Jan. 22, 2004
Notre Dame, Ind. – Notre Dame football players Darrell Campbell, Julius Jones and Courtney Watson will participate for the North team in the 2004 Senior Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 24 in Mobile, Ala. Game time Saturday is 4:00 p.m. on ESPN.
Campbell, of South Holland, Ill., was a leader on defense this season as he finished 2003 with 25 tackles, 6.5 for loss and three sacks. He also is an example to his teammates off the field as he will graduate in May with degrees in English and computer applications and is extremely active in the community. Campbell won the 2003 Nick Pietrosante Award given to the Notre Dame player who best exemplifies the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and pride of the late Irish All-America fullback Nick Pietrosante, as voted by his teammates. He also was named a 2003 captain joining Vontez Duff, Omar Jenkins and Jim Molinaro.
Jones, from Big Stone Gap, Va., finished his career ranked fourth on the Notre Dame all-time rushing list with 3,018 yards and tied Autry Denson for fourth on the single-season rushing list with 1,268 yards in 2003. He was one of only two players nationally to rush for 200 or more yards in three or more games this season and set the Notre Dame single-game rushing record with 262 yards against Pittsburgh. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry in 2003 and scored 10 touchdowns, finishing his career with 29. He also became Notre Dame’s all-time kick returner, finishing his career with 1,660 yards. The senior will graduate from Notre Dame in May with a degree in sociology.
Watson, from Sarasota, Fla., led the Irish in tackles with 107 in 2003 and recorded 10 or more tackles in eight of 10 games this season. He was named a semifinalist for the 2003 Butkus Award given to the nation’s outstanding linebacker after being one of three finalists for the same award in 2002. A first-team All-American by espn.com in 2002, Watson finished his career with 284 tackles, including 156 solos and 38.5 for loss. Off the field, Watson was one of 11 people named to the 2003 American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team for his contributions to the local and Notre Dame communities. Watson created the Tackle the Arts program in which the Irish football team works with the St. Joseph County Public Library in teaching children about the arts through reading, writing, drawing and playing music. He also served as a representative on the Notre Dame Student Senate in 2002. Watson graduated from the Mendoza College of Business last May and is enrolled in graduate studies.
In other all-star game news, Jenkins played last weekend in the 2004 Paradise Bowl in Las Vegas. The native of Dallas, Texas, suited up for the East team where he caught one pass for 13 yards in a 14-7 loss. Jenkins finished his career 18th on the Notre Dame all-time receiving list with 1,078 yards and was second on the team in receiving with 35 receptions for 334 yards in 2003. He served as game captain versus Washington State, Purdue, Boston College, Florida State and Stanford.