Jaylon Smith names his All-Time Notre Dame football team on GMFB
Former Butkus Award-winning Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith went on Good Morning Football on Friday, and he named his all-time Notre Dame football team on the show.
Smith went head-to-head with former Tennessee defensive lineman Malik Jackson, who named his all-time Tennessee team. Evidently a football historian, Smith took some flack from Jackson and the show’s hosts for naming all-time greats from the 1940s and 1950s.
Here are Smith’s picks for the best quarterback, running back, receiver, defensive players and coach in Notre Dame history. Unfortunately, GMFB did not include offensive linemen.
QB: Johnny Lujack
“He’s a three-time national champion,” Smith said. “He’s a Heisman winner in 1947. He played four seasons for the Chicago Bears, and he led not only the team in passing, not only the league in passing, but he also had eight interceptions as a defensive back.”
RB: Paul Hornung
“He’s the only person to win the Heisman on a losing team,” Smith said. “They went 2-8 that year. He still won the Heisman! He is a living legend.”
WR: Tim Brown
“I saw him last year [at Notre Dame’s win over Clemson], that’s my brother, man,” Smith said. “He’s a nine-time Pro Bowl selection. … Tim Brown was the inspiration to a lot of us, especially a lot of us Black men, growing up and having the opportunity to experience some equality in sports. Definitely an inspiration, love him, and he’s a great.”
Defense: Alan Page
“Let’s pop it off with Alan Page, a 1966 national champion,” Smith said. “Another national champion! That’s just what we do at Notre Dame. 1971 NFL MVP. Nine-time pro bowl selection. Two-time defensive player of the year. That just speaks for itself. That’s a legend right there.”
Defense: Manti Te’o
“Amazing story,” Smith said. “A guy from Hawaii who went through a lot at Notre Dame, but had so much success. Lost his grandmother. There’s a documentary that came out about him last year on Netflix. It’s just dear to my heart, brings tears to my eyes. His senior year was my last year in high school. I’m from Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Hoosier State. I wanted to go close to home, an hour and a half [away], because I’m a mama’s boy. I got to see Manti play every single game his senior year, and just watch him dominate. … He should’ve won the Heisman, I don’t care what nobody says.”
Coach: Lou Holtz
GMFB didn’t spend much time discussing coaches, but Holtz is a national champion as well (1988). He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and more recently given the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2020.
Jackson’s All-Time Tennessee team
QB: Peyton Manning
RB: Arian Foster
WR: Stanley Morgan
Defense: Reggie White
Defense: Eric Berry
Coach: Johnny Majors
