Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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18 PRESEASON 2017 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI A ra Parseghian had not coached a game at Notre Dame in 43 years. Yet after the college football coaching immortal's death at age 94 on Aug. 2, the "Era of Ara" from 1964-74 was reflected on and shone brighter than the Golden Dome to which he brought much glory. Parseghian died in his Granger, Ind., home after spending more than a week at a local nursing care facility because of an infection in his hip that had been surgically repaired multiple times. With surgery no longer an op- tion, he received round-the-clock care prior to his death. He was survived by his wife of 68 years, Katie, daughter Kris, son Michael, six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchilden. Another daugh- ter, Karan, died at age 61 in 2012, and three grandchildren preceded him in death from the deadly Niemann-Pick Type C disease. The architect of the amazing re- vitalization of a moribund Fighting Irish football program, Parseghian was 95-17-4 in his 11 seasons, high- lighted by consensus national titles in 1966 and 1973 plus a share of the 1964 title after being awarded the MacAr- thur Bowl by the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame. Prior to Parseghian's hiring in De- cember 1963, Notre Dame had just experienced its second two-win sea- son (2-7) in four years, and third in eight. The football team's 34-45 record from 1956-63 had put the once most venerated program in the land on the scrap heap of irrelevance. Behind the leadership of Par- seghian, Notre Dame only needed six games to return to No. 1 in the polls. Not being able to hold a 17-0 halftime lead and controversial officiating cost 9-0 Notre Dame a consensus national title in the closing minutes of the fi- nale at USC, a 20-17 defeat, but the Fighting Irish renaissance was in full force again. Born on May 21, 1923, in Akron, Ohio, Parseghian broke the mold of all six previous non-interim Notre Dame coaches from 1918-63. He was neither a graduate of the university nor Catholic. Yet the Presbyterian was evidence of how a "Notre Dame Man" goes beyond possessing a degree from the school. His character, charisma, competitiveness, integrity, innovation and production placed him alongside Knute Rockne and Frank Leahy in the program's pantheon when he retired at the alarmingly young age of 51 while admitting the job had made him emotionally drained and physi- cally exhausted. "Among his many accomplish- ments, we will remember him above all as a teacher, leader and mentor who brought out the very best in his players, on and off the field," Notre Dame President Rev. John Jenkins, C.S.C., said in a statement a few days before leading the Aug. 5 Memorial GOLDEN ARA The Notre Dame community mourns the passing of Ara Parseghian Parseghian's 95-17-4 record at Notre Dame resulted in a .8362 winning percentage, two consensus national titles and a share of a third, and eight top-five finishes in the Associated Press poll. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS