Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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14 NOV. 7, 2016 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED UNDER THE DOME UNDER THE DOME MOVING? Call us at 1-800-421-7751 Irish student-athletes excelling on the field and in the classroom Lindsay Allen — Basketball The senior from Mitchellville, Md., was one of 20 players named to the preseason watch list for the Nancy Lieberman Award, which is presented annually to the top point guard in the country. Should she win it, Allen — who is second among active Division I players in career assists and fourth in career assist average (4.99 per game) entering the season — would become the second Irish player to do so. Skylar Diggins achieved the feat in both 2012 and 2013. Megan McCashland — Soccer The junior midfielder from Lincoln, Neb., was the difference maker in Notre Dame's 1‑0 win over ACC foe Wake For‑ est Oct. 23. In the 88th min‑ ute, it looked as though the Irish were headed for their sixth overtime game of the season before a strike from McCashland found the back of the net. Both of her goals this season, through 17 contests, were game‑winners for the Irish. Rebecca Nunge — Volleyball The sophomore outside hitter from New‑ burgh, Ind., led the way when the Irish picked up their eighth ACC win of the season Oct. 21. In the 3‑0 vic‑ tory at Pitt, she had a team‑ high 10 kills on 25 attempts, and also contributed three blocks and three digs. It marked the sixth time this season Nunge has recorded double‑digit kills. Through 22 matches, she ranked third on the team with 170 kills. Monica Robinson — Tennis The senior from Valley Center, Calif., and junior Brooke Broda, advanced to the doubles cham‑ pionship of the ITA Midwest Regional Championships Oct. 20‑24 at East Lansing, Mich., before falling in the final and taking runner‑up honors. Robinson also advanced to the quarterfinals of the sin‑ gles competition before being eliminated. After two events this fall, she had a 4‑2 singles record and a 6‑3 doubles mark. TOP OF THE CLASS Getting To Know … SOPHOMORE SAFETY NICCO FERTITTA Major: Psychology. Hometown: Las Vegas. High School: Bishop Gor‑ man. Favorite Food: "In‑N‑Out Burger cheeseburgers." Favorite Movie: "'Tropic Thunder.'" Favorite TV show: "'Game of Thrones.'" Favorite Music: "Wiz Khalifa." Best Player You've Faced: "[Four‑star Bishop Gorman wide receiver] Tyjon Lindsey. He's still in high school, but that kid is on another level. He's the real deal." Favorite Part About Playing For Notre Dame: "It's a challenge. You're going to have your good days and your bad days, but the good thing about that is, I have so many peo‑ ple I can rely on in this locker room and on this staff. If I'm having those days, I have a broth‑ erhood I can come back to. I have a second family here." CHARTING THE IRISH INTERCEPTIONS BY TOP-NOTCH QUARTERBACKS While he's struggled throughout long stretches of Notre Dame's losses this season, junior quarterback DeShone Kizer is still considered by many NFL scouts and analysts to be a first‑round draft pick. Pro Football Focus has Kizer on its "Watch List" of potential first‑round draft picks. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay both rank Kizer among their top 32 players, and CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated and WalterFootball.com project that Kizer will be a top‑five pick in the 2017 Draft. CBS Sports' Dane Brugler writes that Kizer "could be a name high on [the Cleveland Browns'] list with his intelligence, poise and physical tools at the most important position." While many NFL scouts will overlook Kizer's inefficiencies and focus on his size (6‑4½, 230 pounds), intelligence and mobility, he's shown a tendency to give the ball away this season. Through seven games, the Toledo, Ohio, native had thrown seven interceptions, closing in on the 10 he tallied through 13 games in 2015. If indeed Kizer does forgo his final two years of college eligibility and declare for the NFL Draft, how does his final season compare to recent big‑time quarterbacks? Here are the interception totals by signal‑callers taken in the top five in the last five drafts. ✦ GIMME FIVE During the 1940s, Notre Dame signed five quarterbacks that would become first‑round NFL picks: Angelo Bertelli, Frank Dancewicz, John Lujack, Frank Tripucka and Bob Williams. Since then, it has had only five others at the position go in the first round. That is why all the current chatter of Irish junior quarterback DeShone Kizer becoming a potential first‑round selection next spring has created intrigue. Yet of Notre Dame's five‑highest ranked teams in the last 45 seasons (1971‑2016), four didn't have its starting quarterback drafted: the 1973 (Tom Clements) and 1988 (Tony Rice) national champs, and the No. 2‑ranked outfits of 1989 (Rice) and 1993 (Kevin McDougal). The 2012 edition that finished the regular sea‑ son 12‑0 saw neither starter Everett Golson nor valued reserve Tommy Rees selected. Here are the five Notre Dame quarterbacks since 1950 to be drafted in the first round. Player Year (Pick) 1. Ralph Guglielmi 1955 (3) 2. Paul Hornung 1957 (1) 3. George Izo 1960 (2) 4. Rick Mirer 1993 (2) 5. Brady Quinn 2007 (22) INTERCEPTIONS BY TOP-FIVE DRAFT PICKS 2017 (projected) DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame: 7 interceptions (through seven games) 2016 Jared Goff, California: 13 Carson Wentz, North Dakota State: 4 (missed eight games) 2015 Jameis Winston, Florida State: 18 Marcus Mariota, Oregon: 4 (fewest in the NCAA) 2014 Blake Bortles, Central Florida: 9 2012 Andrew Luck, Stanford: 10 Robert Griffin III, Baylor: 6 KIZER PHOTO BY RICK KIMBALL