Most badass Notre Dame player (or former player)?

[Irishman77]

Chris played before I was born but I got his autograph at a ND game when I was little and then looked up some of his footage and he may be the most badass player to play for Notre Dame. Either him or Jeff Faine.

if you ever get a chance to watch the 1991 orange bowl (Zorich's last game) Watch it! IMO the greatest game by ANY ND player. He literally made almost every tackle. I see some Zorich in lynch as far as speed off the ball and having a mean streak, but with Zorich being my all time favorite player, he has got a long way to go yet.

 

[AKRowdy]

How about George Gipp? Rushed for over 2,000 yards passed for over 1,500 yards and he still holds 3 ND records for average yards per rush during the season, average yards per play during his career and career average yards per game. Records that are 90 years old. Now that truly sounds like the ultimate badass.

 

[Rambler09]

I haven't followed long enough to speak about before '05... but since then Zibby without question.

 

[military_irish]

Clifford Jefferson

 

[die4irish]

Lynch will kill someone in the next couple yrs. he has a special kind of motor

 

[DillonHall]

Lynch will kill someone in the next couple yrs. he has a special kind of motor

haha I sure hope not...

 

[Riddickulous]

George Gipp.

He was a remarkable athlete, but also the world's biggest badass.

 

[notredomer23]

In my lifetime,(18 years old) easily tuck, zibby, and even golden tate. Gotta give a little love to Shane Walton as well. By the end of his career, it will be my friend Aaron lynch

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

Jeff Faine was a bad dude and played with a good mean streak. I also thought about Zorich...

However, I gotta go with Stonebreaker. Just for the story about when SC was playing at ND stadium, they were waiting for ND to take the field. As ND filed by, the SC players started to mockingly sing the ND fight song. A huge fight broke out in the tunnel that ended up delaying the game for quite some time. As the story goes (I don't care if it is true or not) Stonebreaker ripped an SC player's helmet off and started beating him with it.

For that alone, he gets my award.

 

[Riddickulous]

How about George Gipp? Rushed for over 2,000 yards passed for over 1,500 yards and he still holds 3 ND records for average yards per rush during the season, average yards per play during his career and career average yards per game. Records that are 90 years old. Now that truly sounds like the ultimate badass.

In one game in 1920, Gipp racked up 480 yards of total offense while simultaneously playing defense, kicking field goals and PATs, and punting. And he played while sick. Ridiculous.

 

[Veer option]

#6

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Reggie Ho.

Hahaha. Little Reggie was a legend.

 

[BigTicket]

Rocky Boiman !!

 

[IrishinSyria]

Jeff Faine gets my vote, but Jeff Burris is up there too.

Definitely agree with Jeff Faine.

 

[Irish Rogue]

Chris Zorich was one of the most dominating college d-linemen of all time with a mean streak to go with it. If I was a coach I would show the d-fense his old tapes as to how to play the game. Lynch should eventually get there.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Chris Zorich was one of the most dominating college d-linemen of all time

Bold, bold statement.

 

[Riddickulous]

Chris Zorich was one of the most dominating college d-linemen of all time with a mean streak to go with it. If I was a coach I would show the d-fense his old tapes as to how to play the game. Lynch should eventually get there.

Ross Browner was far more dominant.

The dude had 340 career tackles as a defensive end. 77 tackles for loss.

 

[AKRowdy]

I heard somewhere that Chris's freshman year during practice after every play he wanted to start a fight with an upperclassmen. Then Lou went over to him grabbed him by the face mask and told Chris "if you're gonna fight anyone on this field it's gonna be me!" And Chris stopped fighting. I found this pretty funny now we just need to get our whole defense to play like all of these guys mentioned.

 

[BGIF]

In one game in 1920, Gipp racked up 480 yards of total offense while simultaneously playing defense, kicking field goals and PATs, and punting. And he played while sick. Ridiculous.

Gipp was an incredibly gifted athlete. He was a 60 Minute Man, as they all were then, but he didn't play offense "while simultaneously playing defense" or he would have been tackling himself.

Michael Steele's a good read.

 

[PatsandBostonfan1975]

Angelo Bertelli While at Notre Dame, Bertelli enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves in 1942 prior to his activation to active duty in the fall of 1943. In 1944, Bertelli was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, where he served as an infantry and recreation officer. After stops at Quantico, Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton, Bertelli embarked to participate in combat operations in the Pacific. After arriving from Guam in February 1945, Bertelli fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima and was nearly killed when a Japanese mortar shell landed 15 feet away from his position. Bertelli returned to Guam in March and served in Sasebo, Japan before returning to the states in March 1946. After World War II, Bertelli entered the Marine Corps Reserves where he was promoted to the rank of captain and served until 1957.

Badass!!!!!!!

 

[loomis41973]

Zorich, Stonebreaker, Bolcar.

 

[Riddickulous]

Gipp was an incredibly gifted athlete. He was a 60 Minute Man, as they all were then, but he didn't play offense "while simultaneously playing defense" or he would have been tackling himself.

Michael Steele's a good read.

It's a great read.

 

[yankeehater]

I heard somewhere that Chris's freshman year during practice after every play he wanted to start a fight with an upperclassmen. Then Lou went over to him grabbed him by the face mask and told Chris "if you're gonna fight anyone on this field it's gonna be me!" And Chris stopped fighting. I found this pretty funny now we just need to get our whole defense to play like all of these guys mentioned.

I heard that it was Lou that wanted to fight everyone at practice. lol

 

[ndronny]

Timmay

 

[rtrn2glory]

obviously zorich

few of my favorites:

stonebreaker (best football name of all time)
the bus
kinnon tatum (coolest play ever in 95 against usc)
marc edwards
the shark (came to play every big game)
irv smith (remember the run against indiana?)

many more, just a few that come to mind.

 

[irshtrain]

Zorich/Aaron Taylor/Pritchert/Todd Light/Bob Olson/Bob Golic/Pete Duranko/Tony Carey-those guys took no prisioners. Manti now is one of them and I think Lynch/Tuitt will be. Dont forget Mike McCoy. Dave Duereson (God rest his soul) would also plant you into next Tues.

 

[irshtrain]

Ross Browner was far more dominant.

The dude had 340 career tackles as a defensive end. 77 tackles for loss.

Ross Browner was the best college D-end I have ever seen play. He played tough but his talent allowed him to play well without playing downright mean. He ( Browner was no choirboy on the field ) but Zoro would not be one I would like to meet on the field. Off the field I hear he is a prince.

 

[NDFANnSouthWest]

The Bus!

 

[irish4ever]

Rudy ... hands down!!!

 

[sptanner88]

Chris Zorich ... most badass defensive player since I got there in 1978. He was relentless.