| 86 |
Dan O'Leary |
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Fifth-year player who, with fellow captain Jabari Holloway, served as part of one of the top tight end tandems in the nation . . . also served as Irish punt snapper . . . one of four co-captains for 2000 campaign . . . boasted all the tools to be a consistent, solid receiver and blocker . . . worked to develop greater consistency, especially in blocking . . . a top-flight receiver . . . has great work ethic and loves the game . . . worked hard to improve his technique . . . tremendous competitor who gives 110 percent every day. .. led all Irish receivers in playing time in 2000 . . . invited to play in 2001 Hula Bowl Senior All-Star game.
AS A SENIOR: A starter in six games when Irish opened with double tight end set vs. Purdue, Michigan State, Stanford, Navy, West Virginia and Air Force . . . also started vs. USC and vs. Oregon State in 2001 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, replacing injured Jabari Holloway . . . had season highs with three receptions for 26 yards against Stanford, including a pair on the 91-yard opening scoring drive . . . caught 11-yard touchdown pass from Matt LoVecchio in third period vs. Navy for 31-0 Irish lead . . . snapped ball to Chris Yura, who ran for four yards and a first down on fake punt in first quarter vs. Boston College . . . caught two passes for 36 yards vs. Oregon State in 2001 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
AS A JUNIOR: Shared '99 tight end role with Jabari Holloway, playing in all 12 games . . . earned starting nods vs. Kansas, Michigan State, Tennessee and Pittsburgh as Irish opened in double tight end set . . . made two catches for 30 yards vs. Purdue . . . had two receptions for 28 yards vs. Oklahoma . . . caught six-yard touchdown pass to give Irish 21-0 lead over Arizona State . . . caught touchdown pass for second straight week with seven-yard reception against USC, pulling the Irish to within 24-10 . . . caught career-long 35-yard pass vs. Pittsburgh, setting up a Jim Sanson field goal, which pulled the Irish within three at 30-27 . . . finished with two receptions for career-high 54 yards vs. the Panthers . . . made 93 special-team appearances.
AS A SOPHOMORE: Played in all 12 games at tight end for Irish in '98, starting vs. Arizona State and vs. Georgia Tech in '99 Gator Bowl as Irish went with double tight end set . . . made 96 regular-season special team appearances with punt and field goal/PAT teams, then nine more in Gator Bowl . . . caught four-yard scoring pass from Jarious Jackson in third period vs. fifth-rated Michigan to give Irish lead for good at 16-13.
AS A FRESHMAN: Irish starter at tight end heading into '97 . . . played in seven games overall, starting vs. Purdue, then missing next six games with shoulder and ankle injuries . . . technically did not start Georgia Tech contest as Irish opened with three-wide receiver set . . . sprained shoulder vs. Purdue kept him out vs. Michigan State and ankle sprain kept him from playing vs. Michigan, Stanford, Pittsburgh, USC and Boston College . . . returned to starting lineup vs. Navy as Irish began game in two-tight end set . . . caught four passes for 49 vs. Purdue . . . played reserve role in '97 Independence Bowl vs. LSU . . . did not see varsity action as rookie tight end in '96.
HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Parade prep All-America pick as senior in '95 . . . rated as number four prospect on Best of the Midwest team by Detroit Free-Press . . . rated 75th on Chicago Sun-Times list of top 100 players nationally . . . rated one of top 50 players nationally on preseason basis by Street & Smith's and Athlon . . . earned three letters in football at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio . . . captain of team as senior . . . two-time first-team Ohio all-state pick . . . led St. Ignatius to fifth straight Division I state title in '95 and 14-0 marks in both '93 and '95 . . . caught 46 passes for 788 yards and seven touchdowns in '95, 46 for 698 and five TDs in '94 as junior . . . two-year starter also can long snap . . . named to Cleveland Plain-Dealer seven-county all-star team as junior and senior . . . selected for Big 33 and Ohio North-South all-star games . . . played baseball and basketball, earning three letters in baseball and two in basketball and captaining baseball squad as senior . . . born 9-1-77 in Cleveland . . . full name is Daniel Edward O'Leary . . . younger of two children . . . earned his degree in May 2000 from College of Arts and Letters with major in sociology and computer applications . . . had 3.0 grade-point average during '98 fall semester . . . took additional business courses during 2000 fall semester.
| | G-GS | Time | Rec. | Yds. | Avg. | TD | LG |
| 1997 | 6-2 | 60:38 | 6 | 81 | 13.5 | 0 | 19 |
| 1998 | 11-1 | 89:21 | 3 | 32 | 10.7 | 1 | 16 |
| 1999 | 12-4 | 154:08 | 13 | 183 | 14.1 | 2 | 35 |
| 2000 | 11-7 | 215:21 | 10 | 87 | 8.7 | 1 | 18 |
| Total | 40-14 | 519:28 | 32 | 383 | 12.0 | 4 | 35 |
O'LEARY GAME BY GAME
1997
| Game | Rec. | Yds. | TD |
| Georgia Tech | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| *Purdue | 4 | 49 | 0 |
| Michigan State | DNP-injured |
| Michigan | DNP-injured |
| Stanford | DNP-injured |
| Pittsburgh | DNP-injured |
| USC | DNP-injured |
| Boston College | DNP-injured |
| *Navy | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LSU | 1 | 13 | 0 |
| West Virginia | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hawaii | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 Independence
Bowl |
| LSU | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1998
| Game | Rec. | Yds. | TD |
| Michigan | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Michigan State | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Purdue | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stanford | 1 | 16 | 0 |
| *Arizona State | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Army | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Baylor | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Boston College | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Navy | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LSU | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| USC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Gator
Bowl |
| *Georgia Tech | 0 | 0 | 0 |
1999
| Game | Rec. | Yds. | TD |
| *Kansas | 2 | 24 | 0 |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Purdue | 2 | 30 | 0 |
| *Michigan State | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 28 | 0 |
| Arizona State | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| USC | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| Navy | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| *Tennessee | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| *Pittsburgh | 2 | 54 | 0 |
| Bost. Coll. | 1 | 13 | 0 |
| Stanford | 2 | 21 | 0 |
2000
| Game | Rec. | Yds. | TD |
| Texas A&M | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Nebraska | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| *Purdue | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| *Michigan State | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| *Stanford | 3 | 26 | 0 |
| *Navy | 1 | 11 | 1 |
| *West Virginia | 2 | 19 | 0 |
| *Air Force | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Boston College | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rutgers | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| *USC | 1 | 14 | 0 |
| 2001 Tostitos Fiesta
Bowl |
| *Oregon State | 2 | 36 | 0 |
* games started
