2007 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was the college football
team that represented the University of Notre Dame
in the 2007 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis
in his third year as head coach, and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium
in Notre Dame, Indiana
. For the first time in school history, Notre Dame opened the season with five losses (Notre Dame's worst opening prior to 2007 was 0-3). Their nine-loss season was also a school record.
, the defensive coordinator who had been with the Irish since the 2005 season
, was replaced by Corwin Brown
, and Peter Vaas, the quarterback coach who had also been with the Irish since 2005 after David Cutcliffe left the position, was replaced by former Irish quarterback, Ron Powlus
. Both Powlus and Brown played college football and had time playing in the NFL
. Brown was previously an assistant coach for the New York Jets
and Powlus had been Notre Dame's director of personnel development since 2005.
, was signed by Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs
as a pitcher, while twelve others were signed onto NFL teams. Former offensive starters Brady Quinn
, Ryan Harris
, and Dan Santucci
and defensive starters Victor Abiamiri
, Derek Landri
, Mike Richardson
, and Chinedum Ndukwe
were taken in the 2007 NFL Draft
, while five others, Marcus Freeman, Chris Frome, Travis Leitko, Rhema McKnight
, and Darius Walker
, signed contracts with NFL teams. The team returns three starters on offense and five on defense. Despite the number of high profile losses, Weis refused to call it a "rebuilding year," citing a number of fifth-year seniors that he owes to try to win.
, nine four star recruits on offense, and four on defense. The class was named a top-15 class by most media.
. The road schedule was ranked as the 10th most difficult.
guessing, would only tell the media that the quarterback and his backup knew their roles. Demetrius Jones
started the game, with Evan Sharpley
and Jimmy Clausen
both seeing action as quarterback. Giving up nine sacks and two fumbles, and having negative 8-yards rushing, the Irish lost 33-3 in their most lopsided season opening loss in the history of the program.
After the opening loss, Weis named freshman Jimmy Clausen the starting quarterback. Clausen would become the eighth Notre Dame freshman to start at quarterback since 1951 and would be the earliest to start when he faced the 15th ranked Penn State Nittany Lions in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions won the game 31-10. The Irish ended the game with no rushing yards, and had only 144 total yards. They also amassed 97 yards in penalties.
, in what was widely known as the Toilet Bowl. Michigan played without their starting quarterback Chad Henne
due to a leg injury. Michigan senior running back Mike Hart
guaranteed a victory over the Irish.
Quarterback Demetrius Jones did not board a bus for the trip to Michigan. Charlie Weis issued a statement saying, "At 2:30 today, while boarding the bus to Michigan, I was notified that Demetrius Jones had decided not to make the trip. I have not spoken to Demetrius and can only say that he missed the team bus. Any additional comment would be without all the facts." On game day, it was reported that he had enrolled at Northern Illinois University
, however, he later revealed that he was transferring to the University of Cincinnati
.
Michigan won 38–0, tying their largest-ever win over Notre Dame set during the 2003 season. For only the second time in school history, Notre Dame opened the season with three losses.
31–14. For the first time in 119 seasons of Notre Dame football, the Irish had started a season 0-4. Michigan State also became the first opponent to win six in a row at Notre Dame Stadium.
in total yards (426-371) and Clausen throwing his first collegiate touchdown, the Irish fell to 0-5 on the season to Purdue by a score of 33–19. Down 23–0 at halftime, the Irish came out in the second half and drove to a 37 yard touchdown drive with Clausen's pass to John Carlson. Clausen left the game afterwards with an undisclosed injury. Evan Sharpley replaced him and threw his first collegiate touchdown in the fourth quarter and later threw another to put the Irish down by a touchdown, but they wouldn't score again. The Irish had much trouble in their kicking game with only one extra point made on three attempts and a blocked field goal.
UCLA was without its two starting quarterbacks. UCLA starter Ben Olson
went out with a knee injury late in the first quarter, which left freshman walkon redshirt McLeod Bethel-Thompson to lead the Bruins. This was the first appearance for the Irish in the Rose Bowl stadium since the 1925 Rose Bowl
. The Irish were able to capitalize on Bruin offensive mistakes to recover loose balls. This ended one of the worst slumps in Fighting Irish football, and prevented the Irish from equaling their longest losing streak in their history. In the 1960 college football season
, the Irish lost eight straight games. The biggest cheer during the entire game came when the score of the 2007 Stanford vs. Southern California football game
was announced. Fighting Irish and Bruins fans, who together are arch-rivals of the Trojans, cheered together.
