Blue and Gold Illustrated

Nov. 27, 2020

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

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12 NOV. 27, 2020 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED UNDER THE DOME Sam Brunelle — Basketball The sophomore forward from Ruckersville, Va., was named to the Blue-Ribbon Panel's preseason All-ACC list, the lone Irish player to claim that honor. Brunelle was an ACC All- Freshman selection a year ago after averaging 13.9 points per game and scoring in double figures 23 times. She sur- passed 20 points six times, had two double-dou- bles and shot 31.5 percent on three-pointers. Jack Lynn — Soccer The junior forward from St. Louis doubled his season goal total with his first career hat trick in Notre Dame's 4-1 win over Louisville Nov. 6. He scored in the ninth, 25th and 33rd minutes to give Notre Dame a 3-0 lead before half- time. Heading into the ACC Tournament quarter- final matchup versus North Carolina Nov. 15, Lynn had six goals in six games this year. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah — Football The senior rover from Hampton, Va., earned three weekly awards for his perfor- mance in the 47-40 double- overtime win over Clemson Nov. 7, in which he had 2.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a 23-yard fumble return touchdown — the first score of his career. Owusu-Koramoah was named the Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, Bed- narik Award Player of the Week and the ACC Linebacker of the Week. Spencer Stastney — Hockey The junior defenseman from Mequon, Wis., was named a second-team pre- season All-Big Ten selection, one of two Irish players to earn individual recognition. Stastney, a fifth-round pick of the NHL's Nashville Preda- tors in 2018, scored three goals and had 17 assists for 20 points last season, all of which were career highs, earning All-Big Ten honors for the second straight year. TOP TOP OF THE CLASS OF THE CLASS Irish student-athletes excelling on the field and in the classroom CHARTING THE IRISH ASCENDING TO NO. 2 Notre Dame has achieved a No. 2 ranking or higher in every decade since the Associated Press poll was created in 1936. The number of teams ranked has changed over time, but there has always been a top 10. In total, the Fighting Irish have earned a top-two ranking in the AP poll in 33 of 85 possible seasons, but the current No. 2 ranking is the first since 2012 and just the third since 1994. The 11 seasons between 1994 and 2006 repre- sents the longest gap where Notre Dame was not ranked No. 2 or higher. Prior to the current millennium, the Fighting Irish were so successful that they achieved a top-two ranking in at least three seasons per decade. The peak decade for Notre Dame was the 1940s when the program finished No. 1 in the AP poll four times, No. 2 once and No. 9 or higher every season other than 1940. Of the four seasons the AP poll was around for in the 1930s, Notre Dame reached No. 1 in 1938 and No. 2 in 1939. NOTRE DAME AT NO. 2 OR HIGHER IN THE AP POLL BY DECADE ✦ GIMME FIVE When Notre Dame and North Carolina play Nov. 27 at Chapel Hill, N.C., it will match the two head coaches who currently own the most longevity in major college football. The Tar Heels' Mack Brown began his head coaching career at Appalachian State in 1983 before mov- ing to Tulane (1985-87), North Carolina (1988-97) and then Texas (1998-2013), where he reached the apex in 2005 with a national title and also was runner-up in 2009. After five years out of the game, he returned at age 68 to coach the Tar Heels again. Brian Kelly was 29 when he was hired as the head coach at Grand Valley State in 1991. He capped his career there with Division II national titles in 2002 and 2003 before taking the posts at Central Michigan (2004-06), Cincinnati (2007-09) and Notre Dame (2010-present). Rk. Head Coach, School Years (Games*) 1. Mack Brown, North Carolina 31 (387) 2. Brian Kelly, Notre Dame 30 (366) 3. Nick Saban, Alabama 25 (314) 4. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa 25 (302) 5. Dave Clawson, Wake Forest 20 (252) * Through Nov. 7 Notre Dame's Brian Kelly (30 years) trails only North Carolina's Mack Brown (31) in longevity among current Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches. PHOTO BY MIKE MILLER Decade Seasons 1930s 2 1940s 8 1950s 3 1960s 5 Decade Seasons 1970s 5 1980s 4 1990s 3 2000s 1 Decade Seasons 2010s 1 2020s 1

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