Notre Dame Football: Irish announce seven players as captains for 2019

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish finally announced its captains for 2019, and they did it with a video with some familiar faces in it (Brady Quinn, Drue Tranquill, Isaac Rochell, Manti Te’o, Austin Webster, and Tyler Newsome).

The 2019 Notre Dame Football Captains

• QB Ian Book
• S Jalen Elliott
• S Alohi Gilman
• WR Chris Finke
• DE Khalid Kareem
• DE Julian Okwara
• OL Robert Hainsey

Ian Book is the first quarterback of the Brian Kelly era that will play the season as a captain. Kelly has often times stated that the quarterback has enough on his plate, so the inclusion of Book shows the level of leadership he possesses.

Jalen Elliott has been a very vocal leader for the Irish during the offseason, while Alohi Gilman gives everything he has on every play and every rep. A pair of captains as safeties is unusual for Notre Dame — but most welcome.

There is another pair on the defense as well with defensive ends Okwara and Kareem. Two position groups that the Irish have struggled in recruiting over the last decade produces 4 captains for 2019.

Chris Finke is a former WOPU product that continues to play with the heart of a walk-on and the skill of an assassin, while Robert Hainsey has been a leader for the offensive line long before it was announced there would be a “C” on his chest.

Seven players in all were announced as the captains for this Irish football team. It seems like a lot, but all seven are worthy and all seven were mentioned many times by media and fans during the offseason as candidates. It appears they have risen to the top like a good team... together.

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