Notre Dame football's depth of leadership results in seven captains for 2021 season

SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame football’s twice-delayed captains announcement finally took form on the third try, even if the eventual rescheduled reveal Friday was a little bit later than promised.

Irish head coach Brian Kelly has implied it’ll be worth the wait.

“I think I can confidently say it's the deepest group of leaders that I've had here,” the 12th-year Irish head coach said last Saturday.

That’s reflected in the fact that seven captains were chosen to lead the 2021 Irish, tying the 2019 and 2017 Notre Dame squads for the school record for quantity of captains.

Two juniors — running back Kyren Williams and safety Kyle Hamilton — join senior center Jarrett Patterson and four fifth-year players. They comprise defensive tackle Kurt Hinish, defensive end Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, linebacker Drew White and wide receiver Avery Davis.

Some recruiting hype trivia — only former five-star prospect Hamilton among the seven was not a three-star recruit per Rivals.com coming out of high school. 

“Just really good leaders,” Kelly said, “well respected, carry the standard of what our program is about.”

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The Irish had the day off Friday, but training camp continues Saturday with the seventh session this month overall and the second in full pads.

Notre Dame, ranked seventh in the preseason coaches poll, opens the season Sept. 5 at Florida State.

ALL-TIME NOTRE DAME CAPTAINS

2021: Avery Davis, Kyle Hamilton, Kurt Hinish, Jarrett Patterson, Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, Drew White, Kyren Williams 

2020: Ian Book, Robert Hainsey, Shaun Crawford, Daelin Hayes, Adetokunbo Ogundeji

2019: Ian Book, Jalen Elliott, Chris Finke, Alohi Gilman, Robert Hainsey, Khalid Kareem, Julian Okwara

2018: Alex Bars, Sam Mustipher, Tyler Newsome, Drue Tranquill

2017: Josh Adams, DeShone Kizer, Greer Martini, Mike McGlinchey, Nyles Morgan, Quenton Nelson, Drue Tranquill, Austin Webster

2016: Torii Hunter Jr., Mike McGlinchey, James Onwualu, Isaac Rochell

2015: Sheldon Day, Matthias Farley, Nick Martin, Joe Schmidt, Jaylon Smith

2014: Austin Collinsworth, Sheldon Day, Nick Martin, Cam McDaniel

2013: Zack Martin, TJ Jones, Bennett Jackson

2012: Manti Te’o, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Zack Martin, Tyler Eifert

2011: Harrison Smith

2010: Game-by-Game

2009: Jimmy Clausen, Kyle McCarthy, Eric Olsen, Scott Smith

2008: David Bruton, Maurice Crum Jr., David Grimes

2007: Tom Zbikowski, Travis Thomas, John Carlson, John Sullivan, Maurice Crum Jr.

