Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com MARCH 2019 97 Rocket Ismail is elected into College Football Hall Of Fame BY LOU SOMOGYI O n Jan. 7, 1988-90 Notre Dame receiver/running back/return man Raghib "Rocket" Ismail was one of 13 players selected for induction into the 2019 College Football Hall of Fame class. A popular reaction among Fighting Irish faithful was "what took so long?" In fairness, it is extremely difficult to make the cut. Even a Heisman Trophy winner such as Notre Dame's John Huarte (1964) had to wait 41 years. It took end Bob Dove (1940-42) — one of only 16 t w o - t i m e c o n s e n s u s A l l - Americans in Notre Dame history — 58 years. More recently, another two-time consensus All-American in Bob Crable (1978-81), Notre Dame's all-time leading tackler with 521, went 36 years before getting the call in 2017. Among the criteria to be eligible, a player must have been named first- team All-American by an NCAA- recognized source — thereby mak- ing someone such as Joe Montana, an Associated Press honorable men- tion choice in 1978, ineligible — not played a college game in at least 10 years and can no longer be playing in the pros (helping explain how Peyton Manning wasn't selected until 2017). "It takes a lot of people to help get you to a place where you can even be considered to be in the Hall of Fame, or any honor like that," Ismail told ESPN of his initial reaction to the news. "I've just been thinking about a lot of people along the way that helped me." Ismail becomes the 47th Notre Dame player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame, the most of any program. All the honorees will be formally inducted into the Hall Dec. 10 in New York. The impact of Ismail in the lineup was instantaneous and profound. Following Notre Dame's mod- est 43-36-1 record from 1981-87, the Fighting Irish won the first 23 games in Ismail's career, a school standard, highlighted by the 1988 national title his freshman season. The Irish were 33-4 (.892) in Is- mail's three seasons, but especially notable about the 9-3 campaign in 1990 — when he finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting to Brigham Young's Ty Detmer, but did win the Walter Camp Award — were the circumstances of the three defeats despite defeating Big Ten champs Michigan and Michigan State, reign- ing national champ Miami, SEC champ Tennessee and at USC. In that year's loss to Stanford, Is- mail did not play because of an in- jury. In the second defeat, versus Penn State, Notre Dame held a 21-7 halftime lead when Ismail played. When he was sidelined with an in- jury in the second half, the Irish lost 24-21. In the third loss, to No. 1 Colorado in the Orange Bowl, Ismail returned a punt 91 yards in the final minute, but the potential game-winning score was negated by a clipping call, one of the more debated calls in the pro- gram's history. Ismail became the first Notre Dame player to eclipse 1,000 yards apiece in rushing, receiving and returns, and did so in only three years (Theo Riddick became the sec- ond in 2012). • Ismail's six returns for touchdowns tie Tim Brown and Allen Rossum for the school record. The two kick- off returns for scores (88 and 92 yards) at Michigan in 1989 during the No. 1 versus No. 2 showdown marked the first time anyone returned a kick- off all the way against the Wolverines in 32 years. Just as defining was his 94-yard romp on a kickoff in the 29-20 victory over hated Miami in 1990. (Ismail also rushed for 100 yards on 13 car- ries in that contest.) • Although he enrolled as a running back and had no ex- perience as a wideout, Ismail's 71 career receptions at Notre Dame averaged a school-re- cord 22.0 yards. In the memo- rable 31-30 victory over No. 1 Miami in 1988, the freshman caught four passes for 97 yards, setting up two touchdowns with crucial grabs. • Against No. 1 Colorado in the 1990 Orange Bowl, Ismail was used as a full-time running back for the first time and named the MVP with 16 carries for 108 yards — high- lighted by a 35-yard touchdown — in the 21-6 Irish victory. Not including that Orange Bowl, Ismail's 131 career carries averaged 7.7 yards. The school record is 7.6 by Reggie Brooks because 150 attempts are required to be recognized. ✦ With Ismail's induction, Notre Dame's nation-leading total of College Football Hall of Fame players is up to 47. PHOTO COURTESY FIGHTING IRISH MEDIA Overdue Honor For A Man Of Speed LUCKY 13 Joining Ismail in this year's College Football Hall of Fame class are 12 other standouts. Alphabetically: Florida State defensive back Terrell Buckley (1989-91), Oklahoma defen- sive back Rickey Dixon (1984-87), John Carroll linebacker London Fletcher (1995-97), Texas A&M defensive lineman Jacob Green (1977- 79), North Carolina State wide receiver Torry Holt (1995-98), Arkansas running back Darren McFadden (2005-07), Arizona State quarter- back Jake Plummer (1993-96) , USC defensive back Troy Polamalu (1999-2002), Wisconsin tackle Joe Thomas (2003-06), Michigan State running back Lorenzo White (1984-87), Missis- sippi State linebacker Patrick Willis (2003-06) and Texas quarterback Vince Young (2003-05). — Lou Somogyi