Notre Dame, Indiana – The Football News released its All-American and All-Independent teams, featuring two and six Golden Domers, respectively. Two Irish players, quarterback Jarious Jackson and tight end Jabari Holloway, earned All-American Honorable Mentions; one was expected, while the other was a bit surprising. Both of these players, along with four others, were also named to the All-Independent team.
Notre Dame’s lone captain and the heart and soul of the team, Jarious Jackson, was the obvious pick for the All-American Honorable Mention. This season, he broke numerous Notre Dame single-season passing records, including passing yards and total yards. However, he did more than just break records; he led the team with determination, and they thrived or struggled based on his performance. He gave everything on the field, carrying his team through comeback wins against Navy, Oklahoma, and USC. Jackson finished the season completing 184 of 316 passes (58.6%) for 2,753 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He also rushed for 734 yards, scoring another 7 touchdowns—a team-high.
The surprising Honorable Mention All-American was Jabari Holloway. Talent-wise, there’s no surprise here; based on his abilities, he could have been a first-team selection. However, he rarely got the ball this year, catching only 12 passes for 189 yards and 3 touchdowns. It seems The Football News honors those with immense talent even if they haven’t had the chance to showcase it. Hopefully, next season, Notre Dame will utilize their tight end more because Jabari has the potential to be a first-round draft pick if given the opportunity.
The All-Independent team included Holloway, along with Lamont Bryant, Anthony Denman, Tony Fisher, and John Merandi. Ironically, Jarious Jackson was not included in this team. Anthony Denman was an obvious choice. In his first season as a starter, he became a defensive leader, making big plays consistently. He is also a strong candidate for captain of the 2000 Irish squad. Denman recorded 89 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 pass breakup, three fumble recoveries (one for a touchdown), 2 forced fumbles, and 1 interception. Denman is a future star with the potential to be an All-American next season.
A’Jani Sanders led Notre Dame with 91 tackles and 10 tackles for loss. He also tied for the team lead with 4 pass breakups and came in second with 3 interceptions, just behind Deveron Harper’s 4. As an emotional leader, Sanders led by example. The only player who hit harder was possibly Deke Cooper. Although the Notre Dame secondary faced criticism this season, sometimes deservedly, Sanders played with heart every week. Leaving Notre Dame with a 5-7 record isn’t ideal, but A’Jani cherished each game.
Tony Fisher put up impressive numbers, especially considering he shared carries with Tony Driver, Julius Jones, and Terrence Howard—not to mention Jarious Jackson’s 700+ rushing yards. Fisher ended the season with 156 carries for 783 yards and 5 touchdowns. He shined against Stanford, racking up over 100 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns—2 rushing and 1 receiving. Additionally, he caught 18 passes for 296 yards and 2 touchdowns. Fisher did a commendable job replacing Notre Dame’s all-time leading rusher Autry Denson. Next year, it will be challenging to split carries between Fisher and Jones, as both are exceptional talents.
Lamont Bryant returned for a 5th year and had a strong season, recording 4 sacks, 53 tackles, and 6 tackles for loss. Often, he was the sole pass rush for the Irish. Like Sanders, he led by example, and his leadership should positively influence upcoming stars, Cedric Hilliard and Darrell Campbell.
Lastly, John Merandi was the only returning starter on the offensive line this season and emerged as its leader. He played consistently well and was one of our Third Team Preseason All-Americans. Despite playing on a line that allowed many sacks, it’s hard to gain much recognition. John will not be back for a 5th year, so Jeff Faine will step in next season.
