Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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IRISH ECHOES JIM LEFEBVRE 74 FEBRUARY 2025 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED W hen Knute Rockne stepped off the train in Tucson, Ariz., he looked up at a bright blue sky and broke into a wide grin, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Finally, the Irish had encountered the mild weather he had hoped for, and that was perfect for practice. Rockne thought that his club was al- ready showing the physical and psycho- logical effects of too many feasts on the trip and that the players needed a differ- ent regimen to prepare for the Rose Bowl. The team would spend four days in Tucson, and no place on the tour was more excited to be hosting the Irish. The University of Arizona offered thorough accommodations, including use of all its athletic facilities, especially its well- maintained football field. Three days later, the Irish received a rousing sendoff from hundreds of their new-found friends in Tucson. "While in the city," the local paper declared, "the Notre Dame party won a host of friends and supporters. Tucson is backing Notre Dame players to win by a good margin." In Glenn Scobey "Pop" Warner of Stanford, the Irish would face one of the most experienced, accomplished and in- novative coaches in college football his- tory. The wily veteran had seen almost ev- erything in his 30 years as a college coach — and much he had developed himself. The spiral pass, the spiral punt, num- bered plays, the dummy scrimmage, the double-wing formation, the unbal- anced line were all the creative work of Warner. And now he guided a skilled, veteran Stanford eleven, led by the sin- gularly strong Ernie Nevers — almost unstoppable as a bruising running back, accomplished as a passer and punter, and ferocious on defense. For millions of fans across the coun- try, the game would enter their homes via radio broadcasting, with four stations providing coverage. A direct wire from the field in Pasadena to the WGN studios in Chicago was to be relayed to WCBS in New York, resulting in "the first time in radio history that Eastern stations have broadcast direct a Pacific Coast event." By all accounts, the game would be the most widely followed in the history of football. Before an excited, capacity crowd at the two-year old stadium, the Shock Troops' Harry O'Boyle kicked off and started in the backfield with Eddie Scha- rer, Tom Hearden and Bill Cerney. The Shock Troops held Stanford to a missed field goal attempt on its first drive, and now it was time for the regulars. The crowd roared as they saw the "Four Horsemen" and "Seven Mules" take the field. On the first play from the Irish 20, Don Miller took the snap and started around left end, as he had so many times during the season. This time, though, he lost control of the ball and Stanford recovered on the Irish 17- yard line. The Cardinal made it to the 11 on three plays, then kicked a field goal for an early 3-0 lead. Notre Dame got rolling on its next possession, when Jim Crowley touched the ball for the first time and broke loose around end, tiptoeing along the side- line for a 20-yard gain. Two plays later, Crowley took off one way, reversed field and raced through flailing defenders to the Stanford 29. Don Miller hauled in a quick-strike pass from Harry Stuhldreher and dodged through the defense for another first down. Miller drove behind Joe Bach at left tackle for 10 yards to the Stanford 9-yard line. The Cardinal rush defense stiffened, and it forced Stuhldreher to retreat some 20 yards before he lofted a fourth- down pass that landed incomplete. Stuhldreher lay crumpled on the turf. A delay to attend to the "Little General" gave both teams a chance to catch their breath after the frenetic action of the last few minutes. Finally, Stuhldreher rose to his feet, and although he limped badly, he stayed in the game. His Irish mates, agitated over his injury, lined up with resolve when Stanford took possession. Crowley opened the second quarter by taking the ball four yards to the Stan- ford 3-yard line. The Irish line snapped back into position briskly. Elmer Layden received the ball and charged toward the goal. A great mass of toppled bod- The Crowning Glory: Rose Bowl Victory Caps Perfect Season CELEBRATING THE 1924 CHAMPIONS Stanford and its human battering ram Ernie Nevers provided the Irish stiff competition in the 1925 Rose Bowl. PHOTO COURTESY KNUTE ROCKNE MEMORIAL SOCIETY