Notre Dame Game Day Traditions, Mascots & Nicknames

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Traditions, Mascots, Nickname Story & More

The Fighting Irish Are Guarded

Notre Dame Game Day Traditions, The Irish Guard

NOTRE DAME: THE PERFORMING IRISH
GUARD

This kilt-wearing squad is a key component of Notre
Dame’s band. Each member of the guard stands more
than eight feet tall when donning their bearskin shako.
The all-male team is selected based on their individual
marching ability, appearance and spirit.
Besides performing an Irish dance at halftime, the group
participates in other game day activities. “We march in
front of the band all the way to the stadium,” said Irish
Guard member Rick Saxen during the 1998 Army game.
“We form a buffer between the fans and the band to make
sure nothing rowdy happens.”
A Notre Dame home victory sets up quite a celebration for
the Irish Guard. “The victory clog is another tradition,”
said Saxen. After every win the Irish Guard does a clog
on the field after the game. It’s sort of a little dance.”

Notre Dame Mascot: The Leprechaun

Have you ever wondered your lucky charms off by
wondering whom that little green-dressed fella is that
hangs out with Notre Dame’s cheerleaders? He’s known
as the Notre Dame Leprechaun and serves as the Fighting
Irish’s number one fan.
Since the mythical Leprechaun exhibits shyness and an
ability to hide, there are many people who have little
knowledge of what one is. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary
defines a leprechaun as a mischievous elf of Irish folklore.
Before the Notre Dame Leprechaun can take the field to
cheer for the Irish, he must compete against other mascot
hopefuls seeking to make their competitors green with
envy. Candidates complete a week-long training period
where they learn Leprechaun responsibilities.
Once the formal tryout is held, candidates participate in a
formal interview process with the board of judges that
includes university administration, coaches and alumni
association members. Questions range from academic
aptitude to why the individual wants to be the Leprechaun.
Once all questions are answered, the candidates jump into
the Leprechaun uniform for the pep rally portion of the
judging. After delivering a spirited speech to the crowd, the
competing students must stand tall against a series of
tough questions generated by area media members. The
final phase places the candidates in a game situation
where they are given a scenario and are judged on how they
respond.
Despite the small stature of the typical Notre Dame
Leprechaun, the mascot stands tall as a symbol for the
school. “It’s truly an honor and I’m humbled to be able to
represent the university,” said 1998 football Leprechaun
Matthew Bozzelli.
“It’s been an absolute joy to represent such a wonderful
family and to see in the faces of our alumni and fans what
the Notre Dame spirit means to them. To me I’m the
personification of that spirit and it’s an honor.”


	Notre Dame Mascot

		Notre Dame's Leprechaun does push-ups Irish style.

The Leprechaun keeps Irish spirits high

Notre Dame's Kelly Green Jerseys

Although the standard Notre Dame home jersey is dark blue with white
numerals, gold outlining, and a small interlocking “ND” logo, it's the
tradition of the Kelly Green jerseys that has become legendary.
Coach Dan Devine first introduced the green jerseys during the 1977
season.
Leading up to a huge mid-season contest against USC, Devine sought
a motivational tool to get his team fired up. While his green jersey idea
was draped in secrecy, Coach Devine whipped up excitement the week
before the game by introducing stories about how important green was
to the Irish and Notre Dame tradition.
Devine's Fighting Irish went through pregame warm ups in their
customary blue jerseys. However when they returned to the locker room
10 minutes before the game their lockers were draped with the green
jerseys. The ploy paid off as an emotional Notre Dame squad
destroyed USC 49 to 19. Notre Dame has worn green jerseys since for
special occasions, but never with the tremendous success of the 1977
USC Game.
The use of Notre Dame green jerseys without an emotional reason took
place decades before against Iowa. Notre Dame changed to green
jerseys at halftime to help separate their dark jersey colors from Iowas.



	Joe Montana was the Notre Dame QB for the "Green Jersey Game."

The Origins of the Fighting Irish Nickname

The Fighting Irish is synonomous with Notre Dame football, yet that nickname was not officially recognized by
the university until 1927, 40 years after Notre Dame lost its first football game in school history, 8-0 to Michigan
on Nov. 23, 1887.

The first nickname for the Notre Dame football team was appropriately the "Catholics," a moniker that gave way
briefly to the "Ramblers" during the days of the Four Horsemen in the early 1920s before "Fighting Irish" took
over for good.

As for the origin of the Irish nickname, no one seems to know for certain from where it came. But there are
several possible explanations. Northwestern University fans may deserve some of the credit. In an Oct. 27, 1899
game in Evanston, Ill., Notre Dame took a 5-0 halftime lead over Northwestern. As the second half got underway,
the home team fans began to chant "Kill the Fighting Irish, kill the Fighting Irish." Notre Dame won 12-0.

Ten years later, at halftime of a game at Michigan, when one Notre Dame player challenged his teammates with
names like Dolan, Kelly, Duffy and Ryan with comments such as "What's the matter with you guys? You're all
Irish and you're not fighting worth a lick." After Notre Dame pulled out an 11-3 victory, some reporters wrote about
a victory for the "Fighting Irish" after hearing about the halftime pep talk.

