Very difficult to name 5 as opposed to 10. Mine are:
1. Joe Montana
2. Raghib Ismail
3. Tom Zbikowski
4. Tim Brown
5. (Tie) Golden Tate / Jeff Samardzija
I guess I couldn't limit it to 5 either.
(1) Tony Rice
(2 Ross Browner
(3) Rocket Ismail
(4) Joe Theismann
(5) Paul Hornung
(6) Jerome Bettis
copied from post below
Off the field, Theisman and Hornung for fighting against Padre Malloy's de-emphasis
Paul Hornung, Walt Patulski...
Can you find the co-ordination
Ft Wayne has provided some quality lads to the Irish, for sure.
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for us and some decent players., but wondered where the logic was.
I have been watching/attending Notre Dame games since 1954. My top 5 players:
(1) Ross Browner - the single greatest ND player.
(2) Rocket Ismail - the most exciting ND player.
(3) Paul Hornung - best all-around players ever. The guy could do everything.
(4) Joe Theismann - the most talented ND quarterback I ever saw.
(5) Jerome Bettis - best ND back.
defense game plan more than the Rocket. Paterno called him one of the best 5 college players of all time. Yes, I don't like Paterno either, but he knew his football.
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to be in Bill Walsh's system. The coach for the Redskins did not let Joe Theismann use the shotgun formation which he would have been incredibly dynamic at, even more than he was.
It all depends on one's criteria for choosing their list. Montana made his "name" as a pro, not as a college player where he wasn't all that "special." For me, based on his play while at ND, he wouldn't even make my top 20. Heck, he have a hard time cracking the top 5 best players on ND's '77 NC team and '78 was a pretty unremarkable year (8-3) save his performance versus Houston.
As a relative contemporary of Montana at ND (as a matter of fact I knew his first wife), I was pretty startled that he became the player he was. The best way I could say it was he was a bit disengaged at times and downright lazy most of the time at ND. But we all find our special niche at different times in our lives and Montana found it after ND.
I also have to add:
Jaylon Smith
Brady Quinn
Montana
Will Fuller
Golden Tate
Next time it should be the top 5 at each position... that would be easier for me.
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For me, possibly: Mayer, Hamilton or Tyree. Gotta have the personality to go along with the skills though.
1) Joe Montana, 2) Terry Hanratty, 3) JIm Seymour,4) Bob Golic,5) John Lattner
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Joe Carrollo, Joe Scibelli, Carlo Calabrese....
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terrific QB for Leahy in the 50s, I realize a long time ago 1st team consensus All-America QB in 1954..BACKFIELD OF GUGLIELMI, HEAP, LATTNER, WORDEN, ONE OF ALL TIME ND'S BEST...
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wasnt too shabby either..
Joe Montana, Nick Buoniconti...
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His first play in an exhibition game as a pro was one in which he sacked the QB and threw him on the QBs shoulder so badly that the guy was done for the year. When I saw him do that I knew he would struggle. Plus, Buffalo's defense stunk at the time.
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Many more I could have listed.
Zorich, Teo, Taylor, Quinn, Bettis, etc could all make my list. Maybe Hamilton before all is said and done.
and ...
rocky bleier
alan page
jerome bettis
reggie brooks
tom gatewood
theisman
huarte
carney
nick buonaconte
hanratty
seymour
hornung
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1. Tim Brown - loved everything about him. Total class person, otherworldly talent on the field. Was there in the stands the evening that he ran two consecutive punt returns back for TDs against MSU. Before the next punt, after he had just run two back for TDs, the public address announcer said..."And back to return for the Irish, is You Know Who!". Met him on campus once, just a pleasant guy.
2. Chris Zorich - his story speaks for itself. Absolutely dominant interior terror. Terrific representative for ND.
3. Joe Montana. Duh - he's Joe Montana.
4. Bob Crable - Duh - he's Bob Crable
5. Allen Pinkett - absolutely idolized him. Another complete class person. Ran into him one day in the old bookstore when we were both students. Approached him and introduced myself, and he could not possibly have been more gracious. Spent several minute chatting. These were the days of 'Pinkett, Pinkett, Pass, Punt' as an offensive strategy. He was THE MAN at ND.
Honorable Mention: Bob Golic, Frank Stams, Greg Bell, Wes Pritchett, Kory Minor, Rocket
Montana wasn't as great in college as pros, anfd I couldn't leave this list below these great 6.
For more relevance, I'll not consider the legends the likes of the Gipper, etc.
1. Ross Browner - The greatest player to play at Notre Dame. He was a man among boys, and for a big defensive end, had no trouble running down running backs, covering wide receivers, out-finessing offensive linemen, or flat-out overpowering them. Watch some of the videos of his play, and you'll see him casually throwing aside 285 lb offensive linemen as if they were rag dolls (back in the days where 285 lbs was considered "huge").
2. Joe Montana - Not so much for his collegiate play, and more for his professional play. He deserves accolades for his clutch performances in college, though, including the Chicken Soup Comeback against Houston.
3. Raghib "The Rocket" Ismail - While his stats weren't as eye-popping on paper, no one player ever forced opposing defenses to change their strategies as much as he did. Even if he didn't have big receiving numbers, his sheer speed and acceleration, along with his ability to spin out of tackles, would force defenses to assign both a cornerback as well as an extra safety to spy on him. This opened up the rest of the offense, since he took away another defender in the box.
4. Jerome Bettis - The big black bowling ball (that's what he called himself at times) would simply run over many a linebacker and defensive back. To see a giant running back like he was, with that much acceleration and top speed was phenomenal, and seeing him steamroll the vaunted 1991 Florida Gators' defense so easily, made me smile. Credit goes to those awesome offensive lines, but still, you could see fear in the eyes of the opposing defensive backs once he busted through the front seven.
5. Bobby Taylor - He could basically shut down the opposition's best receiver in single coverage. He ran a good 40 time (4.50 if I recall correctly), while also being 6' 3" and 210 pounds, complete with excellent hip flexibility. He also had excellent field vision. Basically, you couldn't run past him, you couldn't try to exploit a height advantage, nor a strength advantage, since he was about as complete of a package as any cornerback out there.
Luther Bradley.
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Rocket
Montana
J Smith
Stonebreaker
Brown
I like your Tie!
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