Blue and Gold Illustrated

January 2019

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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14 JANUARY 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED UNDER THE DOME BRIAN KELLY WINS HOME DEPOT AND STALLINGS AWARDS Brian Kelly became the first Notre Dame head coach to twice earn a National Coach of the Year award when Home Depot selected him for the honor Dec. 5. Since the inception of the award in 1994, with Florida State's Bobby Bowden the inaugural winner, Kelly also is the lone coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision to win it more than once, achieving it also in 2009 at the University of Cincinnati and then at Notre Dame in 2012 with 12-0 regular season records just like this year. The honor, he said, is more a reflection on the team. "It's like our players … if they came in here and said, 'I'm only in it to get the Heis- man,' we would be like, 'OK, well, what about team awards?'" Kelly said. "I'm more interested in our guys winning a national championship." In addition, Kelly was named the recipient of the Stallings Award sponsored by Dr. Pepper. The Stallings Award is presented annually to an exceptional Division I foot- ball coach that celebrates humanitarian contributions along with on-field achieve- ments. Kelly and his wife, Paqui, founded the Kelly Cares Foundation and since 2008 they have raised more than $4.6 million for causes locally, nationally and globally. The ninth-year Notre Dame head coach is a finalist on several other ballots: Ed- die Robinson Coach of the Year (announced Jan. 5), The Dodd Trophy (announced during Peach Bowl week) and George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award (announced Dec. 28). Previous Notre Dame coach of the year awards went to first-year mentors Frank Leahy in 1941 (American Football Coaches Association), Ara Parseghian in 1964 (Football Writers Association of America, shared by Arkansas' Frank Broyles), Tyrone Willingham in 2002 (Munger and Home Depot) and Charlie Weis in 2005 (Robinson). In his third season (1988) while leading the Irish to their most recent national title, Lou Holtz earned the honor from the FWAA, in addition to other outlets such as Sporting News, UPI, CBS Sports and Football News. A 12-0 regular season resulted in numerous Notre Dame individual honors through Dec. 10, with junior cornerback Julian Love the most decorated. • On Dec. 10, Love was named a first-team All- American by the Associated Press, while senior defensive tackle Jerry Tillery made the second team and senior linebacker Te'von Coney was on the third unit. It was the first time since 1993 three Irish defenders were named to the AP team: cornerback Jeff Burris (first), tackle Bryant Young (second) and safety Bobby Taylor (third). • Love also was chosen Walter Camp, Sports Illustrated and ESPN first-team All-American, and was one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented to the nation's top DB. Georgia corner Deandre Baker was the winner. • On Dec. 4, Fighting Irish fifth-year senior line- backer and two-time captain Drue Tranquill be- came the recipient of the 2018 Wuerffel Trophy. It is named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel and presented to the Football Bowl Subdivision player who best combines ex- emplary community service with athletic and academic achievement. Tranquill graduated last May with a degree in mechanical engineering after earning Dean's List notice in five of his eight semesters. His vast vol- unteer service included three mission trips to the Dominican Republic as a team leader with Here for Kids International. • A day earlier, fellow classmate and tight end Nic Weishar was named the official 2018 All- state AFCA Good Works Team ® captain for his commitment to community service and giving back off the field. In 2013, Weishar's 21-year-old brother Andrew passed away after a three-year battle with can- cer. Weishar then fulfilled his family's promise to his brother to "pay it forward" by starting the Andrew Weishar Foundation to give back to families with adolescents or young adults stricken with cancer. To date, The Andrew Weishar Foundation has aided more than 100 families affected by cancer and granted more than $600,000 in financial assistance. Weishar also led the Notre Dame football team in community service hours during the 2017-18 academic year. • Sports Illustrated had Tillery as a first-team All-American with Love, while senior tight end Alizé Mack was on the second team. • Fifth-year senior Sam Mustipher — a first- team All-American with Love by ESPN — was one of three finalists for the Dave Rimington Award presented to the nation's top center, won by North Carolina State's Garrett Bradbury. • Junior safety Alohi Gilman was among five finalists for Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, won by Notre Dame's Ronnie Stanley in 2015. The winner will be announced Dec. 13. • Tranquill, Mack and senior running back Dex- ter Williams have accepted invitations to play in the Senior Bowl Jan. 26 in Mobile, Ala. Mack will not use his fifth year option at Notre Dame. Notre Dame Players Feted With Numerous National Accolades Fifth-year senior tight end Nic Weishar was named captain of the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA For the third time in the last 10 football seasons — 2009 at Cincinnati, and 2012 and 2018 at Notre Dame — Kelly was named Home Depot National Coach of the Year. No one else has won it more than once since the award's inception in 1994. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA

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