NFL Playoffs
You know how the games turned out. Let's bring back our look at ND alumni in the playoffs.Players
Jerome Bettis, RB - Pittsburgh: This Week: 27 rush for 101 yd, 1 TD, and 1 lost fumble. 1 rec for 21 yd.
Brennan Curtin, OT, Green Bay: Team total: 105 rushing yards, 2 sacks given up.
Vontez Duff, CB, Pittsburgh:
Tony Fisher, RB - Green Bay: Total: 1 rush for 4 yards, 2 receptions for 1 yard, and 1 drop.
David Givens, WR - New England: This week: 4 receptions for 26 yards and 1 TD.
Joey Goodspeed, FB - St. Louis: This week: One special teams tackle, possibly preventing an Allen Rossum TD. Total: Thrown at once (screen pass), 0 receptions.
Paul Grasmanis, DT - Philadelphia:
Jim Jones, OG - Pittsburgh: Team this week: 193 rushing yards, 1 sack given up.
Allen Rossum, PR - Atlanta: This week: 2 kickoff returns for 80 yards, 3 punt returns for 152 yards and 1 TD (of 68 yards). He also was very close to going 3 for three on punt returns. Is Rossum the most underrated ND alum currently in the NFL?
Gerome Sapp, S - Indianapolis: Total: 2 special teams tackles.
Hunter Smith, P - Indianapolis: This week: 6 punts, 40.7 yard average, 3 inside the 20, long of 54 yards. Total: 8 punts, 40 yard average, 5 inside 20, long of 54 yards.
Bobby Taylor, CB - Seattle:
Coaches
(Former ND assistants or ND alumni)Pete Bercich, Linebackers Assistant, Minnesota: Linebackers this week: 10 tackles. Linebackers total: 26 tackles, 1 forced fumble.
Kirk Doll, Special Teams, Denver: Team total: 23.5 kick return average, -1.0 punt return average. 18.0 kick return average and 9.0 punt return average given up.
Bishop Harris, Running Backs, New York Jets: Team this week: 110 rushing yards. Team total: 226 rushing yards.
Jim Johnson, Defensive Coordinator, Philadelphia: Team this week: 14 points, 316 passing yards, 97 rushing yards given up. 2 interceptions.
Dean Pees, Linebackers, New England: Linebackers this week: 17 tackles, 1 sack.
Johnny Roland, Running Backs, Green Bay: Team total: 105 rushing yards, 1 TD.
Kurt Schottenheimer, Defensive Backs, Green Bay: Team total: 284 passing yards, 4 TD given up.
George Stewart, Receivers, Atlanta: Team this week: 84 receiving yards, 2 TD.
Mike Stock, Special Teams, St. Louis: Team this week: 17.4 kick return average, no punt returns. 20.0 kick return average and 50.7 punt return average given up (including 1 punt return TD). Team total: 20.3 kick return average, 4.7 punt return average. 18.9 kick return average and 40.3 punt return average given up, with 1 punt return TD.
Trent Walters, Secondary, Philadelphia: Team this week: 316 passing yards and 1 TD given up. 2 interceptions
Charlie Weis, Offensive Coordinator, New England: Team this week: 20 points, 144 passing yards, 210 rushing yards.
ND Football News
- Justin Tuck is on pace to graduate (as he is a fourth year senior), and he will enter the 2005 NFL draft. He is projected to be a day 1 pick, perhaps going as high as the late first round.
- The East-West Shrine Game was held last Saturday, with Ryan Grant as ND's lone representative. Grant rushed 7 times for 24 yards, and caught 2 passes for 19 yards.
- The Gridiron Village Classic was also played last Saturday (why don't people tell me these things?!). Greg Pauly was ND's lone representative, and had 3 tackles, including 1 sack.
- The Senior Bowl will be played January 29, with rosters announced January 23.
- If anyone has any news on other senior bowl games being played, please let me know. I haven't seen anything about these anywhere. Also, if anyone caught any ND recruits in the Army All-American Game (advertise, for the love of God!) the other day, talk to me about a guest column.
Notre Dame Sports Update
For those who haven't heard yet, ND still leads in the director's cup with 337 points after the final fall update.Baseball: Ranked #20 in Collegiate Baseball's preseason poll. Closer Ryan Doherty and outfielder Craig Cooper are preseason All-Americans.
Men's Basketball: It hasn't been pretty, but a close win over St. John's gives ND their second best start under Mike Brey at 11-3. Chris Thomas, ND's all time leader in free throw percentage, was named a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, among the likes of Travis Deiner, Jerritt Jack, Aaron Miles, and Chris Paul.
Cross Country: The men finished as high as 5th and the women as high as 6th in postseason polls.
Men's Soccer: The US U20 team, featuring ND sophomore Greg Dalby, won the CONCACAF Group A Title, and is now en route to the World Youth Championship. (Who's up for KANKAKAF Fantasy Soccer?) The team, by the way, finished as high as 9th in final regular season polls.
Women's Basketball: After falling to Villanova and UConn, #7 ND routed Purdue 86-69. This one wasn't even close, but it was the first time ND Beat Purdue since the 2001 finals. This team looks good, and this only begs the question: who's a better coach, Mike Brey or Muffet McGraw?
Women's Soccer: Still National Champions. Is that good enough for you?
Softball: In preseason voting, Big East coaches unanimously predicted ND to win the Big East title.
Men's Lacrosse: Ranked as high as #10 in preseason polls.
Swimming and Diving: The men and women are both ranked #21 as of January 13.
Tennis: The men are ranked #34 and women ranked #21 as of January 11.
Fencing: I couldn't find a ranking, but I'm sure they're doing well. Oh, and Nick Schumacher is cool, but not as cool as Mariel Zagunis.
Join us later this week for a Transaction Wire, and (maybe) a KankaMatic Baseball update.
