Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/276022
UNDER THE DOME 50 Years Ago: April 8, 1964 In blustery and freezing conditions, Notre Dame holds its first spring practice under new head coach Ara Parseghian. The Fighting Irish had not finished above .500 for five straight years and were 2-7 the previous season. Prior to the first practice, Parseghian reads a "Gipper-like" letter from Don Hogan, who led the team in rushing as a sophomore in 1962 before his football career ended because of a crippling auto accident. "If ever a practice seems too long or you get tired along about that third quarter, just think for one second that a guy named Hogan would give anything to trade places with you, and if he could, he would never give up. "Then after you think it over, give that second and third effort, bring Notre Dame football back where it belongs. And someone in the crowd will get the message of your extra effort, and that someone will be mighty pleased and proud." By the end of the first week of practice and the first scrimmage April 12, Parseghian decides his quarterback will be John Huarte, who has only one career start and didn't earn a monogram his first two varsity seasons. After the team's second major scrimmage April 18, Parseghian maintains the coaching proto- col of not building expectations too high publicly. "We were terrible," he summarized. "We fum- bled the ball away 20 times and should have had more than 200 yards in penalties. … So far we haven't accomplished much." 25 Years Ago: April 25, 1989 Left tackle Andy Heck becomes Notre Dame's first offensive lineman selected in the first round of the NFL Draft in 20 years (George Kunz was taken in the opening round in 1969). The No. 15 overall pick by the Seattle Seahawks, Heck played tight end his first three seasons at Notre Dame. As a senior captain for the 1988 national champs, he moved to left tackle to make room for freshman and Parade high school Na- Anniversaries In Notre Dame Athletics History: April By the end of his first week of practice during his first spring in South Bend, firstyear head coach Ara Parseghian (left) had tabbed John Huarte (right) to be Notre Dame's starting quarterback. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS