Notre Dame Has Their Number
With the start of training camp only about three weeks away, it's time to memorize the numbers assigned to the incoming freshman class, which features 23 scholarship players and, at last count, nine walk-ons.
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Quarterback Brandon Wimbush — 12
Top Player To Wear It — Ricky Watters (1987-90) excelled at running back, flanker in 1988 and as a return man prior to a stellar pro career.
Running Back Josh Adams — 33
Top Player To Wear It — Christie Flanagan (1925-27) led the Irish in rushing all three years from 1925-27 and is in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Jim Browner (1975-78) and Courtney Watson (2000-03) were recruited as running backs but they starred at safety and linebacker, respectively. End Dan Shannon (1952-54), whose grandson will enroll next year as a long-snapper, was a captain.
Running Back Dexter Williams — 34
Top Player To Wear It — Lineman Lawrence "Buck" Shaw starred for Knute Rockne from 1919-21 and became a top head coach in college and the NFL, with Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., named in his honor. Close runner-up is 1991-94 fullback and second-round pick Ray Zellars
Receiver Miles Boykin — 81
Top Player To Wear It — In addition to 1987 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown, linemen George Connor (1946-47) and Alan Page (1964-66) are in both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. Plus, tight end Ken MacAfee (1974-77) was a three-time All-American, the 1977 Walter Camp Award winner, and is in the College Football Hall of Fame. All but Brown starred for national champs.
Receiver Jalen Guyton — 83
Top Player To Wear It — Jeff Samardzija (2003-06) was a two-time All-American receiver and now a pitcher in Major League Baseball.
Receiver CJ Sanders — 9
Top Player To Wear It — Quarterback Tony Rice led a record 23-game winning streak in 1988-89, quarterback Bob Williams (1948-50) helped steer the 1949 national title and is in the College Football Hall of Fame, and defensive back/running back Jeff Burris was a first-round pick.
Receiver Equanimeous St. Brown — 86
Top Player To Wear It — This has been a tight end number, led by Dave Casper (1971-73), one of only six Notre Dame players enshrined in both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. It also had Dean Masztak (1978-81) and first-round pick Derek Brown (1988-91).
Tight End Aliz'e Jones — 10
Top Player To Wear It — Quarterback Brady Quinn (2003-06) holds virtually every Irish passing mark and twice finished among the top 4 in the Heisman voting.
Center Tristen Hoge — 66
Top Player To Wear It — Andy Heck (1985-88) went from a tight end who wore 88 his first three years to a first-team All-American, tri-captain for the national champs and a first-round pick at left tackle.
Guard Trevor Ruhland — 57
Top Player To Wear It — Center John Scully (1977-80) earned All-America notice but is even more renowned as a piano virtuoso who wrote "Here Come The Irish Of Notre Dame."
Defensive Tackle Micah Dew-Treadway — 97
Top Player To Wear It — Defensive tackle Bryant Young (1990-93) was one of the NFL's top defensive linemen the past 20 years.
Defensive Tackle Elijah Taylor — 58
Top Player To Wear It — Linebacker Steve Heimkreiter (1975-78) is fourth on Notre Dame's all-time tackles chart and started for the 1977 national champs.
Defensive Tackle Brandon Tiassum — 77
Top Player To Wear It — Defensive tackle Mike McCoy (1967-69) was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1970 NFL Draft.
Nose Guard Jerry Tillery — 99
Top Player To Wear It — Troy Ridgley (1988-91) arrived as a linebacker but moved to the defensive line, where he had 73 career tackles.
Linebacker Josh Barajas — 30
Top Player To Wear It — Fullbacks Wayne "The Train" Bullock (1972-74) and Jerome Heavens (1975-78) were the top rushers on national title teams, while All-America rush end Frank Stams (1984-88) starred for the 1988 national champs.
Linebacker Asmar Bilal — 27
Top Player To Wear It — Slight edge to one All-America safety, Mike Townsend (1971-73), over another, Nick Rassas (1963-65). Townsend led the nation in interceptions (10) as a junior and was a tri-captain for the 1973 national champs.
Linebacker Te'Von Coney — 4
Top Player To Wear It — Hall-of-Fame center Adam Walsh (1922-24) was a leader for the 1924 national champs. Running backs Lee Becton (1991-94) and Ryan Grant (2001-04) also excelled.
Safety Nicco Fertitta — 28
Top Player To Wear It — Running back Rocky Bleier (1965-67) was the team captain as a senior prior to a prominent NFL career.
Safety Mykelti Williams — 18
Top Player To Wear It — Halfbacks Jim Crowley (1922-24) and Marchy Schwartz (1929-31) are both in the College Football Hall of Fame. Cornerback Ted Burgmeier (1974-77) starred in multiple roles.
Cornerback Nick Coleman — 24
Top Player To Wear It — Quarterback Frank Carideo (1928-30) helped lead two national titles, giving him an edge over tri-captain/running back Mark Green (1985-88) for the 1988 national champs.
Cornerback Shaun Crawford — 14
Top Player To Wear It — Johnny Lattner (1951-53) won the Heisman Trophy, while fellow College Football Hall of Fame member Emil Sitko (1946-49) led four straight unbeaten Irish teams in rushing.
Cornerback Ashton White — 26
Top Player To Wear It — End Dom Vairo (1932-34) captained Coach Elmer Layden's first Notre Dame team.
Kicker Justin Yoon — 19
Top Player To Wear It — Lineman Jack Cannon (1929-31) is not only in the College Football Hall of Fame but also the last Irish player not to wear a helmet in games.
Interesting about this number is in all six of Brian Kelly's years this number was not worn for more than one season by a player: Robby Toma (2010), Aaron Lynch (2011), Davonte' Neal (2012), Doug Randolph (2013), Nick Watkins (2014), and now Yoon.
Freshman walk-ons include quarterbacks Nolan Henry (17) and Robert Regan (19), wide receiver Chris Finke (also 27, like Bilal), defensive lineman Lincoln Feist (54), linebackers Kier Murphy (40), Brandon Hutson (49), and Devyn Spruell (51) long-snapper Kyle Conrad (40), and punter Jeff Riney (85).
