Notre Dame & USA Today All-Americans
Before there were star ratings, recruiting outlets and even the Internet, there was the USA Today All-American team.
Like its Parade magazine predecessor, inclusion by a high school football player on the USA Today first- or second-team All-America units was the pinnacle of achievement at that level, the five-star validation of its time.
The publication’s National Signing Day issue, listing every player signed by every team, and rankings by analysts such as Tom Lemming, Allen Wallace, Max Emfinger, Bill Buchalter or even The Godfather of college recruiting, Joe Terranova, made it the single greatest Holy Day of Obligation in the sport.
There also was a lot of business savvy with individual rankings. Recognizing that Notre Dame sells and the immense volume of Fighting Irish faithful in the land, it always appeared to me that those who cast their lot with Notre Dame received preferential treatment for marketing purposes.
In the publication’s first 20 years from 1982-2001, Notre Dame was the runaway leader with 51 first-team picks. A distant second was Florida State with 32. Yet in those same 20 years, the Irish finished in the top 10 on the field only five times – while many of their faithful lamented the inability to lure quality talent or the high academic standards that precluded reeling in elite prospects.
Even in the dark nine seasons from 2001-09, which had three losing seasons and two others at 6-6 and a sixth at 7-6, the Irish had 16 USA Today first-team All-America selections.
With numerous outlets/analysts now somewhat fulfilling the insatiable appetite of recruiting followers, USA Today’s team is now in the shadows. During the Brian Kelly era, the numbers have somewhat dwindled on that All-American unit, even though the on-field success has been more consistent, specifically the past three years.
Earlier this weekend, three current Notre Dame 2021 commits were selected to the publication’s preseason second team: quarterback Tyler Buchner and offensive linemen Blake Fisher and Rocco Spindler.
Whether they will be when it counts in December is uncertain given that Buchner and Spindler play in states where football is on lock down this fall because of COVID-19.
Here’s the nearly 40-yard track record, though, beginning with the Kelly era and moving backwards:
2019: None.
Tight end Michael Mayer was on the second team.
2018: Jay Bramblett.
He was listed as a placekicker, but punting is his game and he had a strong debut as a freshman last year.
Meanwhile, second-team selection Kyle Hamilton earned Freshman All-America honors at safety from various outlets.
2017: Matthew “Bo” Bauer
The backup middle linebacker was awarded Special Teams Player of The Year on the Irish squad last year.
At quarterback, Phil Jurkovec was on the second-team, while Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and USC’s J.T. Daniels (now at Georgia) shared first team honors. Jurkovec is now at Boston College.
2016: None
2015: Tommy Kraemer
He has started 26 games the past three seasons and begins his fifth year at right guard.
2014: Alize Mack, Tristen Hoge
Tight end Mack had a roller-coaster career in college before becoming a seventh-round pick. Interior offensive lineman Hoge transferred to BYU.
Kraemer also made the second team as a junior.
2013: Nyles Morgan
The second straight linebacker in the Kelly era to make the team, he cracked the starting lineup as a junior and was elected captain as a senior, but did not get drafted.
On the second team were offensive linemen Alex Bars and Quenton Nelson. A knee injury prevented Bars from getting drafted, but he made the Chicago Bears team as a free agent, while No. 6 overall pick Nelson is already recognized as the NFL’s most dominant offensive guard.
2012: Jaylon Smith
A starter from game one, Smith went on to win the Butkus Award as a junior, when he turned pro. Despite a severe knee injury in the Fiesta Bowl, he still was drafted in the second round and made his first Pro Bowl last year.
The second team included running back Greg Bryant, defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes and safety Max Redfield.
Bryant transferred in 2015 and tragically died in Florida in May 2016. Vanderdoes never enrolled, staying in-state at UCLA. Redfield was dismissed from school prior to his senior year because of an off-field arrest.
2011: None
Quarterback Gunner Kiel did make the second team, behind Jameis Winston, but transferred to Cincinnati following his freshman year.
2010: None
This was quite surprising because three defensive ends — Aaron Lynch, Stephon Tuitt and Ishaq Williams — were all deemed five-star prospects by at least one outlet, yet none made the first or second team.
2009: Matt James & Christian Lombard
Both listed as offensive tackles, James died in a spring break accident that April. Lombard started all 13 games for the 12-1 team in 2012 before injury setbacks cut short his final season in 2013.
THE REST OF THE 21ST CENTURY
2008 (3) – Running back Cierre Wood, offensive guard Chris Watt, linebacker Manti Te’o
Te’o became the school’s fourth USA Today Defensive Player of the Year, joining Kory Minor (1994), Oliver Gibson (1989) and John Foley (1986).
2007 (3) – Receiver Michael Floyd, tight end Kyle Rudolph and offensive lineman Trevor Robinson
Rudolph started every game as a freshman, and Floyd and Robinson started a few too in their first seasons.
