Tag: Rocket Ismail

Panthers are wearing this uniform combo for the first time since 1998 . . .

The Panthers are breaking out a uniform combo that hasn’t been seen since the Clinton Administration.

The Carolina Panthers are partying like it’s 1998 to close out their 2024 campaign.

As announced on Friday, the team will be wearing their silver helmets, white jerseys, silver pants and white socks for their regular-season finale against the Atlanta Falcons. And as first noted by Panthers long snapper JJ Jansen, Sunday will mark the first time they’ll be rolling out that very combination in 26 years . . .

That 1998 visit to Indianapolis ended up as a victorious one for Carolina. The Panthers—powered by a pair of 100-yard performances from running back Tim Biakabutuka and wide receiver Raghib “Rocket” Ismail—bested Peyton Manning, Marshall Faulk and the Colts for a 27-19 win.

Carolina’s triumph also saw three-time First-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler Michael Bates return a kickoff for a 99-yard touchdown—now the fifth-longest kickoff return in franchise history.

So maybe, just maybe, there’s something to this rare uniform combo . . .

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Notre Dame football: Most painful losses in recent memory

It’s not that each loss occurred but instead, how. The end result for all: pain.

If you’ve been a fan of Notre Dame football for the last couple of decades then heartbreak is something you’re used to.

Since winning their last national championship in 1988 there have been some extreme highs but none included hoisting the championship trophy at season’s end (although some could have).

There have been some heartbreaking losses since then. Some have costs chances at national championships, some have simply just ended in anguish and pain.

Which was the worst though?

After losing to Ohio State in truly incredible fashion we thought we’d take a look at some of the candidates and let you decide which one stings the worst.

A look at Notre Dame’s Heisman Trophy drought

How long until it ends?

Another Heisman weekend. Another year without a Notre Dame winner, let alone a Notre Dame finalist.

Wide receiver [autotag]Tim Brown[/autotag] was the last Notre Dame player to bring home the award 35 long years ago, yet, in spite of that drought, the Fighting Irish still remain atop the leaderboard (tied with Oklahoma, Ohio State and USC) of schools with seven Heisman winners.

[autotag]Manti Te’o[/autotag] came very close in 2012 to interrupting the hiatus, but alas, here we sit waiting for the next Irish great to step to the forefront at the Downtown Athletic Club.

In honor of this weekend’s award ceremony, let’s take a look at the last 35 years and how close the Irish have come to breaking the drought.

Twitter reacts to Tobias Merriweather’s go-ahead touchdown

Big moment for the freshman.

It took much longer than anyone would have liked, but Notre Dame is in the lead against Stanford. Entering the fourth quarter behind by a score, [autotag]Drew Pyne[/autotag] chose to unleash his power at the Cardinal’s 41-yard line. Freshman receiver [autotag]Tobias Merriweather[/autotag] was waiting for the pass in the end zone with a defender on him, and he got the ball first for an unbelievable first career reception:

We don’t know what else Merriweather will accomplish for the Irish. All we know is there are a lot of happy people in West Camas, Washington right now because one of their own just scored a big touchdown in college football’s grandest stadium. As for the rest of the Irish fan base, they aren’t going to complain either, even if this touchdown came during a frustrating game.

If you want to see how Twitter reacted to this play, we’ve got you covered:

Happy Anniversary, Rocket Ismail!

Has there ever been a more exciting Notre Dame player than The Rocket?

We shared some news regarding Michigan and Notre Dame that probably won’t leave many fans of the Domers laughing as a current Fighting Irish commitment appears to be pretty interested in the Wolverines.

Why not spend some time looking back at something regarding both Michigan and Notre Dame that makes us feel a bit happier than potentially losing a recruit.

The date was September 16, 1989 and No. 2 Michigan was playing host to defending champion, No. 1 Notre Dame.  It was that afternoon in Ann Arbor that Raghib “Rocket” Ismail put on one of the greatest performances in college football history.

With Notre Dame holding onto a slim 7-6 halftime lead, Bo Schembechler decided to test his luck by kicking deep to Ismail, one of the most explosive players in college football at the time.

Bad idea, Bo.

Michigan was anything but done as they rallied behind Elvis Grbac to cut the Irish lead back down to five, 17-12 early in the fourth quarter.  That’s when Schembechler again decided to kick it deep to Ismail.

And into the history books went the Rocket as the Irish would end up with a 24-19 victory over the second-ranked Wolverines.

1989 would be Schembechler’s final year at Michigan, a year he helped guide the Wolverines to another Big Ten title yet lost the Rose Bowl for the eighth time in 10 tries.

Related:

Notre Dame’s best punt returns of all-time

A look back at Notre Dame’s 1988 national championship

Who was your favorite player on the ’88 squad?

Happy Tuesday to all as we’re now 88 days until Notre Dame football returns.

What better way to look at today than by looking back at the game-by-game breakdown that made up Notre Dame’s ultimate 12-0 season and national championship in 1988?

