The Notre Dame football team has been making quite a bit of history this year. At the end of the season it’s almost certainly going to be the first time the Fighting Irish make the 12-team playoff field.

Head coach Marcus Freeman has made some history of his own. And luckily it’s been because he’s been so successful in South Bend. And now one of his players is about to make history because he’s been so good, and so dependable, and because he played in a period of college sports that we should all hope we never see again.

Jack Kiser is on the verge of setting the Notre Dame football record for most games played. When he sets foot on the field against Virginia this Saturday, it will be the 63rd time he’s appeared in the game for the Irish. 

The record of course is more than just being around a while. But it helps. This is his fifth year playing for the Irish thanks to the 2020 season not costing any eligibility. He played in 6 games in his freshman season, so he wouldn’t be eligible for the 2024 season.

He’s also been a very solid performer though. This year he leads the team in tackles with 49 and has a very respectable PFF rating of 75.8 overall. That puts him third among players with more than 300 snaps this season.

Defensive coordinator Al Golden has certainly taken notice of everything the linebacker has done.

“No. 1, to do it at the level he’s doing it at the position he’s doing it,” Golden said in his weekly press conference. “There’s nowhere to hide in the middle there. So he’s done a great job of answering that bell. I think the biggest thing is what motivates you? That’s, to me, the biggest thing. His internal motivation is so strong that after 63 games he’s still getting better. I think he’s playing his best football right now.”

Notre Dame football is also playing its best football right now. And with three games to go, it couldn’t come at a better time.