. ▁ ▁His ▁father , ▁George ▁I zo ▁Sr ., ▁also ▁played ▁at ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁under ▁coach ▁Kn ute ▁Rock ne . ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁college ▁career , ▁he ▁threw ▁for ▁ 2 , 0 9 5 ▁yards ▁and ▁ 1 8 ▁touch down s , ▁and ▁led ▁the ▁Irish ▁to ▁a ▁ 2 0 - 1 9 ▁ups et ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Iowa ▁in ▁his ▁next ▁to ▁last ▁game . ▁ ▁I zo ▁earned ▁his ▁vars ity ▁letter ▁during ▁his ▁s oph om ore ▁year , ▁but ▁during ▁the ▁off - season ▁he ▁sp rained ▁his ▁an k le ▁during ▁init iation ▁into ▁the ▁Mon ogram ▁Club . ▁ ▁He ▁missed ▁spring ▁practice ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁field ▁until ▁mid - season ▁of ▁his ▁junior ▁year . ▁ ▁The ▁off - season ▁before ▁I zo ' s ▁senior ▁year , ▁coach ▁Joe ▁Ku har ich ▁decided ▁to ▁install ▁a ▁T ▁formation ▁off ense . ▁ ▁The ▁week ▁before ▁the ▁first ▁game ▁of ▁his ▁senior ▁season , ▁he ▁appeared ▁on ▁the ▁cover ▁of ▁Sports ▁Illustr ated . ▁ ▁However , ▁the ▁T ues day ▁before ▁the ▁game ▁he ▁hurt ▁his ▁kne e ▁in ▁practice ▁and ▁missed ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁games ▁of ▁that ▁season ▁( an ▁early ▁example ▁of ▁the ▁Sports ▁Illustr ated ▁cover ▁j inx ▁urban ▁legend .) ▁ ▁Still , ▁that ▁year ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁to ▁the ▁Co aches ▁All - American ▁Team , ▁started ▁in ▁the ▁Chicago ▁College ▁All - Star ▁Game ▁against ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁Col ts