Sept. 4, 2003
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – College Football Hall of Fame inductee Jim Lynch headlines a star-studded list of nearly 50 returning Notre Dame football captains who will be honored this weekend in conjunction with the Sept. 6 Notre Dame-Washington State football game.
Current Irish football coach Tyrone Willingham issued the invitation to the former Irish captains to present them with commemorative pins that indicate their selections as captains. The first captains’ pins were presented in December to the 2002 captains at the annual Notre Dame football Banquet.
The former players will be introduced and honored Friday night at the pep rally (6:00 p.m. EST at the Joyce Center – captains will sit on the floor with the 2003 team and be introduced beginning about 6:15 p.m.). The pins will actually be presented at the Notre Dame National Monogram Club’s reception at 10:00 a.m. EST, Saturday in auxiliary gym #2 of the Joyce Center. Then, the captains again will be introduced on the field as part of the halftime ceremonies for the Notre Dame-Washington State game.
In addition to Lynch, the impressive list of returning captains includes consensus All-Americans George Kunz (1968), Dave Casper (1973), Al Ecuyer (1957), Bob Golic (1978), Vagas Ferguson (1979), Tom Gatewood (1970), Greg Marx (1972), Walt Patulski (1971), John Scully (1980), Mike Townsend (1973) and Chris Zorich (1990).
Here’s the complete listing of returning captains:
| Year | Hometown | Position | Name |
| 1951 | Beaver Falls, PA | E | Jim Mutscheller |
| 1955 | Sioux City, IA | T | Ray Lemek |
| 1956 | Muskegon, MI | HB | Jim Morse |
| 1957 | Homewood, IL | E | Dick Prendergast |
| 1957 | McKeesport, PA | T | Ed Sullivan |
| 1958 | New Orleans, LA | G | Al Ecuyer |
| 1958 | E. Chicago, IN | T | Chuck Puntillo |
| 1959 | Atlanta, GA | G | Ken Adamson |
| 1960 | Van Voorhis, PA | G | Myron Pottios |
| 1961 | Springfield, MA | G | Nick Buoniconti |
| 1963 | Louisville, KY | G | Bob Lehmann |
| 1964 | Atlanta, GA | G | James Carroll |
| 1965 | Rutherford, NJ | SE | Phil Sheridan |
| 1966 | Lima, OH | LB | Jim Lynch |
| 1968 | Arcadia, CA | OT/TE | George Kunz |
| 1968-69 | Superior, WI | LB | Bob Olson |
| 1970 | Springfield, OH | LB | Tim Kelly |
| 1971 | Baltimore, MD | SE | Tom Gatewood |
| 1971 | Liverpool, NY | DE | Walt Patulski |
| 1972 | Kermit, TX | OG | John Dampeer |
| 1972 | Redford, MI | DT | Greg Marx |
| 1973 | Chilton, WI | TE/OT | Dave Casper |
| 1973 | Howard Beach, NY | OG | Frank Pomarico |
| 1973 | Hamilton, OH | CB/FS | Mike Townsend |
| 1975 | Barberton, OH | LB | Jim Stock |
| 1977 | Saginaw, MI | HB | Terry Eurick |
| 1978 | Cleveland, OH | LB | Bob Golic |
| 1979 | Richmond, IN | HB | Vagas Ferguson |
| 1979 | Cincinnati, OH | OT | Tim Foley |
| 1980 | Huntington, NY | C | John Scully |
| 1981-82 | Tacoma, WA | HB | Phil Carter |
| 1982 | Muncie, IN | SS | Dave Duerson |
| 1984 | Fostoria, OH | SS | Joe Johnson |
| 1984 | Santa Ana, CA | OT | Larry Williams |
| 1985 | Chicago, IL | LB | Tony Furjanic |
| 1985 | Cincinnati, OH | LB | Mike Larkin |
| 1985 | Sterling, VA | TB | Allen Pinkett |
| 1985 | State College, PA | OG | Tim Scannell |
| 1986 | New Castle, IN | LB | Mike Kovaleski |
| 1987 | Germantown, TN | C | Chuck Lanza |
| 1988 | Riverside, CA | TB | Mark Green |
| 1988-89 | Phillpsburg, NJ | LB | Ned Bolcar |
| 1990 | Chicago, IL | DT | Chris Zorich |
| 1994 | Ernul, NC | TB | Lee Becton |
| 1995 | Chicago, IL | DT | Brian Hamilton |
| 1995 | Indianapolis, IN | SE | Derrick Mayes |
| 1996 | Kansas City, KS | ILB | Lyron Cobbins |
Also represented Saturday will be the family of the late Mike Lind (1967).
NOTE TO MEDIA: You are welcome to cover any aspect of the appearances by the captains, whether it’s the Friday pep rally, Saturday morning presentations, or halftime recognition. Check with John Heisler if you have any questions.