In what was the largest margin victory the Trojans have put forth on the Irish to date, Notre Dame was shut out by USC for the first time since 1998. USC came into this game 5–1
, while Notre Dame came in 1–6. Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis announced during that summer that his team would wear throwback green jerseys for the matchup, signifying the 30-year anniversary of the Irish beating the Trojans in their green jerseys in 1977, when Weis was a senior at Notre Dame. Because of John David Booty
's injured finger, USC back-up quarterback, Mark Sanchez
, was the starter. In his second game as a starter, Sanchez managed to complete 21 of 38 passes with a combined total of 235 yards and 4 touchdown passes. This was the Trojans' 6th consecutive victory over the Irish and in the process, they became only the third team to accomplish this feat (Michigan and Michigan State share the record with eight straight wins in non consecutive years).
reported, "A week after the Midshipmen eked out a triple overtime victory against the Fighting Irish for the first time since 1963, Air Force beat Notre Dame 41-24 for its worst loss to a service academy since that Navy victory 44 years ago...It was the largest margin of victory for Air Force in six wins over the Irish and the biggest by a military academy since Navy beat the Irish 35-14 in 1963 behind Roger Staubach."
With the loss to Air Force, the Fighting Irish have lost nine games in one season for the first time in school history.
Notre Dame almost added another score on what would have been a spectacular finish to the half. David Bruton intercepted Stanford quarterback Tavita Pritchard's last-play heave at the 3 yard line and began a three-lateral return to the end zone that was called back on a personal foul on Notre Dame defensive lineman Trevor Laws. Safety Tom Zbikowski ran the final 30 yards after a lateral from Darrin Walls and the only thing missing was the band on the field as it was 25 years ago when California shocked Stanford with The Play
.
. Senior tight end John Carlson went 38th overall to the Seattle Seahawks
. Later in the second round, DE Trevor Laws
was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles
at 47th overall. In the third round, safety Tom Zibikowski was the 86th selection, going to the Baltimore Ravens
. Center John Sullivan
was the final Notre Dame draftee, going to the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round. Three players that were not drafted quickly signed with NFL teams as free agents following the NFL Draft: linebacker Joe Brockington signed with the Buffalo Bills
, long snapper J.J. Jansen signed with the Green Bay Packers
, while running back Travis Thomas
will join former teammate and co-captain Brady Quinn
in Cleveland
.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
team that represented the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in the 2007 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis
Charlie Weis
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Weis is an American football coach. He currently serves as offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators. For five years, from December 2004 through 2009, he was the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame...
in his third year as head coach, and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium
Notre Dame Stadium
Notre Dame Stadium is the home football stadium for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team. The stadium is located on the campus of the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States, just north of the city of South Bend....
in Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame is a census-designated place north of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States; it includes the campuses of three colleges: the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, and Holy Cross College. Notre Dame is split between Clay and Portage Townships...
. For the first time in school history, Notre Dame opened the season with five losses (Notre Dame's worst opening prior to 2007 was 0-3). Their nine-loss season was also a school record.
Coaching changes
With the end of the 2006 season, two assistant coaches' contracts came up and were not renewed by the Irish. Rick MinterRick Minter
Rick Minter is an American football coach in the United States. He is currently the co-defensive coordinator at the University of Kentucky...
, the defensive coordinator who had been with the Irish since the 2005 season
2005 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2005 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was a college football team who represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Charlie Weis in his first year as head coach, and played their home games at Notre Dame Stadium...
, was replaced by Corwin Brown
Corwin Brown
Corwin Brown is an American football coach who was most recently the defensive backs coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
, and Peter Vaas, the quarterback coach who had also been with the Irish since 2005 after David Cutcliffe left the position, was replaced by former Irish quarterback, Ron Powlus
Ron Powlus
Ronald Lee Powlus is a former American football quarterback, former quarterbacks coach for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, and current quarterbacks coach for the University of Akron Zips football team....
