Menu
Based solely on their college career, who were Notre Dame's two best wide receivers ever?
Based solely on their college career, who do you consider as Notre Dame's two best wide receivers ever?
Some that come to mind: Michael Floyd, Golden Tate, Tim Brown, Rocket Ismail, Jeff Smardzja, Will Fuller, Jim Seymour, Tom Gatewood, others?
Who do you consider as the best two?
Replies to: Based solely on their college career, who were Notre Dame's two best wide receivers ever?
Thread Level: 2
tate and the shark honorable mention jack snow
(no message)
Thread Level: 2
Jack Snow and Tim Brown
(no message)
Thread Level: 3
Forgot about the great Jack Snow. He once won a contest in the NFL for being the only receiver
to be able to catch a football from a helicopter flying I don't know how far in the air. Had a superb college season in 1964 and had more speed than people realized.
This message has been edited 1 time(s).
Thread Level: 4
Finished 5th in heisman ahead of Garrett. Sayers. Morton. Piccalo.
(no message)
Thread Level: 2
Based purely on entertainment value Golden Tate and Jeff Samardzija
(no message)
Thread Level: 2
A great list, you cannot tell by stats because of the style of play being different. Here goes, Sama
rdijzia and Seymour the best hands, Rocket and Brown the ones the opposing defenses had to account for the most, Tate and Floyd great combination of speed and skill and Fuller was the greatest at getting open for the long bomb. As far as clutch players, well, all of the above, but Tate, Samardjia, and the Rocket, if you consider from several positions probably made the most clutch, timely needed plays. Remember Tennessee 1990 for the Rocket, Pitt for Tate, and MSU and UCLA for Samardijza.
This message has been edited 1 time(s).
Thread Level: 2
Depends on whether you're looking at pure receivers, or multifaceted players
If it's the latter, then no doubt, it was Raghib "Rocket" Ismail and Tim Brown, with Golden Tate coming in third.
Rocket could single handedly change the game. You had to account for him all of the time, and double cover him, or else he'd easily break free. As a punt and kickoff returner, he had no equal. He was also a very crafty downfield blocker.
His mere presence meant that teams were rarely able to play an 8 or 9 man front against us, without suffering serious consequences. In 1990, Rodney Culver and Ricky Watters had very nice seasons at the RB positions, because of that excellent offensive line, but what's often overlooked, is the fact that Rocket (and Tony Smith) spread the field vertically for us, often times taking that strong safety out of the box.
If you look at the two regular season losses to Stanford and Penn State, it wasn't a mere coincidence that after Rocket left those games with deep thigh bruises, that the opposing teams were able to crowd the line with that nine man front, and stop our running game cold. Of course, Ricky Watters and his butterfingers did more damage to us during the Stanford game with his two fumbled punt returns...
Now, in terms of pure receivers, it's debatable, but I would say Golden Tate and Jeff Samardzija. Both of those guys were bona fide #1 receivers who could make some truly amazing catches, hand hands of glue, and were two of the toughest hombres to play the game at that position.
Michael Floyd and Will Fuller would be the next two on my list.
Thread Level: 2
Brown and Rocket did a lot more than catch the ball.
So perhaps Guys like Gatewood and Tate were the best pass catchers.
Thread Level: 2
Floyd and Tim Brown
Honorable mention: Golden Tate, Derrick Mayes, Jeff Samardzija,
Thread Level: 3
I'd swap Tate for Floyd, but I'd say your list is dead-on.
(no message)
Thread Level: 4
I do wonder if I am leaving someone out
Tom Gatewood and Will Fuller probably deserve some consideration too. Hard to judge due to a variety of factors obviously. Though Fuller kind of strikes me as the Autry Denson of WR's.
Thread Level: 5
What do you mean with the Autry Denson analogy?
I think Fuller should probably be on the list. He certainly had his share of the dropsies, but the guy was an absolute difference-maker. Exhibit A is the what happened after he left. 2015's squad probably would have looked a lot more like 2016 without him.
Thread Level: 6
Very good but not great player who benefited from a lack of options
Both were really good players, but would they have put up the stats they did with better depth? Just a random question I pondered. I do not think Fuller was a player you ever had to game-plan for the way Tate and Floyd were.
Thread Level: 7
I probably wouldn't put Fuller all the way in that category.
