The 2010 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was an American football team that represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. In their first year under head coach Brian Kelly, the Irish compiled an 8–5 record, outscored opponents by a total of 342 to 263, and were unranked in the final AP and Coaches Polls. They opened the season losing three of the first four games, but rebounded and won the final four games, including a 33–17 victory over unranked Miami (FL) in the Sun Bowl.
Wide receiver Michael Floyd tallied 79 receptions for 1,025 yards and 12 touchdowns and was selected by his teammates as the team's most valuable player. The team's other statistical leaders included quarterback Dayne Crist (2,033 passing yards), running back Cierre Wood (603 rushing yards), linebacker Manti Te'o (133 total tackles), and kicker David Ruffer (91 points scored, 37 of 40 extra points, 18 of 19 field goals).
The team played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.
Schedule
Preseason Coaching changes Following the 2009 season, Notre Dame fired head coach Charlie Weis after the Irish finished 6-6, well below expectations of competing for a BCS bowl berth. Brian Kelly was named as his replacement on Dec 10, 2009. Running Backs coach Tony Alford was the lone assistant retained from Weis's staff. Before Rob Ianello could be considered, he took the head job at the University of Akron Ron Powlus followed Ianello to Akron.
Player departures Irish stars Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate chose to forgo their final years of eligibility and declare for the 2010 NFL draft. The Irish also lost a number of seniors to graduation, including linemen Eric Olsen, Paul Duncan and four-year starter Sam Young. Other notable losses included running back James Aldridge, wideout Robby Parris, and George West on offense. On defense, ND lost senior captains Kyle McCarthy and Scott Smith, Raeshon McNeil, Sergio Brown, John Ryan and Ray Herring to graduation. Standout special teams player Mike Anello also finished his final year of eligibility. Sophomore defensive back E.J Banks left the team in August 2010, but will still be enrolled at the school. On August 31, within days of the September 4 season opener against Purdue, sophomore wide receiver Shaquelle Evans was granted his release from the team, and decided to enroll at UCLA. Freshman Derek Roback also left the program in early September, as his desire to play quarterback led to his transfer to Ohio
Player additions With his first recruiting class, Brian Kelly received 23 signed commitments from high school players across the United States. Among them was five early-enrollees: Quarterback Tommy Rees, Wide Receiver Tai-ler Jones, Cornerback Lo Wood, Cornerback Spencer Boyd and Safety Chris Badger. Spencer Boyd transferred to USF in early July, and Chris Badger left on a two-year Mormon mission to Ecuador in August. On April 2, 2010, Notre Dame recruit Matt James, who committed to Notre Dame on National Signing Day, died when he fell from a three-story hotel balcony in Panama City, Florida.
Game summaries Purdue
Brian Kelly's debut with Notre Dame
Michigan
Michigan State
Stanford
Boston College
Pittsburgh
Western Michigan
Navy
Tulsa
Utah
Army
Notre Dame wore green jerseys
USC
On a rainy Southern California night, the Trojans' Joe Houston kicked a 45-yard field goal to give USC a first quarter lead. The second quarter, however, belonged to the Irish, as QB Tommy Rees completed a pair of 1-yard pass touchdowns to Michael Floyd and Duval Kamara, with Kamara's coming just before the half. David Ruffer missed the extra point on the second touchdown. In the third quarter, the Trojans kicked a field goal and Mitch Mustain ran in for a 1-yard touchdown, which was aided by a Notre Dame fumble. Joe Houston's 37-yard field goal gave the Trojans a fourth quarter lead. But Notre Dame came back with a 5-yard rush touchdown by Robert Hughes to give the Irish the lead back and the game. Notre Dame finally ended USC's streak of consecutive victories, which dated back to 2001. USC's attempt to come back was stopped by a Notre Dame interception at the one-yard line.
Miami (FL)
Tommy Rees passed for 201 yards and two touchdowns to Michael Floyd as Notre Dame beat Miami 33–17. After a 20-year hiatus in the series, it was all Irish in the latest installment of a storied rivalry that became known during the 1980s as "Catholics versus Convicts." The Irish reached the end zone on three of its first four possessions. Rees tossed TD passes of 3 and 34 yards to Floyd and Cierre Wood broke free on a 34-yard scoring run. David Ruffer added field goals from 40, 50 and 19 yards. The Irish defense picked off Miami starting quarterback Jacory Harris 3 times and logged 4 total interceptions in the first half to help the team jump out to a 27–0 lead in the first half. The Hurricanes tried to rally in the 4th quarter behind backup quarterback Stephen Morris, who threw a 6-yard touchdown to Leonard Hankerson and a 42-yard scoring play to Tommy Streeter, but it was too late by then. Rees was able to make some key first downs to effectively run out the clock late in the 4th quarter. The game sold out in 21 hours, the fastest in the Sun Bowl's 77-year history, and the crowd of 54,021 set a bowl attendance record. Floyd's two touchdowns pushed him past Jeff Samardzija and Golden Tate to claim 28 career touchdowns, the most in Irish history. Senior safety Harrison Smith logged three interceptions in the first half, tying the Sun Bowl record. The Irish victory also made Brian Kelly the first Fighting Irish coach to win a bowl game in his first season (Notre Dame did not play in bowl-games from the 1925 through 1968 seasons due to a self-imposed ban on post-season play).
