Matt LoVecchio

Matthew Lawrence LoVecchio (born February 2, 1982) was a starting quarterback for the University of Notre Dame football team in 2000–01, and for Indiana University in 2003–04.

Matt LoVecchio
No. 10
Position:Quarterback
Personal information
Born: (1982-02-02) February 2, 1982
Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.[1]
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:216 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school:Bergen Catholic
(Oradell, New Jersey)
College:Notre Dame (2000–2001)
Indiana (2002–2004)
Undrafted:2005
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only

Early years

LoVecchio grew up in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.[2] He attended Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, New Jersey, where he earned four letters as a football quarterback, throwing for 3,400 passing yards and 48 touchdowns, and was named an Honorable Mention pick on USA Today's All-American Prep Team.[3]

College

As a freshman at the University of Notre Dame in 2000, LoVecchio assumed the starting quarterback role following an injury to Arnaz Battle and two starts by interim QB Gary Godsey, a converted tight-end. He won his first seven games as a starter, during which the team averaged over 400 yards of total offense and 36 points per game.[4] His stats for the season included 1,118 passing yards, eleven touchdowns and only one interception out of 158 attempts. The team was rewarded with a berth in the Fiesta Bowl against Oregon State.

However, the Beavers dominated the Irish in a 41–9 victory. The following year, LoVecchio struggled, losing his first two games and eventually yielding the starting job to Carlyle Holiday. Head coach Bob Davie was fired at the end of the 2001 season, and when new head coach Tyrone Willingham did not name LoVecchio as the starter in the spring of 2002, the quarterback decided to transfer to Indiana University.[5] LoVecchio stated of his leaving Notre Dame, "It's just a personal decision, that's all I'm going to say right now."[6]

After sitting out the 2002 season per NCAA regulations, LoVecchio started eleven games for the Hoosiers in 2003, completing 155 of 291 passes for 1,778 yards and three touchdowns, including an eight-yard touchdown run in the final seconds of a 17–14 win at Illinois. In 2004, he completed 153 of 271 passes for 1,951 yards and thirteen touchdowns.

College career statistics
NCAA collegiate career statistics
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Season Passing Rushing
CompAttYardsPct.TDIntQB RatingAttYardsAvgTD
2000 7312598058.4111151.7723004.22
2001 346928749.31477.418−17−0.90
Indiana Hoosiers
2002 Redshirt
2003 1552911,77853.339101.897−7−0.12
2004 1532711,95156.5137127.6931121.22
NCAA Career Totals 4157564,99654.92821117.12803881.46

[7]

Professional career

LoVecchio was not drafted by any NFL franchise. He signed on with the New York Giants during training camp in 2005, but failed to make the final roster.[8] He was offered a chance to play in NFL Europe, but declined and retired from football.[8]

Personal life

After retiring, LoVecchio worked for Merrill Lynch and Bank of America, now working as an institutional bonds trader for Wells Fargo in New York City.[8]

References
  1. Matt LoVecchio, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football. Accessed February 16, 2011. "born 2–2–82 in Englewood, N.J."
  2. "COOL HEAD PAYS OFF FOR LOVECCHIO, BERGEN CATHOLIC".
  3. Popper, Steve. " HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL; Even Struggling, Bergen Catholic Wins Easily", The New York Times, September 19, 1999. Accessed January 1, 2008.
  4. "THE GOLDEN CHILD: NOTRE DAME QB MATT LOVECCHIO HAS NEVER PLAYED A GAME HE COULDN'T WIN". 24 December 2000.
  5. "Former Irish QB Getting Settled at IU :: Matt LoVecchio hopes to rekindle career at Indiana after being benched at Notre Dame". www.cstv.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018.
  6. "PLUS: COLLEGE FOOTBALL; LoVecchio Leaves Notre Dame". Associated Press.
  7. "Matt Lovecchio". www.sports-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  8. "LoVecchio remembers first start, transfer // The Observer". 11 October 2012.
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