I agree with your general point - he certainly benefitted from the system, and his stats in the N.F.L. relative to college somewhat bear that out. But I think he'd have a been a notable playmaker on any of our teams over the last 3 decades.
Denson, on the other hand, is exactly as you described. He was actually the best defensive back on the team in '95 and '96, but because Farmer and Kinder never developed into their expected potential, along with some head-scratching recruiting misses at tailback in Holtz's last couple of years, he had to be the guy. And I respect that he played balls-out and got the job done to the max of his abilities.
Thread Level: 2
No love for Lake Dawson?
Guy caught every pass thrown in his direction. Maybe his greatest catch (4th down td reception late in the 1993 BC game) is forgotten b/c of the game's outcome.
This message has been edited 1 time(s).
Thread Level: 3
Good receiver. Not someone in the top-2-ever discussion.
(no message)
Thread Level: 3
With a list like this it is best to judge by a career
Dawson probably would have been a great deal better not playing in Holtz's early-90's teams, but at the end of the day his production was not there. I mean, his numbers were comparable to Mike Miller, who played in the same era, and could barely get on the field at times due to discipline problems.
Thread Level: 2
Floyd and Brown
(no message)
This message has been edited 2 time(s).
Thread Level: 2
Mays, Floyd, Smardzja, Brown
(no message)
Thread Level: 2
Joey Getherall and Chris Finke.
(no message)
Thread Level: 3
After studying old film I would rate Wayne Millner and Jack Snow higher.
(no message)
This message has been edited 1 time(s).
Thread Level: 4
I was wondering when someone would mention Jack Snow, I guess many here didnt see him, BUT
in 1964 Jack was tremendous teaming up with Heisman winner, John Huarte..
Thread Level: 5
Jack Snow and Jim Seymour, back in the day, were lights out terrific.
(no message)
Thread Level: 6
Agreed,if you noticed below, I still had Seymour in my top 2...
(no message)
Thread Level: 2
neither. I base my opion on the team. the team sucks.
(no message)
Thread Level: 2
My personal favorite is Gatewood. And Tate, if only for the dive into MSU.
(no message)
Thread Level: 3
I like Gatewood
Floyd, Tate, Brown and Rocket also rank, although Rocket was more for his overall contributions while he was listed as a WR.
Thread Level: 3
Gatewood's numbers are impressive considering how long ago that was in a run-first era.
(no message)
Thread Level: 2
Derrick Mayes?
(no message)
Thread Level: 3
He'd have been fun to watch in the more modern passing game.
A polished, athletic, clutch player with hands of glue. Underrated blocker, too.
Thread Level: 4
Re: He'd have been fun to watch in the more modern passing game.
Will never forget that Orange Bowl vs F$U when Mayes tipped the football to himself for a TD with F$U's best DB covering him.
This message has been edited 1 time(s).
Thread Level: 2
Jeff Samardjia and Michael Floyd (Tim Brown was the best but they didn't throw it to him that much).
(no message)
Thread Level: 2
Fuller and Tate
(no message)
Thread Level: 2
I'll go with Tate because he made my favorite ND play of all time.
(no message)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD380XDs-NY
This message has been edited 1 time(s).
Thread Level: 3
Man, that pass was right in the bucket...
(no message)
Thread Level: 3
You are my newest hero for posting this link. Best dive of all time. LMFAO.
(no message)
Thread Level: 2
Floyd holds most records but for some reason I remember Samardzija making the the great
catches as well as Gatewood and Seymour to make the game winners.
This message has been edited 1 time(s).
Thread Level: 3
The Shark did make some high light catches, for sure. Was great list to look at
(no message)
Thread Level: 2
Fuller and Jeff S. Tate close third.
(no message)
Thread Level: 2
I was a big JIm Seymour fan, so I'll go Seymour and Tim Brown;
with Tom Gatewood honorable mention..
Thread Level: 2
The Rocket doesn't even come close.
Tim Brown and Floyd are the first two that come to mind though. It is not insignificant that they both had 4 full years. Several on your list didn't or were essentially nonexistent as freshman.
Thread Level: 3
I was surprised to learn he only had four touchdown receptions in two years.
(no message)
Thread Level: 3
...said No One ever.
(no message)
Thread Level: 4
On a list of best WRs ever at ND? Again, not even close.
If you want to talk best all-around player, biggest difference-maker, most dangerous, etc. then he gets my vote as top 2.