The verbal commitment this week from speedy wide receiver Braden Lenzy would mark the first time since 2008 Notre Dame potentially is in line to sign a player from Oregon.
A native of Portland — where the University of Portland is the sister school of Notre Dame through its affiliation with the Congregation of Holy Cross — Lenzy is projected to fit the need that head coach Brian Kelly said would be a priority in the 2018 class. When asked this month what the main need areas next year are, Kelly listed cornerback and on offense “guys that can change the game on one possession.”
“We’ve got very good size, and I think we’ve got guys that can run,” Kelly said about the skill positions on offense. “We want a couple of home run hitters. We don’t care if they’re Darren Sproles’ size [listed at 5-6 in the NFL]. … We want some guys that can change the game on offense with elite speed.”
Lenzy as a sophomore posted career highs of 10.86 in the 100 meters and 21.79 in the 200 meters in Oregon track meets. For context, Notre Dame freshman cornerback Troy Pride Jr., who is competing in the ACC Indoor Championships this weekend at Notre Dame, ran a 10.55 in the 100 and 21.28 in the 200 as a senior South Carolina state champion.
Per our research, 26 players from Oregon have seen action as Notre Dame players. Could Lenzy become the best? Here’s our top five:
5. Brian Doherty (Portland, 1971-73)
Started all three years as the punter for the Fighting Irish, averaging 42.7 yards per attempt for the 1973 national champs. He also was the holder for kicker Bob Thomas, who booted three field goals to end USC’s 23-game unbeaten streak in a 23-14 Irish victory, and kicked the game winner from 19 yards with 4:26 left to defeat No. 1 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Doherty is Notre Dame’s second-highest draft pick from Oregon, going No. 226 overall (ninth round) in 1974.
4. Mike Martin (Roseburg, 1968-70)
After apprenticing behind All-American George Kunz (the No. 2 pick in the 1969 NFL Draft, behind O.J. Simpson) in 1968, Martin was in line to start in 1969, but was sidelined all of that season with an injury. He then started at left tackle for the 10-1 Fighting Irish in 1970. That offense, directed by quarterback Joe Theismann, still holds the school record in yards per game (510.5).
3. Floyd Simmons (Portland, 1945-47)
Although his career stats are relatively modest with 76 carries for 344 yards, he is the highest drafted Irish player from Oregon (No. 223 in 1948, three spots ahead of where Doherty would be) while helping Notre Dame’s ultra-talented 1946-47 team to national titles. He was listed as the top backup for John “Pep” Panelli at fullback as a senior.
2. Ethan Johnson (Portland, 2008-11)
A strong argument can be made that he should be No. 1 given that the defensive lineman easily had the most starts (37) among any Notre Dame player from Oregon. His 97 career tackles included 18.5 for loss, with 12.5 of them sacks, and they occurred while playing for three different defensive coordinators (Corwin Brown, Jon Tenuta and Bob Diaco).
1 . Jim Phelan (Portland, 1915-17)
In 1973, he became the lone Notre Dame figure from Oregon inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame — although that was as a head coach after sporting a career record of 137-87-14 at Missouri (1920-21), Purdue (1921-29), Washington (1930-41) and Saint Mary’s College of California (1942-47) before moving to the pro ranks.
However, he also was a standout starting quarterback for head coach Jesse Harper’s final three Irish teams, posting a 16-3-1 record before being called into World War I duty after the third game in 1917. He also was elected as the team captain that year, the lone player from Oregon to have that honor.
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