra credit work includes his work as a master pianist. The composer co-produced a CD and music video entitled “Here Come The Irish” — which includes the now oft-used anthem, “There’s a magic in the sound of her name. Here come the Irish, of Notre Dame.”
Best Defensive Lineman To Wear No. 57: Hugh Devore (1931-33) & Chuck Puntillo (1956-58)
Again, two-way linemen who as seniors served as co-captains on the final teams of Hunk Anderson and Terry Brennan, respectively, 25 years apart. Devore also was the Irish interim coach in 1945 and 1963.
Honorable Mention: Rick Kaczenski (1995-97)
A three-year starter at center, which is where current senior Trevor Ruhland also plays while moonlighting at guard as well.
Ja’Mion Franklin: No. 98
Best To Wear Number at Notre Dame: Anthony Weaver (1998-2001) & Trevor Laws (2003-07)
Both were second-round NFL draft picks with marvelous senior years statistically while playing on teams that had losing records, 5-6 for Weaver in 2001 and 3-9 for Laws in 2007. Both also were named the Team MVPs as senior.
Weaver had 21 tackles for loss as a senior while Laws’ 112 tackles his final season (eight for loss, four sacks) was one short of Steve Niehaus’ school record 113 by a lineamn (1975).
Best Defensive Lineman To Wear No. 98: Weaver & Laws
We’d give the impact award to Weaver because he started as a true freshman on a 9-3 team while Laws was redshirted. Weaver also played seven years in the NFL compared to Laws’ five. Either way, both were highly productive with the Irish.
Honorable Mention: Bob Thomas (1971-73) & Pete Chryplewicz (1993-96)
The Chief Justice in Illinois four years (2005-08), Thomas also is in the Academic All-America Hall of Fame. Notre Dame faithful best remember him as the kicker whose 19-yard field goal with 4:26 provided the winning points in the 24-23 national championship showdown against Alabama in the 1973 Sugar Bowl. Thomas also played 11 years in the NFL.
Chryplewicz’s 27 catches for 331 yards and four TDs in Lou Holtz’s final season made him the first Irish tight end to pace the team in catches since Mark Bavaro 12 years earlier. He also played five years in the NFL.
Defensive end Andrew Trumbetti last season completed a solid career.
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