Ranking Notre Dame’s Top 10 Best Head Coaches of All-Time - #3

In our last piece, we covered the career of Notre Dame legend Lou Holtz, from his journey to the top job in South Bend to his place on Notre Dame’s Mount Rushmore. With Dan Devine at #5 and coach Holtz holding down the #4 spot, we’re left with the cream of the crop - the top 3. Let’s cut to the chase and take a look at who earned the #3 spot.

Photo via Notre Dame Athletics

3. Ara Parseghian

Ara Parseghian was born to an Armenian father and French mother who immigrated to the United States just before the great depression. They raised their family in Akron, Ohio, during the 1920s and 30s and stressed academics and their catholic faith. Even still, young Ara was an athlete from the start, playing basketball and baseball throughout his youth before becoming an avid golfer in high school. He worked at several golf courses in the Akron area and eventually became head caddy at the Loyal Oak Golf Club. It wasn’t until his junior year that the Parseghian brothers forged their mother’s signature to finally get Ara onto the football team, but their ruse was spoiled when Mrs. Parseghian saw her son amongst the high school football team’s photo in the local newspaper. Despite her protests and concern, the sport quickly became Ara’s infatuation and eventually took him to the University of Akron, where he played both football and basketball for the Zips. When spring arrived in early 1943, the bitter reality of war had finally reached the American public, and Ara wouldn’t deny the call. He left school only months after arriving to join the United States Navy and was stationed at the well-known Great Lakes naval training base just north of Chicago. 

In an effort to keep cadets in tiptop shape, Great Lakes Naval Station fielded a collegiate football team that competed on a national level. Although initially just an organized excuse to work out and compete, the “Bluejackets“ became a surprisingly formidable foe with truly talented players, and in 1943, that included Parseghian. Ara slotted in at various positions on the gridiron, but primarily came out of the backfield with the rushing attack. The Bluejackets went (9-2), with wins over Iowa, Pitt, #18 Ohio State, and Indiana before the season finale - a heavyweight bout with Frank Leahy’s #1 Fighting Irish. Notre Dame was heavily favored heading into the contest, but the Bluejackets kept the game close, trailing just (12-14) late in the 4th quarter. With time running out, the Bluejackets tossed up a 46-yard prayer from near midfield, only to reel it in for a score with just 33 seconds left, stunning Leahy and the Irish to win (19-14). The monumental upset and (10-2) finish earned Great Lakes Navy the #6 spot in the season’s final AP poll.

With the war in full swing, football provided a major outlet for soldiers and the public alike, and young  Ara was chomping at the bit to rejoin his blue jackets for the 1944 season and get to work. Great Lakes Navy announced the arrival of a new head coach, Paul Brown, a freshly commissioned lieutenant in the United States Navy. While an incredible achievement, his rank was deemed far less interesting than his pre-war civilian job. Back then, he spent the majority of his time coaching a little football team by the name of Ohio State. Needless to say, there was a major shift in energy and interest from the Bluejackets leading up to the ‘44 season, and Parseghian was arguably the most excited. He quickly proved himself to Coach Brown and was named the starting fullback for the upcoming season. In a turn of events that would ripple through college football history in a way no one could’ve predicted, Parseghian suffered a freak ankle injury that sidelined him for the entire year. 

Understandably devastated and disappointed, Parseghian found his world turned upside down, and his golden opportunity suddenly gone. He had but two options: either fall to his present circumstances or rise to meet the occasion. In what would become a lifelong trend, Parseghian chose to push through his adversity and overcome it, channeling his raw emotions and passion into studied observation, carefully absorbing as much wisdom from Coach Brown as possible. Ara was heavily influenced by Brown’s approach to discipline, leadership, and player connection, now in a position on the sidelines and out of the action to observe it all from a fresh perspective. By the end of the year, the Bluejackets scraped together a solid (9-2-1) record and finished at #17 in the AP, while Parseghian gained one of the most influential mentors of his life.

Following the war’s end in 1945, Parseghian was discharged from the Navy and enrolled at the University of Miami, Ohio. Ara continued his athletic prowess for the Miami Redskins, becoming a varsity Letterman in football, baseball, and basketball. He was named the starting halfback in 1946, voted captain of the football team in 1947, and was selected in the 1948 NFL draft in the 13th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Simultaneously, the 3-sport athlete was finishing up his baseball season while being scouted by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Ultimately, the Cleveland Browns of the AAFC (All-American Football Conference) won out and secured Parseghian’s services over finishing his studies. The 1948 Browns were led by their first-ever head coach, former Great Lakes Navy and Ohio State head coach Paul Brown, who was the team’s namesake. In his first season with Cleveland, they finished (14–0–0) and won the AAFC championship over the Bills (49–7). Ara played both sides of the ball as a halfback and cornerback, and finished his first professional season with 12 games played, 1  start, 32 rushes for 135 yards, 2 passes for 31 yards, 2 punt returns for 41 yards, 1 interception returned for 56 yards, 1 rushing touchdown, and 1 passing touchdown. It was enough to earn him the Browns’ rookie of the year award, but the ever-grounded Parseghian still lived at home with his family while commuting to Cleveland for his new job. In the second game of the Browns’ 1949 season, Parseghian suffered a hip injury that ended his season early, but Cleveland went on to finish (9-1-2) and beat the 49ers (21-7) in the AAFC championship.

