Year: | 2011 |
Team: | Notre Dame Fighting Irish |
Sport: | football |
Conference: | Independent |
Short Conf: | Independent |
Record: | 8–5 |
Head Coach: | Brian Kelly |
Hc Year: | 2nd |
Off Coach: | Charley Molnar |
Oc Year: | 2nd |
Def Coach: | Bob Diaco |
Dc Year: | 2nd |
Off Scheme: | Spread |
Def Scheme: | 3–4 |
Stadium: | Notre Dame Stadium |
Captain: | Harrison Smith |
Bowl: | Champs Sports Bowl |
Bowl Result: | L 14–18 vs. Florida State |
The 2011 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Brian Kelly and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. They compete as an independent. They finished the season 8–5. They were invited to the Champs Sports Bowl where they were defeated by Florida State 18–14.
Kerry Cooks took over the cornerback position after coaching the outside linebackers the previous season. Defensive coordinator Bob Diaco, who also coaches the inside linebackers, will coach the entire linebacking corps moving forward. Chuck Martin will focus solely on the safeties, while presumably assuming his role as the program’s recruiting coordinator.
Star tight end Kyle Rudolph chose to forgo his final year of eligibility, and enter the 2011 NFL draft. The Irish also lost a number of important seniors, including four-year starter defensive lineman Ian Williams, linebackers Kerry Neal and Brian Smith, cornerback Darrin Walls, running backs Robert Hughes and Armando Allen, Wide Receiver Duval Kamara, and offensive lineman Matt Romine and Chris Stewart, all to graduation. Redshirt junior quarterback Nate Montana left the program in early February 2011, and transferred to the University of Montana.[1] Junior guard Alex Bullard transferred to his hometown state of Tennessee and will play for the University of Tennessee, citing the desire to be closer to home following the loss of a family member.[2]
With his first full recruiting class, Brian Kelly added 23 prospects to the football team, including the addition of five early-enrollees: defensive end Aaron Lynch, outside linebacker Ishaq Williams, offensive lineman Brad Carrico, quarterback Everett Golson, and kicker Kyle Brindza.
The following players were announced to award watch lists prior to the start of the 2011 season:
Name | Position | Year at Notre Dame | Alma mater (Year) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Head coach | 2nd | Assumption (1982) | ||
Defensive coordinator/linebackers | 2nd | Iowa (1995) | ||
Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks | 2nd | Lock Haven (1984) | ||
Chuck Martin | Safeties /recruiting coordinator | 2nd | Millikin (1990) | |
Defensive line / special teams coordinator | 2nd | Michigan (1998) | ||
Offensive line | 2nd | Mount Union (1984) | ||
Tight ends | 2nd (second stint) | Grand Valley State (1987) | ||
Wide receivers | 3rd | Colorado State (1992) | ||
Tim Hinton | Running backs | 2nd | Wilmington (1982) | |
Cornerbacks | 2nd | Iowa (2000) | ||
Paul Longo | Strength and conditioning | 2nd | Wayne State University (1981) |
2011 Notre Dame Fighting Irish | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2011 Notre Dame Fighting Irish roster from the University of Notre Dame Athletic Site | ||||||||
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
| Tight ends
Offensive line
Offensive tackles
Offensive guards
Centers
Defensive ends
| Defensive tackles
Nose guards
Linebackers
Inside Linebackers
Outside Linebackers
Defensive backs
Cornerbacks
| Safeties
Kickers/Punters
Long snappers
# Incoming Transfer, Must sit out a year |
See also: 2011 South Florida Bulls football team.
See also: 2011 Michigan Wolverines football team.
See also: 2011 Michigan State Spartans football team.
See also: 2011 Pittsburgh Panthers football team.
See also: 2011 Purdue Boilermakers football team and Shillelagh Trophy (Notre Dame–Purdue).
See also: 2011 Air Force Falcons football team.
See also: 2011 USC Trojans football team.
See also: 2011 Navy Midshipmen football team.
Game Captain: Chris SalviSee also: 2011 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team. Game Captain: Robert Blanton
See also: 2011 Maryland Terrapins football team. Game Captain: Darius Fleming
Despite the game being played only 12 miles from the Maryland campus, both end zones read "Notre Dame" and the majority of the fans in attendance were supporting the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame wore their green jerseys along with large green shamrocks on their side of their gold helmets.[10]
See also: 2011 Boston College Eagles football team.
See also: 2011 Stanford Cardinal football team. Game Captain: Taylor Dever
See also: 2011 Florida State Seminoles football team. Game Captain: Michael Floyd
See also: 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings.
National awards
Michael Floyd (semifinalist)[11]
Tyler Eifert (finalist)[12]
All-Americans
Name | AP | AFCA | FWAA | SN | WCFF | Athlon[13] | CBS | CFN | ESPN | PFW | Rivals | Scout | SI | Yahoo |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
George Atkinson III, KR | Hon. Mention | |||||||||||||
Tyler Eifert, TE | 2 | 2 | Hon. Mention | 3 | 1 | Hon. Mention | 3 | |||||||
Michael Floyd, WR | Hon. Mention | Hon. Mention | ||||||||||||
Manti Te'o, LB | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||
†denotes consensus selection. NCAA recognizes AP, AFCA, FWAA, SN and WCFF 1st teams for consensus selections Source: |