Live Blog: Connecticut Tops Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- "Patrick tends to follow Brian," says Brian Coughlin of his two sons, who are both walk-on wide receivers on the Notre Dame football team.

When Brian went out for wide receiver at Brother Rice High School in suburban Chicago, Patrick followed. When Brian was elected class president his senior year of 2005-06, Patrick ran for and won that office in 2006-07.

Brian matriculated at Notre Dame in 2006. Patrick ventured to South Bend the following autumn. Brian moved in to Dillon Hall. Patrick followed. Brian chose accounting as his major. Patrick selected accounting as his major.

In the spring semester of his sophomore year, Brian tried out at wide receiver as a walk-on. And made it. One year later, Patrick followed suit.

As the brothers Coughlin sat with a reporter earlier this week, wideout Golden Tate ambled past. "Hey, give me a shout-out!" Tate teased.

Brian, a senior, and Patrick, a junior, realize that they will never be the next Golden Tate. That, even though both suit up for home games, they may never see as much game action in a Notre Dame uniform as Rudy did (especially if the Irish keep playing nailbiters). But they cherish the chance to run routes each day with the likes of Tate and Michael Floyd, or to catch passes thrown by a future pro such as Jimmy Clausen.

"When you see the plays these guys make every day in practice, you admire them even more," says Brian, who sports a 3.65 GPA (Patrick's is a 3.82, proving that he does not always follow big brother).

"It's cool to get to practice every day with a guy like Michael Floyd," says Patrick. "But last week, I was on scout team for special teams and saw that I'd be blocking Manti (Te'o). That was a little unnerving."

Three sets of siblings inhabit the football roster at Notre Dame. Senior captain Kyle McCarthy, a a safety, who leads the Irish in tackles, is two years ahead of younger brother Dan, also a safety. Mike and Jake Golic are underclassmen whose famous dad, Mike Sr., was the keynote speaker at Friday night's pep rally.

Brian and Patrick Coughlin are the least-known pair as well as the only ones not on scholarship. They don't seem to mind. Nor does their father.

"On Christmas day, the day after the Hawaii Bowl, we were all hanging out on the beach," says Brian, Sr., "Golden Tate walked up. He set his towel down next to mine and said, 'Hey, Mr. Coughlin'. I said, 'Good game yesterday, Golden'. Then we high-fived. I never thought I'd be spending a Christmas like that."

In a few hours from now, Brian Coughlin, No. 24, will be one of approximately 25 seniors, both scholarship and walk-ons, who will run through the tunnel at Notre Dame Stadium a final time. And next year Patrick, No. 29, will follow.