2006: Brady Quinn, Tom Zbikowski, Travis Thomas

2005: Brady Quinn, Brandon Hoyte

2004: Mike Goolsby, Ryan Grant, Carlyle Holiday, Justin Tuck

2003: Darrell Campbell, Vontez Duff, Omar Jenkins, Jim Molinaro

2002: Arnaz Battle, Sean Mahan, Gerome Sapp, Shane Walton

2001: Rocky Boiman, David Givens, Grant Irons, Anthony Weaver

2000: Anthony Denman, Jabari Holloway, Grant Irons, Dan O’Leary

1999: Jarious Jackson

1998: Bobbie Howard, Kory Minor, Mike Rosenthal

1997: Melvin Dansby, Ron Powlus, Allen Rossum

1996: Lyron Cobbins, Marc Edwards, Ron Powlus

1995: Paul Grasmanis, Ryan Leahy, Derrick Mayes, Shawn Wooden, Dusty Zeigler

1994: Lee Becton, Justin Goheen, Brian Hamilton, Ryan Leahy

1993: Jeff Burris, Tim Ruddy, Aaron Taylor, Bryant Young

1992: Demetrius DuBose, Rick Mirer

1991: Rodney Culver

1990: Mike Heldt, Todd Lyght, Ricky Watters, Chris Zorich

1989: Ned Bolcar, Anthony Johnson,Tony Rice

1988: Ned Bolcar, Mark Green,Andy Heck

1987: Chuck Lanza, Byron Spruell

1986: Mike Kovaleski

1985: Tony Furjanic, Mike Larkin, Allen Pinkett, Tim Scannell

1984: Mike Golic, Joe Johnson, Larry Williams

1983: Blair Kiel, Stacey Toran

1982: Phil Carter, Dave Duerson, Mark Zavagnin

1981: Bob Crable, Phil Carter

1980: Bob Crable, Tom Gibbons, John Scully

1979: Vagas Ferguson, Tim Foley, Dave Waymer

1978: Bob Golic, Jerome Heavens, Joe Montana

1977: Ross Browner, Terry Eurick, Willie Fry, Steve Orsini

1976: Mark McLane, Willie Fry

1975: Ed Bauer, Jim Stock

1974: Tom Clements, Greg Collins

1973: Dave Casper, Frank Pomerico, Mike Townsend

1972: John Dampeer, Greg Marx

1971: Walt Patulski, Tom Gatewood

1970: Larry DiNardo, Tim Kelly

1969: Bob Olson, Mike Oriard

1968: George Kunz, Bob Olson

1967: Bob (Rocky) Bleier

1966: Jim Lynch

1965: Phil Sheridan

1964: Jim Carroll

1963: Bob Lehmann

1962: Mike Lind

1961: Norb Roy, Nick Buoniconti

1960: Myron Pottios

1959: Ken Adamson

1958: Al Ecuyer, Chuck Puntillo

1957: Dick Prendergast, Ed Sullivan

1956: Jim Morse

1955: Ray Lemek

1954: Paul Matz, Dan Shannon

1953: Don Penza

1952: Jack Alessandrini

1951: Jim Mutscheller

1950: Jerry Groom

1949: Leon Hart, Jim Martin

1948: Bill Fischer

1947: George Connor

1945: Frank Dancewicz

1944: Pat Filley

1943: Pat Filley

1942: George Murphy

1941: Paul Lillis

1940: Milt Piepul

1939: Johnny Kelly

1938: Jim McGoldrick

1937: Joe Zwers

1936: Bill Smith, John Lautar

1935: Joe Sullivan

1934: Dom Vairo

1933: Hugh Devore, Tom Gorman

1932: Paul Host

1931: Tommy Yarr

1930: Tom Conley

1929: John Law

1928: Fred Miller

1927: John Smith

1926: Gene Edwards, Tom Hearden

1925: Clem Crowe

1924: Adam Walsh

1923: Harvey Brown

1922: Glen Carberry

1921: Eddie Anderson

1920: Frank Coughlin

1919: Leonard Bahan

1918: Leonard Bahan

1917: Jim Phelan

1916: Stan Cofall

1915: Freeman Fitzgerald

1914: Keith Jones

1913: Knute Rockne

1912: Charles (Gus) Dorais

1911: Luke Kelly

1910: Ralph Dimmick

1909: Howard Edwards

1908: Harry Miller

1907: Dom Callicrate

1906: Bob Bracken

1905: Pat Beacom

1904: Frank Shaughnessy

1903: Louis (Red) Salmon

1902: Louis (Red) Salmon

1901: Al Fortin

1900: John Farley

1899: Jack Mullen

1898: Jack Mullen

1897: Jack Mullen

1896: Frank E. Hering

1895: Dan Casey

1894: Frank Keough

1893: Frank Keough

1892: Pat Coady

1889: Edward Prudhomme

1888: Edward Prudhomme

1887: Henry Luhn

MULTI-SEASON CAPTAINS

Three-time captain: Jack Mullen (1897-99)

Two-time captains: Leonard Bahan (1918-19); Ned Bolcar (1988-89); Ian Book (2019-20); Phil Carter (1981-82); Bob Crable (1980-81); Maurice Crum Jr. (2007-08); Sheldon Day (2014-15); Pat Filley (1943-44); Willie Fry (1976-77); Robert Hainsey (2019-20); Grant Irons (2000-01); Frank Keough (1893-94); Ryan Leahy (1994-95); Nick Martin (2014-15); Zack Martin(2012-13); Mike McGlinchey (2016-17); Bob Olson (1968-69); Ron Powlus (1996-97); Edward Prudhomme (1888-89); Brady Quinn (2005-06); Louis “Red” Salmon (1902-03); Travis Thomas (2006-07); Drue Tranquill(2017-18); Tom Zbikowski (2006-07)

Follow NDInsider Eric Hansen on Twitter: @ehansenNDI