Today's Tidbit... From Goat to Good

Teams did not kick field goals in the 1950s with the same frequency as today. College teams often did not attempt field goals in situations we would consider nearly automatic today because straight-ahead kickers were less accurate, did not kick as far as the sidewinders that soon became popular, and the limited substitution rules of the time meant the player doing the kicking was generally among the team's eleven starters. The kicker was often the best all-around athlete on the team, which is why they kicked in the first place.

That was the case with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in 1957. Coming off a 2-8 season in 1956 -the worst record in program history- the Irish started the 1957 season with shutout wins over Purdue and Indiana to earn a #12 ranking. In the season's third week, they faced #10 Army, led by Pete Dawkins, who would win the Heisman in 1958.

In the Purdue game, which the Irish won 12-0, end Aubrey Lewis missed the first extra point, and quarterback Don White missed the second. Versus Indiana, White made two of four extra points on their way to a 26-0 victory.