. Both Powlus and Brown played college football and had time playing in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Brown was previously an assistant coach for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Powlus had been Notre Dame's director of personnel development since 2005.
Roster changes
The Irish lost a number of players to graduation and the NFL. Former consensus All-American, and two-year starting wide receiver, Jeff SamardzijaJeff Samardzija
Jeffrey Alan Samardzija is an American baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs...
, was signed by Major League Baseball's Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
as a pitcher, while twelve others were signed onto NFL teams. Former offensive starters Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
, Ryan Harris
Ryan Harris (American football)
Ryan Emerson Wilcox Harris is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame....
, and Dan Santucci
Dan Santucci
Dan Santucci is an American football center for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
and defensive starters Victor Abiamiri
Victor Abiamiri
Victor Ikechukwu Abiamiri is an American football defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, Derek Landri
Derek Landri
Derek Landri is an American football defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, Mike Richardson
Mike I. Richardson
Michael Isaiah Richardson is an American football cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
, and Chinedum Ndukwe
Chinedum Ndukwe
Chinedum "Nedu" Ndukwe is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
were taken in the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
, while five others, Marcus Freeman, Chris Frome, Travis Leitko, Rhema McKnight
Rhema McKnight
Rhema Lee McKnight is a former wide receiver for the University of Notre Dame's American Football team and signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2007...
, and Darius Walker
Darius Walker
Darius A'Dunte Walker is an American football running back who is a free agent in the National Football League. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Notre Dame.Walker has also been a member of the St...
, signed contracts with NFL teams. The team returns three starters on offense and five on defense. Despite the number of high profile losses, Weis refused to call it a "rebuilding year," citing a number of fifth-year seniors that he owes to try to win.
Recruiting
The Irish added 18 players to its roster with high school recruits. Included in the class were five-star quarterback recruit Jimmy ClausenJimmy Clausen
James Richard "Jimmy" Clausen is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-High school career:Clausen had an outstanding prep career...
, nine four star recruits on offense, and four on defense. The class was named a top-15 class by most media.
Award candidates
Four players were named to six national awards watch lists in the pre-season:- John Carlson - Maxwell AwardMaxwell AwardThe Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
- Maurice Crum Jr. - Bronko Nagurski TrophyBronko Nagurski TrophyThe Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
, Chuck Bednarik AwardChuck Bednarik AwardThe Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive collegiate football player adjudged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States...
, and Lott TrophyLott TrophyThe Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented annually to the college football Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. IMPACT is an acronym for: integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community, and tenacity. The award purports to equally recognize the personal character of the winning player as well as... - John Sullivan - Dave Rimington TrophyDave Rimington TrophyThe Dave Rimington Trophy is awarded to the player considered to be the best center in college football. Dave Rimington was a center who played at the University of Nebraska from 1979-1982....
and Outland TrophyOutland TrophyThe Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in... - Tom ZbikowskiTom ZbikowskiThomas Michael Zbikowski is an American football safety for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League, and an occasional professional boxer. He was drafted by the Ravens in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
- Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, and Lott Trophy
Roster
Wide Receiver
Center
Offensive Guard
Offensive Tackle
Tight End
Quarterback
Tailback
Fullback
Nose Tackle
Defensive Line
Cornerback
Linebacker
Strong Safety
Free Safety
Long Snapper
Punter
Place Kicker
Sources: http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/nd-m-footbl-mtt.html, http://notredame.rivals.com/croster.asp?team=NOTREDAME |
Coaching staff
| Name | Position | Year at Notre Dame | Alma Mater Alma mater Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:... (Year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Weis Charlie Weis Charles Joseph "Charlie" Weis is an American football coach. He currently serves as offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators. For five years, from December 2004 through 2009, he was the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame... |
Head Coach | 3rd | Notre Dame (1978) |
| Michael Haywood Michael Haywood -External links:* *... |
Offensive Coordinator Running Backs |
3rd | Notre Dame (1986) |
| Rob Ianello | Recruiting Coordinator Receivers |
3rd | Catholic The Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops... (1987) |
