James Aldridge: Aldridge relishes unique college experience

“Live unique.”

These two words help to exemplify the career of Irish running back James Aldridge during his four years at Notre Dame. Arguably no other senior has taken advantage of the many benefits of playing Notre Dame football both on and off the field, making his experience truly unique.

Mike Anello: Scrappy walk-on becomes special teams star

Originally Mike Anello saw walk-on tryouts as a way to avoid the freshman 15, not as a way to end up speaking to thousands of fans before the USC game this year.

“At the end of [my senior] season [in high school] I was talking to my football coach, and I decided I’d try walking on the football team [at Notre Dame],” Anello said. “Worse comes to worse it would keep me in shape for another nine months.”

Chris Bathon: Division III transfer found right atmosphere at ND

Defensive back Chris Bathon’s path to Notre Dame wasn’t a direct one from his hometown of Pleasantville, N.Y. But after playing football at Division III Carnegie Mellon as a college freshman, Bathon knew transferring to Notre Dame and trying out for the Irish squad was right for him.

Sergio Brown: Outgoing safety gives Irish a shot of athleticism

His teammates and coaches call him Notre Dame’s best athlete. But just how athletic is senior safety Sergio Brown?

He’s been dunking alley-oop passes on the basketball court since early in high school. He says he’s never lost a foot race in his hometown of Maywood, Ill.

Tom Burke: Walk-on linebacker gets starting role against BC

The stat line of Notre Dame’s victory over Boston College this season featured the numbers Irish fans have come to expect from the star playmakers. What the box score and game notes don’t show is the biggest moment in senior Tom Burke’s career.

Ryan Burkhart: Local kicker always keeps ND close to heart

He was just another local kid attending kicking camp the summer before his senior year of high school, but that’s when it all started for Ryan Burkhart. A kickoff specialist out of Northwood High School in Wakarusa, Ind., a half-hour away from campus, Burkhart has been living his dream the past four years by wearing the Notre Dame uniform.

Brian Coughlin: Being on team fills void for wide receiver

From the start of his freshman year at Notre Dame, Brian Coughlin knew something was missing, something was just not right about being away at school and not being a part of the football team.

So he turned down Division III offers in the hopes of suiting up for the Irish. Now he’s a senior wide receiver.

Paul Duncan: Duncan eager to leave Notre Dame with a win

From the time he stepped on campus back in 2005, fifth-year offensive tackle Paul Duncan has been in the mix on the Irish offensive line. The Dallas, Ga. native played just a few snaps during his very first game in a Notre Dame uniform but it was an experience he said he would never forget.

“I wouldn’t say I was surprised to be out there,” Duncan said. “I was just really anxious to get in there and play. There were so many emotions going on at one time that it’s hard to pick out just one feeling.”

Dan Franco: Notre Dame obvious choice for South Bend WR

Coming out of high school, the decision of choosing the right college can be a stressful process. But for South Bend native Dan Franco, the decision to come to Notre Dame couldn’t have been easier.

“It just seemed to be the perfect fit for me,” Franco said. “I was raised in South Bend since I was 8 months old, and I’ve been immersed in the whole tradition and everything, and I just loved it since the beginning.”

Barry Gallup, Jr: Wide receiver starts own tradition on the field

Those F-18 Super Hornets that buzzed Notre Dame Stadium before the Navy game can put nine times the force of gravity on the pilots during tight turns and loops. Intense, right?

Sort of.

Leonard Gordon: Fifth-year builds relationships with teammates

Leonard Gordon passed up a chance to achieve the dream of most Southern football players by bypassing the Southeastern Conference to flock North to Notre Dame.

The fifth-year senior from Clarksville, Tenn., chose the Irish over Vanderbilt and LSU, and he hasn’t looked back.

Ray Herring: Video game addict only plays himself on field

Ray Herring spends much more than 20 hours a week on football-related activities. But don’t call the authorities, because he’s not always playing himself.

Eric Maust: Baseball player walks on, wins starting role

Balancing the work load of a Notre Dame curriculum and an active social life can be quite a challenge for the average Domer. Try balancing that on top of commitments to the varsity football and baseball teams, and you have Eric Maust.

Kyle McCarthy: McCarthy stands apart as defensive leader

On a Notre Dame defense, and particularly in a secondary, that has shuffled on an almost weekly basis in 2009, one piece of the puzzle has remained intact.
And does it come as a surprise to anyone that that piece is free safety Kyle McCarthy?

Raeshon McNeil: Once a pupil, Irish cornerback becomes a teacher

Just because Raeshon McNeil is a starting cornerback on a Division I football team doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel the same about his college experience as most students.

“It seems like it’s flown by,” McNeil said. “These four years have just really flown by.”

