Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/393046
THE FIFTH QUARTER LOU SOMOGYI coach. Willingham had become com‑ placent and lacked the needed fire in the belly. Weis was the classic lieutenant who was good at carrying out orders, but was out of his element as the field general directing the overall operation. They continued the pattern of former Notre Dame head coaches never get‑ ting their football legs underneath them again as the boss. • Hunk Anderson (1931‑33) received a second chance at North Carolina State, but he was ousted again after three sea‑ sons with an 11‑17‑1 mark, including 3‑7 in his final one. • Joe Kuharich (1959‑62) bolted on his own to his NFL wheelhouse, where he ended up under .500 four of his five seasons at Philadelphia, capped by a 2‑12 mark in 1968. • Gerry Faust (1981‑85) gave it a good nine‑year try at Akron, where he had three winning seasons before a 1‑10 mark in 1994 ended his coaching jour‑ ney there at 43‑53‑3. Maybe just as notable as what this job can do to you is what happened with the extremely successful coaches after stepping down. Frank Leahy (1941‑43, 1946‑53) had four national titles and seven unbeaten seasons … but never coached again be‑ yond age 45. Ara Parseghian (1964‑74) was only 51 when he stepped down forever — two years younger than what Kelly will turn Oct. 25. Dan Devine (1975‑80) was still a rela‑ tively spry 56‑year‑old when he opted to never coach again. Elmer Layden (1934‑40) had a better winning percent‑ age here than national title winners Devine and Lou Holtz (1986‑96), but was done forever with coaching at 37. Terry Brennan (1954‑58) had three top‑ 10 finishes in five years and a top‑20 showing in his fifth, but never coached beyond 30 after he was axed. Even Lou Holtz left South Carolina rather ingloriously a decade ago after finishing his final three seasons 5‑7, 5‑7 and 6‑5. The Notre Dame job can exhaust ev‑ ery pore of one's being, including ac‑ ademic hearing cases, which is what has made the Irish fortunate to have Kelly sitting in that chair. There aren't many coaches whose résumé includes 12‑0 regular‑season finishes within four years at two different schools. Objectively and realistically, look at who else has such a pedigree that could fit in here now, or try to form a "suc‑ cessor list" should Kelly opt to fly the coop some day. The Sabans, Meyers and Stoops of the world aren't coming. Art Briles is ensconced in the state of Texas, just as Jim Mora Jr. has been on the West Coast, and Gus Malzahn is on his way to becoming an Auburn icon. It takes a special, experienced, hardened, proven individual. One doesn't have to agree with all Kelly does or says, but his track record provides continued support that he can excel as the boss in this pressure‑cook‑ ing environment. As has been learned often, it's easy to do much worse, and not so easy to keep the ones you need. ✦ Senior Editor Lou Somogyi has been at Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 1985. He can be reached at lsomogyi@blueandgold.com