Debuted each year at the OSCARS - the year-end highlight video provides a look back at all 26 varsity sports competed at the University of Notre Dame and is created in cooperation with the Student Welfare and Development Office and LeSea Broadcasting.
Robert Blanton's fourth-quarter interception thwarts MSU rally.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Rated 89th on Rivals.com list of top 100 players nationally ... rushed 172 times for 1,669 yards and 17 TDs in 2010 as running back, wide receiver and defensive back for Granada High School in Livermore, Calif. ... top games featured 206 rushing yards on five carries and three TDs vs. Castro Valley (and a 60-yard punt return for a TD), plus rushing games of 202 yards vs. Amador Valley (TD runs of 26, 68 and 71), 178 vs. Livermore and 177 vs. College Park (also 157 receiving yards in that second-round playoff game) ... named Bay Area News Group athlete of the week after win over Amador Valley ... 41-16 win over Castro Valley included a 79-yard TD run and three Atkinson TDs in the first 90 seconds of the game ... also caught 27 passes for 678 yards and six TDs, including five for 167 and two TDs vs. Sierra ... made 23 tackles and broke up 10 passes as free safety on defense, helping team to 8-5 record after loss to power De La Salle in California high school North Coast Section Division I playoff semifinals as Matadors reached playoffs for first time since 2005 ... scored game-wining TD in second overtime in first playoff game vs. Freedom ... scored on plays of 68, 55 and 65 yards in playoff game vs. College Park ... first-team pick as utility player on San Francisco Chronicle all-metro squad ... played in U.S. Army All-American Bowl and served as captain of West team ... first-team all-East Bay Athletic League pick for 2010 at running back and a second- team all-league pick at defensive back ... third-team all-East Bay in 2010 as utility player as selected by Bay Area News Group ... played in Holiday Classic between Sacramento and Bay Area standouts ... selected for Team USA vs. The World all-star game Feb. 2 in Austin, Texas ... carried 106 times as junior in 2009 for 965 yards and 10 TDs, caught 13 passes for 260 yards and one TD and had 295 yards in kickoff returns ... scored four TDs in 2009 opener vs. Antioch and later rushed 11 times for 200 yards (TD runs of 65, 80 and 20, plus a 95-yard kickoff return for a TD) vs. Foothill ... second- team all-EBAL defensive back as junior ... had TD runs of 51, 14 and 23 yards as sophomore in 2008 in 56-15 victory over Livermore ... standout in track who medaled in California state track meet in 100 (third at 10.66) and 200 meters (fourth at 21.46) as sophomore in 2009 ... father is former all- pro Oakland Raider defensive back George Atkinson Jr. who played profes- sionally with Raiders from 1968-77, helped Oakland to Super Bowl XI title and now is part of Raider radio broadcast team ... twin brother Josh also will be Irish freshman on 2011 roster ... played for coach Tim Silva at Grana- da High School ... born Nov. 29, 1992 ... enrolled in First Year of Studies.
