Notre Dame certainly has a great list of punt and kickoff return moments of recent years, but the greatest part of the Fighting Irish is their history. Yes, some folks may hate the Irish, and the present day versions of the team can be haunted by it as well, but there is a respect for the greatness of days gone by.
Nick Eddy came in 3rd in the 1966 Heisman Trophy balloting and was a consensus All American halfback that year. Eddy lead the Irish to the 1966 National Championship and left to play for the Detroit Lions of the NFL. He was never quite the star that he was in college as knee injuries hampered his career. After pro football, Eddy returned home to California, even garnering a cameo in the film, The Paper Lion and is now an insurance executive.
This 1966 kickoff return was the Irish's answer to Boilermaker touchdown on an interception return. Take time to watch the slow motion replay and see the blocking schemes for the return set up just perfect to allow Eddy to follow the wedge and then break a tackle for the open field.
In 1999, a substitute teacher by the name of William McMullen in Rochester, Mass, passed himself off a Nick Eddy and was an assistant football coasch for Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School. Despite being only 5'7 (the real Eddy was 6'1"), McMullen denied his identity right up until school officials had him speak with the real Eddy on the telephone, after which he resigned.
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