| John Latina | Assistant Head Coach (Offense) Offensive Line |
3rd | Virginia Tech (1981) |
| Bill Lewis Bill Lewis (football) -External links:*... |
Assistant Head Coach (Defense) Defensive Backs |
3rd | East Stroudsburg East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is a public university located in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. It is one of the 14 state universities that compose the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education . It is commonly referred to as ESU by its students and members of the community... (1963) |
| Corwin Brown Corwin Brown Corwin Brown is an American football coach who was most recently the defensive backs coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League... |
Defensive Coordinator | 1st | Michigan University of Michigan The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan... (1993) |
| Jerome "Jappy" Oliver | Defensive Line | 3rd | Purdue Purdue University Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and... (1978) |
| Bernie Parmalee Bernie Parmalee Bernard "Bernie" Parmalee is the current Tight End Coach for the Kansas City Chiefs.Parmalee played high school football at Lincoln High School in Jersey City, New Jersey.-Professional playing career:... |
Tight Ends Special Teams |
3rd | Ball State Ball State University Ball State University is a state-run research university located in Muncie, Indiana. It is also known as Ball State or simply BSU.Located on the northwest side of the city, Ball State's campus spans and includes 106 buildings... (1990) |
| Brian Polian | Assistant Defensvie Backs Special Teams |
3rd | John Carroll John Carroll University John Carroll University is a private, co-educational Jesuit Catholic university in University Heights, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus as Saint Ignatius College.The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus, as... (1997) |
| Ron Powlus Ron Powlus Ronald Lee Powlus is a former American football quarterback, former quarterbacks coach for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, and current quarterbacks coach for the University of Akron Zips football team.... |
Quarterbacks | 1st | Notre Dame (1997) |
Schedule
The 2007 Notre Dame schedule was ranked the 13th hardest in the country by Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
. The road schedule was ranked as the 10th most difficult.
Georgia Tech
While deciding who would be the starting quarterback two weeks before the opener, Weis, wanting to keep the Yellow JacketsGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wreck, Engineers, Blacksmiths, and Golden Tornado. There are 8 men's and 7 women's teams that...
guessing, would only tell the media that the quarterback and his backup knew their roles. Demetrius Jones
Demetrius Jones
Demetrius Jones is an American college football player at Central State University. He was previously named the starting quarterback at the University of Notre Dame at the beginning of the 2007 season, and played middle linebacker at Cincinnati from 2008-09.-Nicknames:Jones used various monikers...
started the game, with Evan Sharpley
Evan Sharpley
Evan Thomas Sharpley is a professional baseball player currently in the Seattle Mariners organization.-College:On October 13, 2007, Sharpley replaced starting quarterback Jimmy Clausen midway through Notre Dame's loss to Boston College...
and Jimmy Clausen
Jimmy Clausen
James Richard "Jimmy" Clausen is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-High school career:Clausen had an outstanding prep career...
both seeing action as quarterback. Giving up nine sacks and two fumbles, and having negative 8-yards rushing, the Irish lost 33-3 in their most lopsided season opening loss in the history of the program.
Penn State
After the opening loss, Weis named freshman Jimmy Clausen the starting quarterback. Clausen would become the eighth Notre Dame freshman to start at quarterback since 1951 and would be the earliest to start when he faced the 15th ranked Penn State Nittany Lions in Happy Valley. The Nittany Lions won the game 31-10. The Irish ended the game with no rushing yards, and had only 144 total yards. They also amassed 97 yards in penalties.
Michigan
With both teams starting the season 0-2, for the first time ever a combined 0-4, the Irish next faced the Michigan WolverinesMichigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
, in what was widely known as the Toilet Bowl. Michigan played without their starting quarterback Chad Henne
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
due to a leg injury. Michigan senior running back Mike Hart
Mike Hart (football player)
Leon Michael "Mike" Hart is a former American football running back and current offensive quality control coach for Eastern Michigan University. Hart played college football as a running back at the University of Michigan from 2004 to 2007 and holds the Michigan Wolverines career rushing record...
guaranteed a victory over the Irish.
Quarterback Demetrius Jones did not board a bus for the trip to Michigan. Charlie Weis issued a statement saying, "At 2:30 today, while boarding the bus to Michigan, I was notified that Demetrius Jones had decided not to make the trip. I have not spoken to Demetrius and can only say that he missed the team bus. Any additional comment would be without all the facts." On game day, it was reported that he had enrolled at Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
, however, he later revealed that he was transferring to the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
.
