Numbers Assigned to 2018 Notre Dame Football Freshmen

We are one step closer to football season this weekend with freshman officially reporting to campus to begin their collegiate careers.  With their arrival, we now also know all of the jersey numbers that each of the 27 will have for at least the start of their careers.  Here’s a quick run down of what number each one will be wearing along with some background and history on the numbers.

Notre these are subject to change as Notre Dame determines roles for each and determines who and who won’t redshirt this fall.  We also have some more background on the early enrollee numbers from when they were originally assigned in the spring as well.

Quarterback

  • Phil Jurkovec #15 – The highest rated quarterback recruit of the Brian Kelly era will wear the same number for the Irish that he wore during his prep career.  The first quarterback that comes to mind to wear #15 for the Irish in recent(ish) history is Kevin McDougal who nearly quarterbacked Notre Dame to a national championship in 1993 while filling in for injured freshman phenom Ron Powlus.  Jurkovec comes to Notre Dame with high expectations and will no doubt have fans yelling his name the second either Brandon Wimbush or Ian Book misstep even a little bit.   Current Notre Dame ROVER DJ Morgan also wears #15 on defense for the Irish.

Running Backs

  • C’Bo Flemister #20 – Recently worn by CJ Prosise at running back, Flemister will share the number with senior cornerback Shaun Crawford. Flemister was a late addition to the class of 2018 but featured a highlight reel that looked like anything but a 2-star recruit as some services had him labeled.
  • Jahmir Smith #34 – We’ve known this since the spring when the early enrollees got their numbers already but Smith will wear the same #34 that Tony Jones Jr wore before switching to #6 in the spring.

Wide Receivers

  • Kevin Austin #4 – One of Notre Dame’s most highly rated receivers will wear a number that brings up some immediate memories of some pretty good Irish running backs.  Both Lee Becton and Ryan Grant wore #4 at points in their Irish careers.  Currently, starting MIKE linebacker Tevon Coney also wears #4.  Coney likely won’t be seeing any time on special teams so there shouldn’t be any worry about the two of them being on the field at the same time.
  • Lawrence Keys #13 – Keys is the first of two freshman to get #13 along with safety Paul Moala.  Unlike with Austin and Coney, these two could conceivably both find their way onto special teams units – primarily if Keys ends up winning a job as a returnman.  Moala actually has a pretty good chance to earn time as a gunner but Keys only special teams action would come as a returner.
  • Micah Jones #80 – Another early enrollee who has had his number for a little time now.  Jones, a massive wide receiver, has a number more symbolic to the tight end position at Notre Dame. Tyler Eifert most recently wore it.
  • Braden Lenzy #25 – It is very fitting that the fastest player to enroll at Notre Dame this year will wear #25.  Obviously Rocket Ismail wore #25 but so did former state sprinter champions Randy Kinder and Tony Driver.  Then there was Munir “Whoooooosh” Prince whose speed was infamously praised by Charlie Weis only to never make many plays for the Irish before transferring.  Jafar Armstrong had worn #25 as a true freshman in 2017 before switching to #8 in the spring.  Recent running back Tarean Folston wore #25 for Notre Dame during his career as well.

Tight Ends

  • George Takacs #85 – Assigned #85 in the spring upon enrollment, Takacs hasn’t worn it much after missing the spring with injuries.  Senior captain punter Tyler Newsome also wears #85 for the Irish so don’t expect to see Takacs on the punt coverage team without a jersey change.
  • Tommy Tremble #24 – This is a pretty odd number for a tight end so it’s not surprising that there isn’t much/any history at the position for Notre Dame.  Current senior safety Nick Coleman wears #24 for Notre Dame as well.

Offensive Line

  • John Dirksen #56 – Dirksen has some massive shoes to fill by taking on #56 after Quenton Nelson wore the number for the Irish before being a top 10 pick in April’s draft.  No pressure.
  • Cole Mabry  #60 – Only number given to an offensive lineman this year that doesn’t carry with it a history of producing a recent 1st round NFL Draft pick.
  • Luke Jones #70 – Jones has big shoes to fill as well by taking on #70 after Zack Martin wore it recently before also being a first round pick.  Martin has kept the number in the NFL while recently earning the biggest contract ever for a guard in the NFL.
  • Jarrett Patterson #68 – Another number, a number recent 1st round pick for Notre Dame . Patterson takes over Mike McGlinchey’s #68 after he wore it the last five years before being a 1st round pick by the San Francisco 49ers.