Paddy Mullen: Irish Catholic nose tackle cherishes his time at ND

When your first career sack comes in the second half of your senior season, you tend to treasure the moment. Fortunately, Paddy Mullen has been treasuring his time at Notre Dame since he was first recruited to play for the Irish.

Mike Narvaez: View from the stands not good enough for walk-on

A walk-on from Ridgewood, N.J., fullback Mike Narvaez sees being a part of the Notre Dame team as a dream come true. After growing up watching the Irish on TV, and visiting the University during high school, he knew it was the place for him.

Eric Olsen: Olsen holds down offensive line as captain

As one of Notre Dame’s four co-captains — and as the “quarterback of the offensive line,” as Irish coach Charlie Weis put it — center Eric Olsen has been doing a lot of talking in his senior season.

Not that it’s a problem for the Staten Island, N.Y., native.

Robby Parris: Parris catches everything thrown his way

Not many players on the Irish roster can say that they’ve also been a YouTube superstar.

Robby Parris can.

Martin Quintana: Parents encourage defensive lineman to keep trying out

The motto of St. Joseph High School, where Martin Quintana suited up for the Chargers, is Vincit Qui Laborat — “victory belongs to those who work.” No statement describes the senior defensive lineman better.

Morrice Richardson: Richardson eyes success in the business world

Short-term glory might be fun, but senior defensive end Morrice Richardson has eyed long-term success since the day he decided to come to Notre Dame.

The Atlanta native always dreamed of playing football in the Southeastern Conference, for a powerhouse like LSU or Georgia, but opted to come north for one reason.

John Ryan: Brothers, parents inspired Ryan to lead by example

The most important part of defensive end John Ryan’s Notre Dame football experience has been the opportunity to be a part of something greater than himself and a part of a meaningful tradition.

Scott Smith: Fifth-year linebacker becomes mentor on field

Not many players can say the first person they tackled in their college career was Steve Breaston.

Scott Smith has that distinction. In his first game as a freshman, he tracked down the former Michigan wideout and kick returner, who now plays for the Arizona Cardinals and had more than 1,000 yards receiving last season, on a reverse.

Evan Sharpley: Unexpected fifth year pays off for Sharpley

Usually the players that come back for fifth years at Notre Dame can be predicted well ahead of time. There was one this year though, that came out of left field.

Well, actually first base.

Chris Stewart: Offensive guard enters with unique football perspective

Senior offensive guard Chris Stewart has succeeded both on the field and off since he entered as a freshman in the spring of 2006.

Stewart came to Notre Dame with a unique football perspective. He played high school football in Texas, which he said can be more scrutinizing than playing football under the Dome.

Joshua Stull: Dillon player overcomes injury to make team

For most who compete at Riehle Field on Sundays representing their hall, the thought of donning a gold-painted helmet, touching the “Play Like a Champion Today” sign and running out of the tunnel to the cheers of more than 80,000 fans on a Saturday afternoon is nothing more than a pipe dream.

For Dillon Hall’s Joshua Stull, however, that dream became a reality.

Toryan Smith: Linebacker credits family for helping him succeed

As Toryan Smith stood in the hallway of the athletics facility, talking about how important his family was to him, his phone rang. He took a look and chuckled.

“That’s my mom, calling right now,” he said.

Sam Vos: Big-time experience inspired ‘Big Body’ walk-on

For walk-on wide receiver Sam Vos, his college football experience has been all about personal growth and making the most of what opportunities he has gotten in life. Being able to have the chance to be around a major college program like Notre Dame has given Vos a deep sense of pride in what he is able to accomplish.

Kallen Wade: Cincinnati native learns new defensive positions

While he might not be as well known as some of his other Fighting Irish teammates, senior Kallen Wade has been just as important of a contributor. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound hybrid defensive end and outside linebacker hails from Cincinnati, Ohio. In his prep career, Wade started at safety before moving to defensive end and defensive tackle.

Dan Wenger: Lineman transitions from guard to center

Most players know how to play one position on the field. A good quarterback may even know what every position’s role is on every play, but by no means could he line up anywhere but under center.

Dan Wenger knows how to play three positions on the gridiron, and has started in two of them.

George West: West still treasures 2006 score against Purdue

In 2006, Notre Dame was stocked with talent and headed toward a BCS bowl. It was not surprising to fans then when quarterback Brady Quinn marched his offense 70 yards down the field for a score capped by an 11-yard end-around on the first drive of the game against Purdue.

Sam Young: Stalwart tackle has started since week one, 2006

While the past four years have been an up-and-down journey of wins, losses, success and failure, the one constant through every Notre Dame game has been offensive tackle Sam Young.

When he takes the field on Saturday, Young will set the Notre Dame record for most career starts by any player, with his 49 straight surpassing former teammates Maurice Crum Jr. and Tom Zbikowski. He is the only offensive lineman in the long and storied history of Irish football to start every game of his career.