Notre Dame
freshman Devin Fitzgerald enrolled early this past winter and participated in spring practice with the Fighting Irish
, something a good number of incoming recruits do these days.
Despite turning heads that session
, Fitzgerald was a no-show at Notre Dame's third practice of the fall this Saturday.
For an awfully good reason.
Devin Fitzgerald was tasked with presenting his father into the Hall of Fame over the weekend. Roles for included voicing a video with some of his favorite memories of his father's tremendous career as well as walking out with Larry before his speech, and unveiling the Hall of Fame bust.
Larry then began his Hall of Fame Enshrinement speech by delivering Devin and the rest of his kids a special message.
"I'm proud of you, son," Larry said before repeating himself a couple more times. "I'm very proud of you. I'm proud of you, son."
Before he was creating panic in NFL secondaries, Larry Fitzgerald was starring at Pittsburgh as one of the best wide receivers college football has ever seen.
In two seasons at Pittsburgh, the eventual Hall of Famer hauled in 161 receptions for 2,677 yards (16.6 yards per reception), and 34 touchdowns. That's good for 103 yards per game and more than a touchdown per game (26 games played).
This was also at the time Notre Dame and Pittsburgh played every season, so Fitzgerald had two career games against the Fighting Irish.
Although his numbers weren't over the top in either, they certainly spoke to Pittsburgh football at that time.
The Notre Dame game against Pittsburgh in 2002 was a classic example of what that Notre Dame football
team was like. Play great defense and do just enough on offense to sneak out a victory.
Notre Dame All-American Shane Walton helped keep Fitzgerald in check that day, holding the star to seven receptions for 83 yards, and no touchdowns in a 14-6 Fighting Irish victory.
Notre Dame's 2003 victory at Pittsburgh isn't remembered for Fitzgerald's big night, as he scored two touchdowns, but instead for Julius Jones going off for 262 rushing yards in what remains the highest single game rushing total in Notre Dame history.
Notre Dame won that game 20-14 as Fitzgerald hauled in five receptions for 79 yards and those two scores. As a team, Pittsburgh totaled just 175 total yards on the night, which make Fitzgerald's total pop a bit more.
There are moments when you see a young player do something and just know they're going to be special.
For Larry Fitzgerald, that was his catch in the 2002 Insight Bowl against Oregon State, for me.
Go to the 13:43 mark of the video below and just enjoy.
I don't know what Devin Fitzgerald's future holds at Notre Dame. It's unfair to anyone to put the expectation on them to be what Larry was (an all-timer's all-timer).
Still, I feel safe in saying that, given his dad's well-documented commitment to the game, Devin's development at Notre Dame will put him in a position to have great success.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/notredame as Notre Dame Freshman Devin Fitzgerald Misses Practice for Best Possible Reason .