Defensive Line

  • Jayson Ademilola #57 – Currently also worn by Trevor Rhuland, Ademilola takes on a jersey without much recent history from defensive linemen.  As one of Notre Dame’s highest rated recruits, hopefully Ademilola creates some og his own history in the number.
  • Justin Ademilola #19 – The last defensive lineman to wear #19 for Notre Dame was the infamous Aaron Lynch.  Hopefully Ademilola has an impact more similar to another #19 – Glen Earl than Lynch who left the program after just one year even though Earl was a safety not and not a DL.  Kicker Justin Yoon also currently wears #19.
  • Jamion Franklin #98 – Franklin takes over Andrew Trumbetti’s #98 after his graduation this spring.  The most notable recent #98 for the Irish, however, was former freshman All-American and 2nd round NFL Draft pick Anthony Weaver.  I think we’d all settle for a similar career for Franklin.

Linebackers

  • Bo Bauer #52,  Jack Lamb—#31, Ovie Oghoufo  #29 – All three of these early enrollees have had their numbers since the spring.
  • Shayne Simon #33 – Simon was the only linebacker in the class who did not enroll early for Notre Dame. Ironically, he might also be the first to see the field – at least on defense.  Josh Adams recently wore #33 at running back for Notre Dame before leaving for the NFL.  Recent running backs Robert Hughes and Cam McDaniel wore #33 as well, but hopefully for Simon his career more mirrors Courtney Watson who came to Notre Dame as a lightly recruiting running back and left an All-American linebacker.

Defensive Backs

  • Tariq Bracy  #10 – Also worn by wide receiver Chris Finke currently for Notre Dame.  Given Bracy’s history on offense this could be one to keep an eye on in case Notre Dame wants to give him a look at running back.
  • Houston Griffith  #3 – Another early enrollee who has had his number for a while.  Griffith will wear a number that has more history on the offensive side of the ball.  Big things are also expected out of Griffith in his Notre Dame career. Avery Davis is also wearing #3 for Notre Dame on offense.
  • Derrik Allen # 7 – Also worn on offense by projected starting quarterback Brandon Wimbush, #7 isn’t all that common on defense for Notre Dame though Stephon Tuitt wore it along the defensive line a few years ago.  Nick Watkins had been wearing #7 for Notre Dame on defense prior to his graduate transfer earlier this year.  Big things are expected from Allen this fall and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he is on the field early and often in his collegiate career.
  • D.J. Brown #12 – Quarterback Ian Book also wears #12 for Notre Dame.
  • Paul Moala #13 – Also worn by Lawrence Keys, there is some more recent history for the #13 on defense with Bert Berry and Danny Spond wearing it during their careers.  Moala will be hoping to replicate the success of defensive back Tom Carter who played safety for the Irish before becoming a 1st round pick of the Washington Redskins in 1994.  Jaylon Smith made a one game cameo in #13 to honor Spond on senior say in 2013 too.
  • Noah Boykin #16 – Halfback Don Miller of Four Horseman fame wore #16 for the Irish as did Davaris Daniels recently on offense. CJ Holmes wore the number last year but he is not on the roster after being dismissed currently.
  • Joe Wilkins #18 – Worn most recently by Troy Pride before he switched to #5 in the spring.

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6 Comments

  1. It was the press that idiotically made that prediction. A young nephew asked me what happened to Ron Powlus. I told him probably tending bar at a supper club in Berwick Pa. Things usually Go opposite of whatever the press take.

    1. Greg,
      I know it was the press. I even know exactly who in the press corps it was. I was at that Northwestern game @Soldier Field (BTW: the program for that game was the cheapest, crappiest football program I’ve ever seen! Thank you for that, Northwestern). And I also think this year’s “D” is a prototype of a national championship type “D” at ND. And I also think that we will be reloading, not rebuilding, for the next several years after 2018 thanks to these guys who are committed, and our 2018 frosh. So in a big way, we agree with each other Greg: we are seeing the same thing coming. But you can’t tell what they are going to do as freshmen, much less as early commits. I do not think the 4 year stretch that Leahy had after WWII will ever be equaled by anyone. Even Alabama under Saban has been unable to avoid occasional losses, though they may equal ND’s “NC” total over that four year period of ’46, ’47, ’49, and ’49 eventually under Saban…3 NC’s in a four year period. But undefeated for 4 straight years? Not ever again in Division 1 (GASP – I called it what it is: Division 1!)

      BGC ’77 ’82

      1. Errata: “they may surpass ND’s “NC” total” (Alabama has already equaled it…2009-2012)

        BGC ’77 ’82

    1. And Ron Powlus will win 4 Heisman trophies while at Notre Dame, right?

      BGC ’77 ’82

      1. ESPN. The old guy. BEANO COOK. (is he still alive?) He was insistent of Powlus’ divinity. (“may never lose a game…”)

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