’57 Irish Used a Teammate’s Slight to Score Huge Upset

Ed Sullivan came to Notre Dame in 1953 from the football-rich area of western Pennsylvania, a solid lineman out of McKeesport and a late recruit by Coach Frank Leahy. Sullivan grew up idolizing Notre Dame, and headed west intent on getting an education and making his way into the Fighting Irish lineup. By his junior   Read Full Post

Underdog Irish Shocked Nation, OU in ‘57

In the fall of 1957, the Notre Dame football team found itself in a most unusual situation – trying to recover from possibly the worst season in the history of the program. The 1956 season had ended 2-8, and even though the Irish had produced the Heisman Trophy winner in Paul Hornung, they had suffered   Read Full Post

Notre Dame vs. Army: Making College Football History

When Notre Dame and Army meet Saturday night in the first football game played at the New Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, one of the classic series in college football history will be renewed for the 50th time. But to a great many of today’s football fans, it’s just that – history. They have no   Read Full Post

Whatever Happened to ND Men Becoming Football Coaches?

With all the questions swirling around the Notre Dame football program at the moment, one thing is fairly certain: If there is a coaching change, the odds of a former ND player taking the reins are pretty remote. About the only possible candidate from the ranks of former Irish players is Tom Clements, the Green   Read Full Post

What Does ND Need To Do For A Rebound Season?

Captain of ’57 Squad Recalls How Irish Bounced Back From Losing ’56 Campaign What does it take for Notre Dame to rebound from one of its worst two-season stretches in school history? The answer may lie in fundamentals. [ND historians true to statistical accuracy will point out that the 2007 and 2008 seasons do not   Read Full Post