The injured hip would formally end Ara’s career, and he pivoted his focus to a new arena—coaching. Ara was profoundly affected by the time he spent with Brown on the sidelines of college football, in the military ranks, and in the spotlight of professional ball, and he carried these lessons forward into his coaching career. His first job sent him back to Miami as an assistant, but he assumed the role of head coach after just a single season. The 1951 Miami Redskins finished with a solid (7-3) record, beating Witchita, Bowling Green, Western Michigan, Ohio, Buffalo, Dayton, and Western Reserve. Their only losses came against Xavier, Marquette, and arch-rival Cincinnati, but the Skins finished 2nd in the MAC. The 1952 Miami squad improved to (8-1), winning 8 straight before falling to Cincinnati once again. Miami played nearly the same schedule in 1953, but finished with a marginally worse (7-1-1) record, this time tying Ohio before their 3rd straight loss to Cincy in the season finale. 

Everything came together for Ara and the Redskins in 1954, winning 6-straight games against their usual opponents, until they travelled to face Indiana for Parseghian’s greatest challenge yet. It was his very first time coaching against a BIG 10 team, and the two sides fought tooth and nail in a brutal, scoreless grind before a chance Hoosiers’ fumble set the Redskins up for a passing touchdown. It turned out to be the game’s only points, and Miami walked away with a statement (6-0) upset win. After a late loss to Dayton, Ara and Miami hit the road for Cincy, and capped off their illustrious campaign with a very well-deserved (21-7) beatdown of the Bearcats. They finished (8-1), winninig Ara’s first MAC title and securring his first win over the Redskins’ biggest foe to put the up and coming coach on the national stage. Things only improved in 1955, as Miami kicked off the season with a stunning (25-14) road win over the Big 10’s Northwestern, setting a 9-game season-long win streak in motion. They finished undefeated at (9-0), with a 2nd BIG 10 victory and a MAC Championship repeat.

Parseghian’s unprecedented success over blue-chip opponents with a small-time squad like Miami (OH) shot his name to the top of the coaching carousel and began an eventful offseason of negotiations. He was enticed to Northwestern amidst a complete staffing and upper brass overhaul following years of underachievement, and he saw it as the next logical step in his career path - a bigger stage, more talent, tougher competition. The upstart head coach accepted the job without ever visiting campus, and at 32 years old, became the youngest head coach in the Big Ten. Northwestern posted back-to-back outings of (2-7) and (0-8-1) before thoroughly clearing house, and upon his arrival, Ara was expected to kick off a completely new “era” for the Wildcats.

1956 began with a razor-thin (14-13) win over Iowa State before the Wildcats fell to unranked Tulane in week 2. This began a bit of a slide for Parseghian’s new team, who went on to tie #17 Minnesota, before dropping 3 straight games to #8 Michigan, unranked Indiana, and a (2-6) nail-biting loss to #6 Ohio State. Thankfully, the Wildcats closed out their season with 3 straight wins over Wisconsin, Purdue, and Illinois to finish the season (4–4-1). In his first year coaching top-level ball, Parseghian put up his first-ever non-winning season and hoped to correct course quickly. Unfortunately, things would get worse before they got better, and 1957 saw the Wildcats take another step back by losing all 9 games. They lost nearly every game by massive margins, only managing to keep one contest to single digits. They were shut out completely 3 times, and fell to #9 Oregon State, #4 Minnesota, #18 Michigan, #3 Iowa, and #8 Ohio State. 

After taking a step back in his first two seasons, Parseghian’s Northwestern team began the 1958 season with a stellar 4-game win streak, complete with their very first win over a ranked team under Ara. The Wildcats rose to #17 in the polls before their matchup against #19 Michigan, and they pulled off a resounding (55–24) win. The monumental upset shot Northwestern up to #8 in the polls, their first top-10 ranking since 1950. Unfortunately, they lost their 5th game of the season to #7 Iowa, and dropped from 8th to 11th in the AP poll. They rebounded the following week against #5 Ohio State, topping the Buckeyes for the first time since 1948 (21–0). Now (5-1 )and #4 in the country, the Wildcats faced back-to-back ranked opponents, #7 Wisconsin and #8 Purdue, before closing the season out against unranked Illinois. Unfortunately, it was a tale of two streaks in 1958: 4 straight wins to start the season, followed by 3 consecutive losses. Northwestern finished Parseghian’s 3rd season with a respectable, if slightly disappointing, (5–4) final record. Even with the late-season slide, the Wildcats finished at #20 in the rankings, their first ranked season finish since 1948. 

