Another piece of Notre Dame football's last national championship team will join the College Football Hall of Fame.
The National Football Foundation elected Monday former Notre Dame linebacker Michael Stonebreaker (1986-90) as a member of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame class. Stonebreaker, who joins teammates Rocket Ismail and Chris Zorich and coaches Lou Holtz and Barry Alvarez in the Hall of Fame, will be officially inducted on Dec. 5 during the NFF Annual Awards Dinner in Las Vegas.
Stonebreaker will become the 55th Notre Dame player or coach inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. No other program has more than the Irish. The 2023 Hall of Fame induction class includes 18 players and four head coaches.
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Stonebreaker, a two-time All-American, emerged as a top defender on Notre Dame's national championship team. After recording the second-most tackles on the 1988 team, 104, Stonebreaker finished third in Butkus Award voting and was named a consensus All-American.
After being suspended for the 1989 season, the River Ridge, La., product returned to lead the 1990 Irish with 95 tackles and put himself in the middle of key moments with interceptions against No. 4 Michigan and No. 24 Michigan State and a fumble recovery against No. 2 Miami. As a result, Stonebreaker received unanimous All-America honors and invites to the Japan Bowl and Hula Bowl.
Stonebreaker finished his career with 220 tackles, eight pass breakups, five interceptions and one returned for a touchdown. He played three seasons in the NFL with three teams after the Chicago Bears selected him in the ninth round of the 1991 draft.
Stonebreaker, owner and operating partner of N.O. Brew Coffee, currently resides in New Orleans.
Alvarez, who went on to have an illustrious career as Wisconsin's head coach, was Notre Dame's linebackers coach in 1987 and defensive coordinator in 1988-89. He isn't included among the 55 Hall of Famers inducted due to their Notre Dame tenures. Those 55 included 49 players and six head coaches.
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