#97 David Ruffer 2010-11 Football Roster

CAREER: One of six fifth-year seniors on scholarship on 2011 Irish roster (Harrison Smith, Mike Ragone, Andrew Nuss, Gary Gray and Taylor Dever are the others) … named to the 2010 First Team ESPN Academic All-America® Football Team … finalist for the 2010 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award … captured the 2010 Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley Rockne Student-Athlete Award … returning field goal kicker that converted 23 consecutive field goals to open career … the 23 straight field goals was the longest streak in school history and longest in the FBS at the time … was the final kicker in the FBS in 2010 to miss a field goal and was also the only kicker in the FBS still perfect for his career … leads all active kickers in field goal percentage … transfer student kicked for Siegfried Hall in interhall games then earned a spot as walk-on player and later key contributor to Irish special teams in 2008 … began college career at William & Mary, then transferred to Notre Dame following 2007-08 school year … joined the Irish during 2008 bye week and was member of scout team the rest of season … served as backup to Brandon Walker in 2008 and Nick Tausch in 2009 until Tausch injured a foot.

2010 (SENIOR): Served as the primary field goal kicker in all 13 match-ups for the Irish… converted 23 of 24 field goal attempts … the 23 straight field goals was the longest streak in school history, but even more amazing was the fact that the streak opened his collegiate kicking career … the 23 consecutive field goals to open a career was also a school record … the 23 straight field goals was the longest active streak in the FBS … the NCAA record for consecutive field goals converted is 30 by Chuck Nelson of Washington in 1981-82 … the last kicker in the FBS in 2010 to remain perfect in field goal attempts … the last kicker in the FBS to remain perfect for his career … leads all active kickers in field goal percentage … his 18 straight field goals in 2010 was also an Irish school record … connected on a field goal in 11 straight games,each game in which he served as the Irish place kicker (dating back to the Pittsburgh contest in 2009), before the streak came to an end against Tulsa … the 11 consecutive games with a field goal was the longest streak by a Notre Dame kicker since Nicholas Setta set the school record with a field goal in 16 straight games (2000-02) … his 50-yard field goal against Pittsburgh and Miami (Fla.) were tied for the sixth-longest in school history … longest field goal by an Irish player since D.J. Fitzpatrick booted a 50-yarder against Syracuse on Dec. 6, 2003 … became the second Irish place kicker to ever register multiple field goals of 50 yards or longer in the same season … became the third kicker in school history to connect on multiple field goals of 50 yards or longer in his career … became the sixth place kicker in school history to connect on a field goal of 50 yards or longer … connected on 47- and 39-yard field goals against Army … drilled a 45-yard field goal versus Navy … connected on a 33-yard field goal in the victory over Western Michigan…made all three field goal attempts in the victory over Pittsburgh, including kicks of 32, 50 and 31 yards … connected on a 37-yard field goal against Boston College … successful on all three field goal attempts in the victory over Purdue … converted 22- and 40-yard field goals against Stanford … connected on three field goal attempts in the Hyundai Sun Bowl victory over Miami (Fla.), including kicks of 40, 50 and 19 yards … 12 kicking points against the Hurricanes were a Notre Dame bowl record … his three field goals also equaled another single-game Irish bowl record … named John Folmer Most Valuable Special Teams Player at Hyundai Sun Bowl.

2009 (JUNIOR): Participated in each of final seven games for Irish, taking over field-goal duties for the injured Nick Tausch against Pittsburgh, Connecticut and Stanford … connected on all five field goals he attempted, including a long of 42 yards against Pittsburgh and at Stanford … made both field goals attempted between 20 to 29 yards, converted only field goal between 30 to 39 yards and made both field goals over 40 yards … shared kickoff duties during season, booting 35 kicks for an average of 62.1 yards, including two touchbacks … made 50 special-teams appearances.

2008 (SOPHOMORE): Joined Notre Dame team during bye week and dressed in full pads for first time at practice on Wednesday, Oct. 22 … transferred to Notre Dame from William & Mary following 2007-08 school year … participated in first two interhall games for Siegfried Hall as wide receiver and kicker in 2008 … helped Ramblers defeat Knott Hall 13-0 in season opener as he caught a touchdown for opening score … also served as Siegfried Hall[apos]s placekicker … played at Washington and missed only kick of season, a point-after touchdown.

HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Graduated from Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. … never played football in high school … played soccer as freshman and was varsity golfer all four years … estimates his current handicap at two or three but was plus-one in high school … second youngest of four children to Michael and Peggy Ruffer …father and sister attended Notre Dame … graduated from College of Arts and Letters with a degree in economics … currently enrolled in graduate studies program.

Ruffer[apos]s Career Statistics