Personnel
Players 2010 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster Quarterbacks Dayne Crist (JR) Nate Montana (JR) Tommy Rees (FR) Brian Castello (SR) Luke Massa (FR) Matthew Mulvey (JR) Andrew Hendrix (FR) Running backs Armando Allen, Jr. (SR) Patrick Coughlin (SR) Jonas Gray (JR) Derry Herlihy (SR) Cameron Roberson (FR) Cierre Wood (SO) Robert Hughes FB (SR) Wide receivers Austin Collinsworth (FR) Michael Floyd (JR) Dan Franco (SR) Barry Gallup Jr. (SR) John Goodman (JR) Christopher Gurries (SR) Bennett Jackson (FR) T. J. Jones (FR) Duval Kamara (SR) Theo Riddick (S0) Daniel Smith (FR) Robby Toma (SO) Deion Walker (JR) Tight ends Tyler Eifert (SO) Jake Golic (SO) Mike Ragone (SR) Kyle Rudolph (JR) Alex Welch (FR) Bobby Burger FB (SR) Center Braxston Cave (JR) Mike Golic, Jr. (JR) Dan Wenger (SR) Bill Flavin LS (SR) Offensive guard Mike Hernandez (JR) Andrew Nuss (SR) Trevor Robinson (JR) Chris Stewart (SR) Chris Watt (SO) Offensive tackle Alex Bullard (SO) Lane Clelland (JR) Taylor Dever (SR) Christian Lombard (FR) Dennis Mahoney (JR) Zack Martin (SO) Tate Nichols (FR) Matt Romine (SR)
Coaching staff Name Position Year at Notre Dame Alma Mater (Year) Brian Kelly Head coach 1st Assumption (1982) Bob Diaco Defensive coordinator/inside linebackers 1st Iowa (1995) Charley Molnar Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks 1st Lock Haven (1984) Mike Elston Defensive line/special teams coordinator 1st Michigan (1998) Chuck Martin Defensive backs/recruiting coordinator 1st Millikin (1990) Ed Warinner Offensive line 1st Mount Union (1984) Mike Denbrock Tight ends 1st (second stint) Grand Valley State (1987) Tony Alford Wide receivers 1st Colorado State (1992) Tim Hinton Running backs 1st Wilmington (1982) Kerry Cooks Outside linebackers 1st Iowa (2000) Paul Longo Strength and conditioning 1st Wayne State University (1981)
Statistics Passing Dayne Crist - 174 of 294 (59.2%) for 2,033 yards, 15 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 129.3 passer rating Tommy Rees - 100 of 164 (61.0%) for 1,106 yards, 12 touchdowns, 8 interceptions, 132.0 passer rating Nate Montana - 9 of 18 (50.0%) for 116 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception, 93.0 passer rating
Rushing Cierre Wood - 603 yards on 119 carries, 5.1-yard average, 3 touchdowns Armando Allen - 514 yards on 107 carries, 4.8-yard average, 2 touchdowns Robert Hughes - 300 yards on 68 carries, 4.4-yard average, 2 touchdowns Jonas Gray - 100 yards on 20 carries, 5.0-yard average, 0 touchdowns Dayne Crist - 74 yards on 52 carries, 1.4-yard average, 4 touchdowns
Receiving Michael Floyd (WR) - 79 receptions for 1,025 yards, 13.0-yard average, 12 touchdowns Theo Riddick (WR) - 40 receptions for 414 yards, 10.4-yard average, 3 touchdowns Tyler Eifert (TE) - 27 receptions for 352 yards, 13.0-yard average, 2 touchdowns Kyle Rudolph (TE) - 28 receptions for 328 yards, 11.7-yard average, 3 touchdowns T.J. Jones (WR) - 23 receptions for 306 yards, 12.2-yard average, 3 touchdowns Robby Toma (WR) - 14 receptions for 187 yards, 13.4-yard average, 0 touchdowns Cierre Wood (RB) - 20 receptions for 170 yards, 8.5-yard average, 2 touchdowns John Goodman (WR) - 15 receptions for 146 yards, 9.7-yard average, 0 touchdowns Armando Allen (RB) - 17 receptions for 138 yards, 8.1-yard average, 0 touchdowns
Scoring David Ruffer (K) - 91 points, 37 of 40 PAT, 18 of 19 field goals Michael Floyd (WR) - 72 points, 12 touchdowns Cierre Wood (RB) - 30 points, 5 touchdowns Dayne Crist (QB) - 24 points, 4 touchdowns
Tackles Manti Te'o (LB) - 133 total tackles, 66 solo tackles Harrison Smith (DB) - 91 total tackles, 55 solo tackles Gary Gray (DB) - 66 total tackles, 48 solo tackles Kapron Lewis-Moore - 62 total tackles, 20 solo tackles Carlo Calabrese (LB) - 62 total tackles, 29 solo tackles Robert Blanton (DB) - 53 total tackles, 29 solo tackles Zeke Motta (DB) - 50 total tackles, 30 solo tackles Brian Smith (LB) - 50 total tackles, 22 solo tackles Darius Fleming (LB) - 48 total tackles, 27 solo tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks
Awards and honors Wide receiver Michael Floyd, who tallied 79 receptions for 1,025 yards and 12 touchdowns, was selected by his teammates as the team's most valuable player.
No Notre Dame players received first-team honors on the 2010 All-America college football team.
Linebacker Manti Te'o received second-team All-America honors from Sports Illustrated.
Kicker David Ruffer was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award and received second-team All-America honors from Sports Illustrated and third-team honors from Rivals.com.
References