...
I'm thinking CW stays as long as he wants. ND would not fire their son. ...
Rockne, Class of 1914, had put the University of Notre Dame on the map both as a student athlete and as a coach. As a player the teams he played with went 24-1-3 for a .910 winning percentage and he was chosen a 3rd Team All-American. He became an assistant coach for Harper in 1915 and became Head Coach in 1918. As Head Coach he won 6 National Championships, had 5 undefeated, untied seasons. His 105 career ND wins is still the school record. His Winning Percentage of .881 (105-12-5) is still the best in college football. During his 11 years there were frequent clashes with the Administration which intensified through the years. ND was trying to figure out how to fire Rockne and save face when Rock's plane went down and saved ND an awkward situation.
Hunk Anderson, Class of '22, played for Rockne for 4 years and was an All-American. Anderson was an assistant coach under Rockne and was hired to replace him. After Rockne's death ND slashed football scholarships and imposed additional academic restrictions. Anderson learned he was out of a job after 3 seasons when a reporter told him ND had hired Elmer Layden and asked what he thought of him as ND's new head coach.
Elmer Layden, Class of 1924, was one of Rockne's Four Horsemen. Layden coached at Dubuque and Duquesne before coming home to "save" ND after the "resignation" of Hunk Anderson. Layden coached 7 seasons at ND with a .770 winning percentage having two - 1 loss seasons. In 1936 his Irish were ranked #8. They finished # 9 in 1937, #5 (his best)in 1938, and #13 in 1939. In 1940 ND got got a new University President, Fr Hugh O'Donnell, the starting center for the 1915 Irish. His line coach was Rockne. There was disillusionment with Layden. He was more successful than Anderson but not close to the success of Rockne. ND was unranked in 1940, Layden's last season. Two months later he resigned to become President of the NFL.
Frank Leahy, Class of '31 played for Rockne. Leahy had 6 Undefeated Seasons, 5 National Championships, and a 39 game unbeaten streak. Leahy's Winning Percenage of .864 is second behind only Rockne on the All-Time List. When he asked ND for a doctor mandated leave of absence for health reasons after the '53 season, ND refused. ND didn't "fire" him. They would have allowed him to die on the job. He resigned with two years remaining on his ND contract. Leahy was 45 years old.
Terry Brennan, Class of 1949, was a starting halfback during the Glory Day following WWII. Lead the team in receiving and scoring in '46 and '47. The 4 teams he played on were 33-2-2 and finished the seasons ranked #9, #1, #1, and #2. He became a successful HS coach after graduation then returned to ND in 1953 as the freshman football coach. After 1 season as the freshman coach, Brennan at age 25 was hired as ND's Head Football Coach after the University forced Leahy into "retirement". ND once again cut football scholarships and imposed additional academic restrictions. Despite the lack of college coaching experience Brennan was 32-18 in 5 seasons finishing #4 in '54 and #9 in '55. His later years suffered from the scholarship restrictions. His signature win was the 7-0 win over Oklahoma in 1957 ending their 47 game winning streak.
Joe Kuharich was born in South Bend, played for Elmer Layden at ND in '35, '36, and '37. Kuharich had coaching experience in HS, college, and the NFL where he was Coach of the Year in 1955. He was Head Coach of the NFL Washington Redskins when UND asked him to come home. The scholarship restrictions imposed under Brennan continued. Kuharich brought "pro" football schemes to ND. He emphasized passing, passing, and more passing. There were questions if the student athletes had the time learn the pro game and accusations that there "fundamentals" suffered. Kuharich it was said was use to pro players who already excelled at the fundamentals. Kuharich's first team had 12 returning lettermen they went 5-5. He would have two more 5-5 seasons along with a pair of 2 win seasons. Kuharich left ND in March, 1963 to become the NFL's head of officials. How's that for a career move? A former NFL Head Coach of the Year leaves ND to become head of the referees. He was considered a superb recruiter and left a lot of talent which would mature in Ara Parshegian's first year in 1964.
Hugh Devore, Class of 1934, was also an ND Man havng played for Anderson in 1935 - 1937 and serving as co-captain of the '37 team. He was Head Football Coach at Providence from 1938 to 1941. In 1943 he returned to ND under Leahy. He was interim head coach in 1945 while Leahy was in the Navy. He was head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in 1956-57. He returned to ND in 1959 along with Joe Kuharich. When Kuharich left in March 1963 the Adminstration did not feel there was adequate time to hire a new coach before the '63 season Devore once again became Interim Head Coach. The '63 teams had extensive injuries at QB as Budka was hampered by the effects of a broken leg and Huarte had an ankle problem throughout the season. ND had less than 2000 yards of Total Offense for the season. Devore was was not asked back.
"ND would not fire their son."
ND history doesn't agree with that.
One died before he could be fired. One "resigned" after being denied a medical necessity leave of absence. Two were fired shabbily. Two "left"to take jobs as NFL administrators. One was not asked back - twice.
There was another "ND Man" although not technically "a son", as he never matriculated there, that was squeezed out as Head Coach in 1996 after winning 1 National Championship and becoming only the second coach in ND's history to win 100 games.
