More Accolades for Rudolph and Floyd
Last week Kyle Rudolph and Michael Floyd were named to the CollegeFootballNews.com Freshmen All American team. This week, the Irish duo were honored again by the Sporting News and Phill Steele Freshman All American teams.
Rudolph, who started all 12 games at tight end for the Irish, was a first team selection from all three selections and with this week’s news that Will Yeatman is transferring, he will be counted on heavily again in 2009. The return of Mike Ragone who missed all of the 2008 season with a torn ACL could cut into Rudolph’s playing time some next season since Rudolph was largely the only tight end used by Notre Dame most of the season.
Floyd was a 2nd team selection by Phill Steele, just as he was CollegeFootballNews.com as well. Had Floyd not gotten hurt he would likely have been a first team selection on everyone’s All Freshmen Team. Floyd essentially missed three ful games since he was injured at the beginning of the first quarter against Navy and still finished the year with 46 catches, 702 yards, and 7 touchdowns. Those stats, projected over a full 12 games would have been 61 catches, 936 yards, and 9 touchdowns.
Congrats to both Rudolph and Floyd – something tells me this won’t be the last time these two appear on some All American lists.
Frank Vitovitch has been Co-Owner and Editor in Chief of UHND.com since joining forces with Kyle Flavin in 1999. Since that time, he has written over 2,000 articles covering Notre Dame football, recruiting, and basketball. He also works with all staff and external writers on all articles published on UHND.com. Frank's love for Notre Dame football started at a young age watching Rocket Ismail give opposing coaches ulcers in the late 1980's. By day Frank works in marketing and holds a degree in Digital Media from Drexel University. Frank's work has been cited by online/print editions of NBC Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated and has been quoted on air by ESPN's Collin Cowherd. He's conducted interviews with Notre Dame legends Rocket Ismail, Randy Kinder, Lee Becton, Reggie Brooks, Michael Stonebreaker, and Ned Bolcar among others over his 20+ years of covering Notre Dame football. He's also been published in the print edition of USA Today Sports Weekly and the USA Today College Football Preview multiple times. Other Published Works/Citations for Frank Three Reasons Notre Dame Will Beat Alabama - USA Today Notre Dame Suspends WR Kevin Stepherson, RB C.J. Holmes Indefinitely - Bleacher Report Notre Dame / Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Preview - Eleven Warriors Brace Yourself: The Fighting Irish are Relevant Again - Sports on Earth Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A with Frank Vitovitch of UHND - Yahoo! Sports Five Good Minutes: Notre Dame Football Preview With UHND.com - BC Interruption Vicious Electronic Questioning with UHND - MGO Blog
I’m surprised Floyd wasn’t named first team. If he weren’t injured, his stats would have been the best for any freshman.