Top Five Thoughts:
5. Ricky Watters in 1988 against Michigan seems like it’s about right at five but consider this and tell me if I’m alone in thinking it could have been shafted. Had Watters not returned that punt it’s very possible that Notre Dame doesn’t get in the end zone at all against Michigan in Week One and loses, making the rest of that magical season, well, a lot less magical.
4. Rocket Ismail, perhaps the most-loved Fighting Irish player of the last forty years returning a kick to knock off No. 2 Miami. Had the 1990 season ended better than 9-3 it probably would check in higher than four. With that said, impact and eventual outcome considered, I’d have had Watters put at least here.
3. Al Hunter returned a kickoff for a touchdown in an upset of Alabama that clinched Notre Dame the national championship in 1973. It’s another one you wonder if it should be higher because of it’s impact, but the game was better-known for the clinching first down from Tom Clements to Robin Weber to seal the deal.
2. Rocket Ismail’s two returns for scores against No. 2 Michigan are the first returns I think of when I think of a Notre Dame kick or punt return, even if Zbikowski’s was my favorite play I watched live. I’d have these as number one because of the absurdity of two in one game it them coming against a rival and second ranked team in the nation.
1. Timmy Brown went on to win the Heisman Trophy in 1987 and the campaign got kick-started with a pair of punt returns against Michigan State that season, a team that would go on to win the Big Ten en route to the Rose Bowl. I’m more on Team Rocket here than Team Timmy but it’s one of those questions that have no wrong answers, at least at number one.
WHAT SHOULD BE NUMBER ONE IF WE’RE BEING HONEST…