When you list the greatest villains in the long history of Notre Dame football a few names certainly come to mind.
Anthony Davis torching the Irish on multiple occasions while at USC is one while Desmond Howard’s diving catch with Michigan in 1991 and Dwayne Jarrett’s domination of the Irish from 2004-2006 aren’t quickly forgotten.
In 2010 and 2011 however, perhaps there was no greater thorn in the side of Notre Dame football than Denard Robinson at Michigan. Sure, Notre Dame wasn’t exactly playing for national championships those two seasons but Robinson alone caused a seemingly endless amount of headaches in those two Michigan-Notre Dame meetings.
Now Robinson is back at Michigan as an assistant director of player personnel.
Robinson totaled 502 yards, including an 87-yard touchdown run and the game-winning touchdown run in Michigan’s 28-24 2010 win over the Irish in South Bend. Somehow though, that wasn’t even the worst pain he caused Notre Dame fans.
A year later Robinson remained mostly contained in the early September rivalry game, at least until the fourth quarter, as everything went to hell for the Irish on a night to forget in Ann Arbor.
Leading 24-7 entering the final frame, Notre Dame had no late answer for Robinson and the Wolverines. Although he completed just 11 passes all night, three of those were fourth quarter touchdown passes that helped Michigan come back not just once but twice and beat the Irish, 35-31. Robinson also ran for another 108 yards and a score.
The Irish finally had Robinson’s number in 2012 as Notre Dame kept Michigan out of the end zone all night in a 13-6 nail-biting victory in what ultimately wound up a 12-0 regular season. Notre Dame intercepted four Robinson passes that night, recovered a lost fumble of his, and it at least somewhat made up for the pain he caused the two years previous.
Even with that 2012 game, Robinson will forever be on among the most pain-inducing opponents I’ll remember Notre Dame ever taking on.
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