Michigan won 38–0, tying their largest-ever win over Notre Dame set during the 2003 season. For only the second time in school history, Notre Dame opened the season with three losses.
Michigan State
Despite scoring their first two offensive touchdowns of the season (the first resulting from a fumble by MSU's quarterback, Brian Hoyer, at the 9-yard line), Notre Dame fell to Michigan StateMichigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...
31–14. For the first time in 119 seasons of Notre Dame football, the Irish had started a season 0-4. Michigan State also became the first opponent to win six in a row at Notre Dame Stadium.
Purdue
Despite outgaining the BoilermakersPurdue Boilermakers
Boilermakers is the official nickname for the intercollegiate athletic teams of Purdue University. As is common with athletic nicknames, it is also used as colloquial designation of Purdue's students and alumni at large....
in total yards (426-371) and Clausen throwing his first collegiate touchdown, the Irish fell to 0-5 on the season to Purdue by a score of 33–19. Down 23–0 at halftime, the Irish came out in the second half and drove to a 37 yard touchdown drive with Clausen's pass to John Carlson. Clausen left the game afterwards with an undisclosed injury. Evan Sharpley replaced him and threw his first collegiate touchdown in the fourth quarter and later threw another to put the Irish down by a touchdown, but they wouldn't score again. The Irish had much trouble in their kicking game with only one extra point made on three attempts and a blocked field goal.
UCLA
Ben Olson
Benjamen James Olson is an American football quarterback. He played for the UCLA Bruins football team. He excelled in football at Thousand Oaks High School, earning high school All-American honors in 2001....
went out with a knee injury late in the first quarter, which left freshman walkon redshirt McLeod Bethel-Thompson to lead the Bruins. This was the first appearance for the Irish in the Rose Bowl stadium since the 1925 Rose Bowl
1925 Rose Bowl
The 1925 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game. It was the 11th Rose Bowl Game. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated Stanford University, 27-10. The game featured two legendary coaches, Knute Rockne of Notre Dame, and Glenn "Pop" Warner in his first year at Stanford. The game also featured...
. The Irish were able to capitalize on Bruin offensive mistakes to recover loose balls. This ended one of the worst slumps in Fighting Irish football, and prevented the Irish from equaling their longest losing streak in their history. In the 1960 college football season
1960 college football season
The 1960 college football season marked the last time that the University of Minnesota was a national champion on the gridiron. Murray Warmath's Minnesota Gophers were not in the Top 20 in preseason polling, but received the AP Trophy at the end of the regular season...
, the Irish lost eight straight games. The biggest cheer during the entire game came when the score of the 2007 Stanford vs. Southern California football game
2007 Stanford vs. Southern California football game
The 2007 Stanford vs. Southern California football game was a college football game held on October 6, 2007, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. In a remarkable upset, the visiting Stanford Cardinal won 24–23. Southern California was favored by 41 points over Stanford,...
was announced. Fighting Irish and Bruins fans, who together are arch-rivals of the Trojans, cheered together.
Boston College
USC
2007 USC Trojans football team
The 2007 University of Southern California Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the college football season of 2007–2008, winning a share of the Pacific-10 Conference Championship and winning the 2008 Rose Bowl...
, while Notre Dame came in 1–6. Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis announced during that summer that his team would wear throwback green jerseys for the matchup, signifying the 30-year anniversary of the Irish beating the Trojans in their green jerseys in 1977, when Weis was a senior at Notre Dame. Because of John David Booty
John David Booty
John David Booty is an American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He last played for the Houston Texans until being cut on September 4, 2010. He played college football at USC.Booty has also been a member of the Tennessee Titans...
's injured finger, USC back-up quarterback, Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez
Mark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
, was the starter. In his second game as a starter, Sanchez managed to complete 21 of 38 passes with a combined total of 235 yards and 4 touchdown passes. This was the Trojans' 6th consecutive victory over the Irish and in the process, they became only the third team to accomplish this feat (Michigan and Michigan State share the record with eight straight wins in non consecutive years).
