Paul Hornung says he recommended Notre Dame recruit high school running back Shaun Alexander in 1994.

Alexander wound up setting rushing records at Alabama before becoming a standout back for the Seattle Seahawks, the NFL's MVP in 2005.

Over the years, Hornung also says he suggested the Fighting Irish recruit Jeff Brohm and his brother Brian, both of whom became stars at Louisville. Brian is considered one of the top college quarterbacks.

"I have seen [Notre Dame] turn down a lot of good players," Hornung said Tuesday from his home in Louisville. "They didn't even go after a lot of them that I know about. I tried to get six or seven [top prospects from Kentucky] in and they just shook their heads at them. You can go on and on. I couldn't understand why … with a couple of them … that they couldn't go in."

Another top high school prospect from Kentucky, running back Michael Bush of the Oakland Raiders, also starred at Louisville after Hornung tried to get Notre Dame to get interested in him.

"They said: 'If he improves on his grades, we will get him a scholarship,' " Hornung said. "He improved on his grades and they never did take him. That was the last time I tried to help."

Hornung ruffled feathers three years ago when he said Notre Dame could improve its football program if it relaxed its academic standards to admit more talented black athletes from the inner-city.

Hornung later amended his statement by saying the school should be flexible enough to admit promising athletes of any race or nationality who might be at-risk academically.

With the Fighting Irish off to an 0-4 start this season and facing Purdue on Saturday, Hornung continues the recruiting message for his beloved alma mater.

Hornung believes Notre Dame should admit some academic risks "so underprivileged kids get a chance to come in. I just wish it would be a lot easier to get into Notre Dame. It would help the recruiting."

Hornung pointed to the example of former Notre Dame All-American Chris Zorich as an example of an at-risk, inner-city athlete becoming successful. The former Bears defensive tackle, a product of Chicago Vocational, wasn't a traditional "admit" student, but he graduated from Notre Dame and later earned a law degree from the school.

"That should show Notre Dame that it can happen, that they can take a chance on a kid," Hornung said.Hornung believes the academic standards were eased in the late 1980s, when the Irish won their last national championship. Quarterback Tony Rice was one of only two Proposition 48 players ever to play at Notre Dame, from which he graduated in four years.

In 1956, Hornung became the only player to win the Heisman Trophy from a losing team. Notre Dame was 2-8 that season. The Green Bay Packers made him the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft and he became a two-time league MVP on the way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"It's unbelievable," said Hornung of the 2007 team's record. "A lot of people looked at their schedule and they said that the first eight games … anybody can win and anybody can lose. That's before I realized how bad they were. Heck, our [1956 team] would have been favored over this team. I hope [coach Charlie Weis] can salvage the season."

Overheard
Detroit Lions wide receiver Roy Williams was a teammate of Bears running back Cedric Benson at Texas.

"He's just a different guy, man, real quiet, hard to figure him out," Williams told Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman on WMVP-AM 1000 this week. "All he cares about is winning, though. He won three state championships in high school and came close to winning a national championship in college."

Local attractions
The White Sox will have a special tribute in honor of Mark Buehrle's no-hitter and Bobby Jenks' major-league record-tying 41 consecutive retired hitters before Friday night's game with Detroit. … The Northern Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be Oct. 12 on campus during the school's homecoming weekend. The 2007 class features the 1950 and '51 baseball teams, plus Rodney Davis (basketball, 1984-88), Jerry Ippoliti (coach/administrator/conference commissioner, 1969-75, 1979-99), Sue Kause (softball, 1984-88) and Mike Terna (football, 1977-80). Call 815-753-5510 for ticket info for the HOF banquet.

The last word
"When George Halas cussed me out, that was the biggest thrill of my life. I knew I was a player then."—Hornung, talking about the Bears-Packers rivalry