Jim Crowley

Bio

Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne looked out to the field and sized up his football candidates of 1922, his eyes settling upon the 162-pound body of sophomore fullback Jim Crowley. "Except for a nimble wit, Crowley shows me nothing," Rockne would say to a nearby aide, jokingly nicknaming the Green Bay, Wisconsin youngster, "Sleepy Jim." Even Rockne was fooled by the slow-paced, relaxed motion of this stoop-shouldered fullback. He was destined to gain 1841 yards during his three-year career as a member of Notre Dame's famed Four Horsemen backfield, helping the Irish to a 27-2-1 record. It wasn't long before Rockne had changed his opinion, calling Jim "the nerviest back I've ever known." The ultimate tribute to Crowley's talents came in 1962 when a panel of 400 sports writers and broadcasters made him the only one of the Four Horsemen selected to their all-time Notre Dame team. Following graduation, Crowley went on to head coaching jobs at Michigan State and Fordham, posting a 78-27-6 record. At Fordham, he developed the famed "Seven Blocks of Granite" line.

Career Highlights

• 1924 Consensus All-America