Irish record-setting QB sets sights on national title

Before Brady Quinn, there had been just one 400-yard passing game in Notre Dame history (Joe Theismann against USC in 1970). Quinn has thrown for more than 400 yards in each of five different games.

In his first year with coach Charlie Weis at the Irish helm, Quinn literally rewrote the Fighting Irish record book. He completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 3,919 yards and 32 touchdowns — all school records. He also set new marks with 130 consecutive passes without an interception and 14 consecutive pass completions. His six touchdown passes against BYU and 33 completions against Michigan State are new single-game standards. He completed 292 of 450 with just seven interceptions.

Quinn owns the school records for career passing yards (8,886), career total offense (8,447) and single-season total offense (4,009 in 2005). He has completed more passes (640) and thrown for more touchdowns (58) than anyone else in Notre Dame history. And he still has another year to go.

Quinn led the Irish back from a 21-point third-quarter deficit against Michigan State to send the game into overtime, and he engineered an 87-yard drive against USC, running it in himself from five yards out to give the Irish the lead with 2:40 left. He is 6’4”, 232 and in the words of his coach, “all-day tough.”

2005 Stat Line

What has to go right: The Irish have to stay in the title hunt with no major stumbles, particularly late in the season. Individually, Quinn might be entitled to one mulligan, but only if it’s early on.

What could go wrong: The graduation of Maurice Stovall, who caught 69 passes for 1,149 yards and 11 touchdowns last fall, could have more of an impact than expected. Oklahoma’s Peterson could break Barry Sanders’ NCAA single-season rushing record of 2,628 yards.

Prognosis: With Jeff Samardzija and Rhema McKnight, who missed all but the first two games last year with an injury after leading the Irish in receiving in 2003 and 2004, a 1,000-yard rusher in Darius Walker and All-America tackle Ryan Harris protecting his blind side, Quinn controls his own destiny.