Fansided

Best Notre Dame football players: Modern-era Mount Rushmore

By Cody Williams

SOUTH BEND, IN - CIRCA 1986: Tim Brown #81 of Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball during an NCAA Football game circa 1986 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - CIRCA 1986: Tim Brown #81 of Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs with the ball during an NCAA Football game circa 1986 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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Best Notre Dame football players
Notre Dame football (Photo by Kevin Reece/Getty Images) /

Much like was the case whenever he got to the NFL, Jerome Bettis was never going to be a burner that wowed anyone with his speed. In the simplest way to say it, you don’t earn the nickname “The Bus” if you’ve got wheels. Having said that, the big-bodied running back was an absolute load that cemented himself in college football and Notre Dame football history.

Though he was used sparingly as a freshman and had only 15 carries, he still averaged 7.7 yards per tote as a youngster, which was a sign of things to come. As a sophomore in 1991, he had a breakout season. He put up 972 yards with an incredible 16 regular-season touchdowns. He also set the Fighting Irish regular-season touchdown record with 20 overall as he added four as a pass-catcher.

While he didn’t find the end zone quite as often in his junior campaign, The Bus remained a juggernaut. He had 825 yards on 154 carries with 10 rushing scores and continued to be a receiving threat as well as no one could bring him down in space.

Despite leaving South Bend after three years and not playing much as a freshman, Bettis is fourth all-time in career rushing touchdowns (third-best in the modern era) with 33. Had he stayed another year, he would’ve had a good chance of surpassing Allen Pinkett for tops in the record book. But even then, there’s no denying the force The Bus was in his time with the Fighting Irish.