Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 11, 2017 51 BY LOU SOMOGYI D efense was the calling card of the Ara Parseghian teams from 1964‑74, because he would put most of his pre‑ mier athletes on that side of the ball. The inside joke with his backfield coach Tom Pagna was "you can't play for Parseghian and Pagna in the backfield if you're big and fast." In their final eight seasons from 1967‑74, only one of the running backs that graduated from Notre Dame was drafted higher than the eighth round (there aren't even eight rounds anymore). The leading rusher for the 1970 team that finished No. 2 in the country was a former walk‑on, Ed Gulyas. Further epitomizing the over‑ achieving "grit" of Parseghian of‑ fenses was the fact that in his last six seasons from 1969‑74, only one offen‑ sive lineman was drafted higher than the fifth round: Jim Reilly (1967‑69) in the 1970 third round, and he would play two seasons in the NFL. The criteria for our All‑Ara team on offense: 1) body of work/produc‑ tion, 2) impacting a national title or contention and 3) number of years played. QUARTERBACK: JOE THEISMANN … OR TOM CLEMENTS This is an extremely difficult choice. First, how can it not be John Huarte (1964), Parseghi‑ an's lone Heisman winner who led the Irish to a dra‑ matic 9‑1 "Resur‑ rection" season in Parseghian's de‑ but after a 2‑7 finish a year earlier? One also could argue for Terry Hanratty, who made the cover of Time while helping the Irish to the 1966 national title as a sophomore. Plus, he was the highest draft pick at the position (No. 30 overall in 1969, second round) during the Era of Ara. In totality, Tom Clements (1972‑74) had the best college career: • He was his lone three‑year starter at quarterback (an injured Hanratty was replaced by Coley O'Brien in 1966 and Theismann in 1968), and had the most victories (29‑5 as the starter). • He was the MVP in a national title tilt while completing the most famous pass in Notre Dame history (1973 Sugar Bowl versus Alabama). • He finished fourth in the 1974 Heisman balloting, and was a threat as a passer and runner, with his 1,148 yards on the ground second only to Tony Rice (1987‑89) among Irish QBs, and just ahead of Theismann's 1,091. • He was the only QB under Par‑ seghian to be selected as a team cap‑ tain, and the reverence teammates had for his leader‑ ship and poise is unparalleled. Nevertheless, if there was word as‑ sociation with Par‑ seghian and one player at Notre Dame he is most identified with, our guess is it probably would be the dual‑threat Theismann with his com‑ bination of talent and personality. The 1970 Heisman runner‑up and future NFL MVP capped his career with a 24‑11 upset of No. 1 Texas in the 1971 Cotton Bowl for a No. 2 fin‑ ish. What was amazing about The‑ ismann was in his senior year not one member of his offensive line or running back corps played in the NFL, nor did his tight end. Even top receiver Thom Gatewood was a fifth‑ The All-Ara Parseghian Team: Offense In his 11 seasons from 1964-74, the late head coach mixed star power with a lot of overachievers THEISMANN CLEMENTS Joe Theismann finished second in the 1970 Heisman Trophy balloting, while leading Notre Dame to a No. 2 finish and helping snap No. 1 Texas' 30-game winning streak with a 24-11 win in the Cotton Bowl. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS