COLUMBUS, Ind., April 9 (UPI) -- Former Notre Dame quarterback and punter Blair Kiel died in Indiana at the age of 50, a statement from the university said.
He died of natural causes Sunday in Columbus, Ind., the statement Dame said.
Kiel played for the Irish from 1980 to 1983 and started all or major parts of all four seasons, qualifying him as the first four-year starter for Notre Dame at the quarterback position since Gus Dorais in 1910-1913.
He completed 297 career throws on 609 attempts for 3,650 yards, 17 touchdowns and 32 interceptions. He also punted 260 times for a 40.67-yard average that ranked second only behind Bill Shakespeare's 40.71-yard mark. Kiel set a Notre Dame career mark with his 10,534 punting yards.
Kiel set the record for the longest pass completion in Notre Dame history -- connecting with Joe Howard on a 96-yard play against Georgia Tech in 1981.
An 11th-round pick of the NFL Tampa Bay Bucs in 1984, Kiel also played for Indianapolis and Green Bay.
Kiel's nephew, Gunner Kiel, is a freshman quarterback on the 2012 Notre Dame football roster.