The Rev. Matthew Walsh, then the president of the university, official adopted the Fighting Irish nickname in
1927, after the term had become commonplace in New York Daily News columns written by Notre Dame
alumnus Francis Wallace in the 1920s.

According to Notre Dame publications, the most generally accepted explanation is that' 'the press coined the
nickname as a characterization of Notre Dame athletic teams, their never-say-die fighting spirit and their Irish
qualities of grit, determination and tenacity."

The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame

In the 30 games that they played together over three
seasons, the Four Horsemen none more than six
feet tall and 162 pounds led Notre Dame to a 27-2-1
record from 1922-24, both of the losses to
Nebraska. Their senior season, 1924, Notre Dame
was 10-0 , beating Stanford 27-10 in the 1925 Rose
Bowl for the national championship.

All four players are members of the National
Football Foundation Hall of Fame. The Four
Horsemen nickname grew from a October 1924
article written by famed sports writer Grantland Rice.
He coined the phrase while writing about the Notre
Dame backfield after its third straight victory over
Army.

The following week, a publicity aide at Notre Dame
posed the four players, dressed in uniforms, on the
backs of four horses. The result was a photograph
that only helped to elevate their lore in college
football history.

Quarterback Harry Stuhldreher, left halfback Jim
Crowley, right halfback Don Miller and fullback
Layden. They are the Notre Dame backfield more
commonly known as the Four Horsemen.

Notre Dame
Football Jerseys

Notre Dame iPad 2
and iPhone 4 Covers
and Cases

Notre Dame
Shamrock Football
Helmets
Replicas from the 2011
Michigan Game

Notre Dame
Play Like a Champion
Today Merchandise

Touchdown Jesus
Overlooking Notre Dame
Stadium is a mural of Jesus
Christ on the Hesburgh
Memorial Library. While be
careful to avoid sacrilege, Notre
Dame fans can't help observing
that the mural certainly makes
Jesus appear to be a football
fan. The artistic depiction
features Jesus with his arms
extended upwards as if he was
signaling a touchdown.

Legendary Fighting Irish Coaches

Knute Rockne

The most successful coach in college football history almost never had a football career. His parents
forbid him from playing football when, as a youth growing up in Chicago, he came home from a sandlot
game after having been used as a human punching bag.

Knute Rockne fmally returned to football, with the blessing of his parents, while in high school.

After high school, Rockne worked as a mail dispatcher in Chicago for four years, before finally saving
enough money to get on a train and head to South Bend, Ind., to pursue his college education.

Rockne played varsity football his first season, but after a tough season, he concentrated on track. He
returned to football after success in track, and earned All-American honors during his senior season
(1913), when he also served captain.

His coaching career began as an assistant to Jesse Harper. Rockne accepted a position as a graduate
assistant in chemistry at Notre Dame, with the condition that he be allowed to be an assistant football
coach. Harper resigned in 1917, and Rockne began building Notre Dame into a national power.

In Rockne's 13 seasons, Notre Dame had five unbeaten and untied season while compiling a 105-12-5
record (.881 winning percentage). Rockne also served as Notre Dame's athletic director, business
manager, ticket manager, track coach and equipment manager. He wrote a weekly newspaper column,
wrote three books and was the principle designer of Notre Dame Stadium.

In March 1931,just months after a championship season, Rockne was killed in a plane crash.

FRANK LEAHY

If Knute Rockne is credited with helping Notre Dame first part college football's Red Sea, then Frank
Lehay should be honored for leading the Irish to the promised land. Long before he took the Irish's
coaching reins, Lehay was a tackle (1928-30) on Rockne's last three Notre Dame teams.

Lehay's first stint as the Irish coach followed two successful years at Boston College where he guided
the Eagles to a 20-2 record and a Sugar Bowl victory. His first season in South Bend was 1941 and two
years later he coached his first national championship team.

Notre Dame's Knute Rockne

Former Irish Coach Frank Leahy

Fighting Irish
in the Pro Football
Hall of Fame

Fighting Irish Players
Who Became NFL MVP's

Notre Dame
Heisman Trophy
Winners

Notre Dame
Super Bowl MVP
Winners

The Golden Dome's of Notre Dame

The top of the university's administration building is the setting for this
famous landmark. Dating back to the 19th century, the dome is
surrounded by a statue of Our Lady. The Golden Dome's elegance is
symbolized by the gold football helmets worn by the Irish. Before each
game, the helmets are painted with a special mixture that includes
the same gold dust that's bought on behalf of the golden dome from
the 0 'Brien Paint Company.

At the conclusion of each Notre Dame game, the players salute the
Irish student section by raising their helmets in their honor. Former
Notre Dame Leprechaun Brian Stark says he helped to initiate the
tradition in 1987.

"The meaning behind it is one that you have to know Notre Dame to
understand," Stark explained. "Certainly all teams go over and salute
their fans, although not all of them salute win or lose. But the more
important symbol here at the university, truthfully, is that the golden
helmets which are painted with 24-carat gold, the same type of gold
that's lacquered on the golden dome.

It's our reminder that we're all here because of Notre Dame, our
Mother, who is the blessed Mother on top of the Dome. And so raising
the helmets is a sign that our football endeavors are actually part of a
bigger and much more important meaning here at Notre Dame."