2006 (1) – Quarterback Jimmy Clausen
The USA Today Offensive Player of the Year took over as the starting quarterback for good in the second half of a traumatic freshman season and departed after his junior season to become a second-round pick.
2005 (2) – Tight end Konrad Reuland and offensive tackle Sam Young
On the second team were offensive linemen Matt Carufel and Chris Stewart, linebacker Toryan Smith and cornerback Darrin Walls.
2004 & 2003 — (0)
The two lowest rated classes in Notre Dame history, which manifested itself in 2007 (3-9) when they were seniors and juniors.
2002 (5) — Defensive linemen Victor Abiamiri and Trevor Laws, offensive lineman Ryan Harris, tight end Greg Olsen and athlete Tom Zbikowski
Tied the 1992 and 1994 hauls for most USA Today first-team selections. Olsen transferred to Miami by the second week of preseason practice and became a top pick. Harris and Zbikowski were four-year starters, while Abiamiri and Laws were both second-round picks.
2001 (2) – Wide receiver Maurice Stovall and defensive lineman Derek Landri
Stovall became a third-round pick after a terrific senior year, while fifth-round selection Landri played seven years in the NFL.
2000 (1) – Tight end Mark LeVoir.
Moved to the offensive line, where he was a starter from 2003-05.
1982 THROUGH 1999
1999 (1) – Defensive lineman Greg Pauly
Current Blueandgold.com analyst Mike Goolsby was on the second unit as a linebacker.
1998 (4) – Offensive lineman Jeff Faine, defensive lineman Cedric Hilliard, safety Gerome Sapp and punter Nicholas Setta
Faine was a first-round pick at center.
1997 (2) – Running back Mike McNair and cornerback Clifford Jefferson
Linebacker Carlos Pierre-Antoine made the second team.
1996 (2) – Running back Tony Driver and linebacker Grant Irons
A second running back, Cooper Rego, was on the second team.
1995 (2) – Defensive linemen Brad Williams and Jason Ching
Hawaii native Ching’s career never got off the ground because of injury problems.
1994 (5) – Offensive linemen Mike Rosenthal and Tim Ridder, defensive linemen Jimmy Friday and Jerry Wisne, and linebacker Kory Minor
Minor was the USA Today Defensive Player of the Year. Wisne moved to offense and Friday to linebacker.
1993 (0)
A first in Notre Dame history with no first-team selections. Defensive back Jarvis Edison did make the second team.
1992 (5) – Quarterback Ron Powlus, running back Randy Kinder, offensive linemen Mike Doughty and Chris Kurpeikis and defensive lineman Melvin Dansby
This was the first time a college had five players selected on the publication’s first team, with Powlus the Offensive Player Of The Year.
1991 (3) – Offensive lineman Will Lyell, defensive lineman Anthony Jones and defensive back Bobby Taylor
Taylor became a second-round NFL pick as a junior.
1990 (2) – Receiver Mike Miller and linebacker Huntley Bakich
Both Texas natives had rough transitions to Notre Dame, with Miller eventually leaving school.
1989 (4) – Offensive linemen Aaron Taylor and Mike McGlinn, defensive lineman Brian Hamilton and linebacker Oliver Gibson
Luminaries in this bonanza class included first-round selections Jerome Bettis, Jeff Burris and Tom Carter and Bryant Young. Burris and Young were on USA Today’s second team.
1988 (4) – Quarterback Rick Mirer, kicker Craig Hentrich and linemen Stuart Tyner and Chet Lacheta
Mirer was the No. 2 pick in the 1993 NFL draft.
1987 (2) – Tight end Derek Brown and offensive lineman Gene McGuire
Brown ended up a as a first-round pick.
1986 (1) – Running back Ricky Watters
Had 1,814 yards rushing in his Notre Dame career, but enjoyed an even better “run” in the NFL with more than 10,000 yards rushing.
1985 (3) – Linebacker John Foley, offensive lineman Jeff Pearson and punter/defensive lineman John Zaleski
Foley, the publication’s defensive player of the year, suffered a career ending injury at the end of the 1987 season. He had moved to defensive end. Pearson started in 1987 but transferred to Michigan State. Zaleski also left school.
1984 (2) – Linebacker Ned Bolcar and cornerback Mark Green
They served as two of the three captains for the 1988 national champs, with Green lining up at running back ahead of Watters (a flanker that year) and Tony Brooks. Bolcar was a two-time All-American.
1983 (4) – Linebackers Frank Stams and Cedric Figaro, defensive end Matt Dingens and defensive back Brandy Wells
After playing fullback his first three years, Stams became a consensus All-American for the 1988 national champs as a fifth-year senior as a rush end/linebacker.
1982 (2) – Running back Hiawatha Francisco and wide receiver Alvin Miller.
Both were besieged by injury problems during their careers. Miller also was Parade’s Player of the Year but was limited to 22 career catches at Notre Dame
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