It’s the last year Notre Dame had a perfect season that included a bowl win and featured a few epic games en route to Lou Holtz and the Irish winning a national title in Holtz’s third season at the helm.

Tony Rice, Rocket Ismail, Ricky Watters, Chris Zorich, Michael Stonebreaker, Pat Terrell, and Todd Lyght were only a few of the stars that made that team so great.

With 88 days remaining until Notre Dame-Ohio State, here’s a look back at that ’88 season, game by game.

Notre Dame assistant shows Irish legend love

Try to not smile when you look at this picture. Seriously, it’s impossible.

It’s nearly impossible to put a numeric value behind but there is no doubt in my mind that the roughly 300 former Notre Dame players on campus this past weekend can only mean good things for the future of the football program.  When you preach what you sell instead of simply just selling it, it becomes authentic and seemingly will have that much greater of an impact.

From simply a fan perspective it was fun to see so many former players back on campus this past weekend.  Whether it means more wins for the football program in the months and years ahead can’t be proven but you can’t argue that it wasn’t at the very least, cool.

New Notre Dame running backs coach [autotag]Deland McCullough[/autotag] had a bit of that fandom show out as he got to meet one of his favorite players from yesteryear as well.

How can you look at that picture and not be happy?  The Rocket‘s eyes are as wide as they probably were after Bo Schembechler decided to kick to him again back in 1989.

In case you were wondering, McCullugh ran for 4,368 yards in his four years as a running back at Miami (Ohio) and totaled 37 touchdowns in that time, all while wearing the number 25.

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All-time Raiders draft picks from Notre Dame

A couple of these eight picks wound up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Although recent years haven’t seen them competing for championships with anything near regularity, but the Raiders are a team that just makes the NFL better and more interesting when they’re good.

The Raiders are looking to get help on their defense in the 2021 NFL draft as they allowed the third-most points of anyone in the league last season, 29.9 per game to be exact.

Could that first-round pick end up being Notre Dame star Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah?

If it is, he’d be the ninth Notre Dame player to ever be drafted by the Raiders franchise.  Here are the first eight to do so:

1961 Myron Pottios, LB:  3rd round, 21st overall (AFL)
1964 George Bednar, OL: 3rd round, 23rd overall (AFL)
1974 Dave Casper, TE: 2nd round, 45th overall
1975 Steve Sylvester, C: 10th round, 259th overall
1984 Stacey Toran, DB: 6th round, 168th overall
1987 Steve Beuerlein, QB: 4th round, 110th overall
1988 Tim Brown, WR: 1st round, 6th overall
1991 Raghib Ismail, WR: 4th round, 100th overall

Did the mob bomb Knute Rockne’s plane?

Yes or no?

I feel like I’m a very passionate Notre Dame fan and know a lot more than just the current day stories.  It was as much the history and mystic of the football program that drew me in as a fan in the early-nineties as it was [autotag]Lou Holtz[/autotag]’s teams competing for national championships.

From the [autotag]Four Horsemen[/autotag] to [autotag]Frank Leahy[/autotag], [autotag]Ara Parseghian[/autotag], and [autotag]Rocket Ismail[/autotag], I thought I had heard and at least been aware of everything major in Notre Dame’s football history.  I certainly realized I was wrong semi-recently in regards to the man most responsible for Notre Dame football being what it is today, and how that man died.

Or at least a belief some hold about that.

I’m talking about the most notable head coach in college football history of course, [autotag]Knute Rockne[/autotag], and the belief that the mob was responsible for the plane crash that took his life.

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88 Days Until Notre Dame Football Returns

In 88 days we get Notre Dame football back. In the meantime, relive the last national championship team at Notre Dame!

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In 88 days we’ll gladly all welcome Notre Dame football back when they take on the Navy Midshipmen in Annapolis.  In the meantime, we have rosters to break down, opponents to preview and position battles to discuss.

In the meantime why not take a moment to remember the last national championship football team at Notre Dame?

(19) 88: Notre Dame’s last football national championship

After Reggie Ho’s heroics helped Notre Dame to a win over Michigan in the opener the Irish rolled with wins over Michigan State, Purdue and Stanford to move to 4-0.

A win at Pitt in early October moved Notre Dame to 5-0 before the greatest Notre Dame football game many have ever seen, a 31-30 thriller over powerhouse and No. 1 Miami on October 15.

Wins over Air Force, Navy, Rice and Penn State followed before a battle with the top two ranked teams in nation when No. 1 Notre Dame traveled to No. 2 USC for the regular season finale before a 27-10 win despite being significantly out-gained by the Trojans.

The Irish then knocked quarterback Major Harris out of the game early in the Fiesta Bowl as Notre Dame won that contest 34-21, earning their first national championship since 1977 and their last claimed title on record.

Got an hour?  Check out the highlight video recapping that magical 1988 season below.

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