Countdown to kickoff: Notre Dame vs. Ohio State is 41 days away

On3 imageby:Patrick Engel07/24/22

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To preview one of the most anticipated games for Notre Dame this century and the official start of the Marcus Freeman era, BlueandGold.com is counting down the days to the matchup against Ohio State on Sept. 3.

This daily series of 99 stories celebrates by the numbers some of the most notable names, dates, moments and memories related to the past and present of Notre Dame football.

Today, with 41 until kickoff, we look back at the career of former Irish nose tackle Kurt Hinish, who wore No. 41 from 2017-21.

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He arrived as a recruit ranked outside the top 400 in his class. He left a career record holder.

No Notre Dame player appeared in more games than Hinish’s 61.

Yes, it was aided by a technicality. The COVID-19 waiver passed in 2020 gave him the opportunity to play five full seasons – a luxury never available to those he passed on the career appearances leaderboard.

But to call his 61 games a product of only a loophole is a slight to the reliability and consistency he displayed upon his arrival. A freshman ranked No. 405 overall in his cycle (per the On3 Consensus) doesn’t pilfer a Year 1 rotation role without either of those attributes.

Hinish played in 12 games that season and all 13 as a sophomore, establishing himself as the favorite to replace Jonathan Bonner at nose tackle in 2019. He did just that and kept the job for three years. He played in 61 of a possible 64 games, missing two as a fifth-year senior due to a concussion and one as a freshman.

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From 2019-21, Hinish made 62 tackles, 17.5 tackles for a loss and 6.0 sacks. He frequently found himself smashing into double-teams and creating openings for teammates to make plays. He leaned into that role without complaints. It was one reason why he became a universally respected locker room presence and a team captain.

“If I’m having a good day in the jungle, I’m holding my double-teams down,” Hinish said in 2019.

He credited developing the required tenacity for the job to days working construction with his father, Kurt Sr.

“I shoveled 14 tons of stone into a wheelbarrow, wheeled it into a backyard and dumped it,” Hinish said. “I did that all in one day. It was one of the worst days of my life.”

The same bonus year option that allowed Hinish to set the Notre Dame record for games played might bump him from the top spot after just one season. Linebacker Bo Bauer returned for a fifth year using the COVID-19 wavier and needs to play 11 games to pass Hinish. Bauer has appeared in all 51 contests the past four seasons.

Hinish’s record may fall this year. The example he set and the influence he had will linger, though – perhaps through his younger brother, Donovan, a freshman nose tackle. He’s already following Kurt’s example – by choosing jersey No. 41.

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