Navy
Notre Dame came into the game with 43 consecutive wins against Navy since the last loss in 1963. In triple overtime, Navy (5-4) scored a touchdown and successful two point conversion on their possession. Notre Dame (1-8) likewise scored a touchdown, but failed to make their own two point conversion on a rush attempt.Air Force
ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
reported, "A week after the Midshipmen eked out a triple overtime victory against the Fighting Irish for the first time since 1963, Air Force beat Notre Dame 41-24 for its worst loss to a service academy since that Navy victory 44 years ago...It was the largest margin of victory for Air Force in six wins over the Irish and the biggest by a military academy since Navy beat the Irish 35-14 in 1963 behind Roger Staubach."
With the loss to Air Force, the Fighting Irish have lost nine games in one season for the first time in school history.
Duke
Notre Dame garnered its second win of the season in a game between what ESPN's Lee Corso called the two worst teams in major college football. Notre Dame was led with three Jimmy Clausen touchdown passes of 25, 25 and 9 yards each. Freshman running back Robert Hughes also added a touchdown in the 3rd quarter. The win would be the Irish's only home win of the season, avoiding what would have been its first winless season at home in 74 years. The Irish gained 220 yards rushing behind the hard running of freshman tailbacks Robert Hughes and Armando Allen. After a scoreless first quarter, Notre Dame managed to capitalize on two forced fumbles in the final 1:12 of the 2nd quarter to take a 14-0 half time lead. Clausen was 16-for-32 for 194 yards and had his second straight three-touchdown game.Stanford
The Irish concluded their season on a high note, winning its second straight game and its second win on the road. Robert Hughes ran for 136 yards and the go-ahead 6-yard touchdown with 6:06 remaining in the 4th quarter to help the beat Stanford 21-14. Jimmy Clausen went 19-32 for 196 yards and one touchdown. The game was one of missed field goals, turnovers and controversial calls against the Irish. The Cardinal missed 4 field goals and turned the ball over twice. Notre Dame, meanwhile, committed 4 turnovers, including 3 fumbles and an interception. Notre Dame would have added a score in the 3rd quarter, but a touchdown pass from Clausen to David Grimes was overturned on inconclusive evidence, despite the ruling on the field of a touchdown.Notre Dame almost added another score on what would have been a spectacular finish to the half. David Bruton intercepted Stanford quarterback Tavita Pritchard's last-play heave at the 3 yard line and began a three-lateral return to the end zone that was called back on a personal foul on Notre Dame defensive lineman Trevor Laws. Safety Tom Zbikowski ran the final 30 yards after a lateral from Darrin Walls and the only thing missing was the band on the field as it was 25 years ago when California shocked Stanford with The Play
The Play
The Play refers to a last-second kickoff return during a college football game between the and the Stanford University Cardinal on Saturday, November 20, 1982...
.
Awards
Upon the conclusion of the 2007 season, several players won All-American honors. Freshman standout Ian Williams was named to the 2007 AON Insurance Freshman All-America Team, the Football Writers Association of America announced during their annual banquet. He was one of six true freshmen named to the defensive unit on the FWAA Freshman All-America Team and was one of 13 of the 28 freshman All-America selections who was a true freshman this season. Williams was also named to the CollegeFootballNews.com all-freshman third team and was an honorable mention member of The Sporting News all-freshman team. Seniors John Carlson and Trevor Laws also picked up second team Academic All-American honors from ESPN The Magazine and the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).NFL Draft
Four Notre Dame players were drafted in the 2008 NFL Draft2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. Senior tight end John Carlson went 38th overall to the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
. Later in the second round, DE Trevor Laws
Trevor Laws
Trevor David Laws is an American football defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame....
was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
at 47th overall. In the third round, safety Tom Zibikowski was the 86th selection, going to the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. Center John Sullivan
John Sullivan (American football)
John Sullivan is an American football center for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League...
was the final Notre Dame draftee, going to the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round. Three players that were not drafted quickly signed with NFL teams as free agents following the NFL Draft: linebacker Joe Brockington signed with the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, long snapper J.J. Jansen signed with the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, while running back Travis Thomas
Travis Thomas
Travis John Thomas is a free agent American football running back who most recently played for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was signed by the Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
will join former teammate and co-captain Brady Quinn
Brady Quinn
Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. Quinn was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame.-Early Years:Brayden Tyler "Brady" Quinn was born on...
in Cleveland
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.