Nov. 3, 2006
By John Heisler
With North Carolina making its first visit to Notre Dame Stadium since 1971, check out the A-B-Cs of Notre Dame football:
fÞ A is for Atlantic Coast Conference. Among current ACC members, the Irish have played 33 games vs. Georgia Tech and 23 vs. Miami. Next come North Carolina and Boston College with 16 each.
fÞ B is for Billingsley, as in Richard. His is one of the six computer polls used by the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) rankings.
fÞ C is for Carlson, as in John. Notre Dame¡¦s starting tight end didn¡¦t go into the season as the biggest name among Irish receivers, but he now leads the nation in yards per reception among tight ends at 14.3 (on 37 receptions).
fÞ D is for decades, as in a little more than four and a half. That¡¦s how long it¡¦s been since North Carolina¡¦s only series win vs. Notre Dame (12-7 in 1960 in Chapel Hill).
fÞ E is for eight, as in how many more fourth-down conversions the Irish have in eight games in ¡¦06 (17, in 23 attempts) compared to all of ¡¦05 (9).
fÞ F is for first, as in where Brady Quinn stands in career pass attempts among all active NCAA 1-A quarterbacks (1,438 ¡V nine more than Houston¡¦s Kevin Kolb).
fÞ G is for Gallo, as in Larry. The former Irish baseball coach (1981-87) returns to campus today as a senior associate athletic director at the University of North Carolina.
fÞ H is for Huarte, as in John. Notre Dame¡¦s 1964 Heisman Trophy winner is on campus today, is featured on the game tickets and programs and will take part in the ceremonial coin toss.
fÞ I is for interception. Brady Quinn hasn¡¦t thrown one in any of his last 169 attempts (knock on wood). I is also for Interview. Check out the Quinn feature in that magazine.
fÞ J is for Jeff Sagarin, a second BCS computer poll.
fÞ K is for Kenneth Massey, another of the BCS computer polls. The others are by Anderson & Hester, Colley Matrix, and Peter Wolfe.
fÞ L is for Laws & Landri, Notre Dame¡¦s top-drawer interior defensive line duo.
fÞ M is for Montana. Joe, the former Notre Dame quarterback, was the hero the last time the Tar Heels and Irish faced off in 1975 in Chapel Hill. Montana came off the bench with the Irish down 14-6 and led 15th-rated Notre Dame to a 21-14 win by completing three of four passes for 129 yards (including the 80-yard game winner to Ted Burgmeier).
fÞ N is for ninth, as in Notre Dame¡¦s current BCS ranking.
fÞ O is for one, as in the number of scholarship players from North Carolina (Raeshon McNeil, from Davie County) on the ¡¦06 Irish roster.
fÞ P is for plays, as in lots of them. Notre Dame averages 71.1 offensive plays per game so far in 2006, behind only Missouri (71.6), Toledo (73.2), Oregon (71.9) and New Mexico State (79). At home in five games, the Irish have averaged 75.2 offensive plays.
fÞ Q is for Quinn, as in Brady, the Notre Dame senior quarterback. A year ago after eight games, Quinn had completed 195 of 299 (65.2 percent) for 2,647 yards, 23 touchdowns, and four interceptions. This year he¡¦s 193 of 303 (63.7 percent) for 2,233 yards, 21 TDs, four interceptions.
fÞ R is for Rhema McKnight. Notre Dame¡¦s senior wideout has rebounded from his early-season knee problem a year ago to pace the Irish in receptions, receiving yards and TDs (9).
fÞ S is for Schivarelli, as in Peter. He¡¦s a former walk-on lineman from the Ara Parseghian era who now serves as business manager for the musical group Chicago that is performing at halftime today with the Notre Dame band (and then in concert tonight at the Morris Performing Arts Center in downtown South Bend).
fÞ T is for thirty-five, as in how many years it¡¦s been since North Carolina last played in Notre Dame Stadium. The seventh-rated Irish won that game 16-0.
fÞ U is for unbeaten, as in Charlie Weis¡¦ two-year record (7-0) in opponent stadiums (doesn¡¦t count neutral sites).
fÞ V is for Victor, as in Abiamiri, Notre Dame¡¦s veteran defensive end, who had six tackles and two sacks in his Baltimore homecoming last weekend.
fÞ W is for works, as in the Good Works Team selected by the American Football Coaches Association. Notre Dame¡¦s Bob Morton is a ¡¦06 team member.
fÞ X is for the position on the Irish depth chart played by McKnight.
fÞ Y is for Young, as in Sam, a rare freshman starter on the current offensive line.
fÞ Z is for Zbikowski, as in Tom, Notre Dame¡¦s full-time senior safety and part-time heavyweight boxer.