Things continued to improve for Northwestern in 1959, beginning the season at #10 in the polls with increasing promise on the horizon. They opened things up as underdogs against then #2 Oklahoma, who went (10-1) with an Orange Bowl win just the year before. The confident yet outmatched Wildcats shocked the nation by pummeling the Sooners (45-13). It shot Northwestern up to #2 in the AP, lining up a heavyweight showdown in just their second game of the year against #5 Iowa. Against all odds, Northwestern went on the road to Iowa City and beat their 2nd top-5 opponent in as many weeks (14–10). These two games fueled Northwestern to an extra 4-game win streak, including a massive (30–24) victory in South Bend against the Fighting Irish. As the Wildcats entered their 7th contest of the season against #9 Wisconsin, they were (6–0) and still the #2 team in the country. It was then that the Cinderella story stopped, and Wisconsin outlasted Parseghian’s surging Cats (24-19). It was a heartbreaker, but only dropped them back to #6 in the polls with a chance to respond against #19 Michigan State the following week. Unfortunately, the Wisconsin loss seemed to linger in the team’s head, and the Wildcats dropped their second straight game, this time to the Spartans (10–15). The Wildcats continued to slide and dropped their last game of the season to unranked Illinois to finish with a respectable (6-3) record. It was exactly what Northwestern was looking for when they hired the young upstart coach away from Miami, and all eyes looked to 1960 for the team’s follow-up. 

Northwestern began 1960 at #14 in the polls, along with a comfortable road win over Oklahoma (19–3) that pushed them to #6. With the team’s hype at a fever pitch, the Wildcats returned home to host #8 Iowa for the home opener and hoped to take what everyone expected to be their “next step,” but the Hawkeyes had other plans. In front of a packed home crowd, Parseghian and his side were utterly dismantled by Iowa, falling by an embarrassing (0-42) mark. The shocking loss began a 3-game slide, as the Wildcats went on to drop back-to-back games against #14 Minnesota and Michigan, knocking them out of the top 25 altogether. It was then that Northwestern’s attention shifted from this rough patch to their next opponent - Joe Kuharich and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Parseghian managed to right the ship and pulled off a narrow (7–6) victory over the Irish, his 2nd straight win against the national powerhouse, which looked to be amidst a precipitous fall to the bottom. 

Northwestern used that momentum to add two more wins to their name, besting Indiana and Wisconsin before falling again, this time to #13 Michigan State (18-21). They won their final game of the season against Illinois (14–7) to finish a disappointing (5–4) campaign. While a step back from the year before, the 1960 Wildcats still secured marquee victories over blue-chip programs like Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Indiana, and Wisconsin. (5–4) wasn’t particularly good for the average BIG 10 team, but for Northwestern, this was a level of consistency and competitiveness they had rarely achieved.

1961 started strong with wins over Boston College and Illinois before the Wildcats dropped their first game of the season to Minnesota, falling (3–10). They faced #7 Ohio State the following week,  but lost for the second time (0–10), sinking to (2–2) on the year. For the third straight season, Northwestern faced off with Notre Dame, now #8, and yet again shocked the nation by stealing the win, this time (12–10) in South Bend. The first two seasons could easily be written off as struggling years for the Irish, but in 1961, a loss to an unranked, struggling Northwestern team was a death knell. Northwestern beat Indiana the following week before another 3-game skid against Wisconsin, #9 Michigan, and Miami, dropping all three games to finish at a disappointing (4–5). Just as all hope seemed gone, Parseghian’s 1962 team responded. 

They began the season with 3 straight wins over South Carolina, Illinois, and Minnesota, launching them all the way up to #8 in the polls before their heavyweight showdown against #6 Ohio State. Despite opening the game with a (14-0) 1st quarter deficit, the Wildcats held OSU scoreless in the 2nd half, and outlasted the Buckeyes (18–14), pushing them up to #3 in the country. The following week brought a familiar foe, Notre Dame, to town again, and Parseghian’s Wildcats ran away with a (35–6) victory. For the first time in Ara’s career, Northwestern secured the #1 spot in the AP poll and beat Indiana for their 6th straight victory. The streak ended only a week later, as #8 Wisconsin proved too much for the surging Wildcats, and they dropped their first game of the season (6-37). The Wisconsin hangover stuck around and bled into their next game against Michigan State. Northwestern never stood a chance, as the Spartans raced to a (7-31) victory that knocked the Wildcats out of the top-25 completely. They ended on a high note with a win over Miami (FL) to finish (7-2), their best record of the Parseghian era.

1963 brought Northwestern the respect they were owed, starting the season at #6 in the country before securing back-to-back wins over Missouri and Indiana. Unfortunately, they lost a (9–10) heartbreaker to Illinois, which halted their early-season rise before posting back-to-back wins against Minnesota in Miami, which sent them up to #9 in the polls. Unfortunately, the Wildcats once again failed to finish strong. They dropped 3 late-season games in a row, falling to Michigan State, Michigan, and Wisconsin before closing the season with a (17-8) road victory over Ohio State. Although a step back from this season before, 3/5 of Northwestern’s losses came by just one score, meaning just 15 points separated them from another (7–2) season. 

Following the conclusion of the 1963 season, Parseghian and Northwestern’s athletics department arrived at an impasse. The two weren’t seeing eye to eye on the financial resources allocated to the program, a decline in available football scholarships, and increasingly unrealistic academic standards. This rift had been forming for years, but finally came to a head after Parseghian led the team to its best record of his tenure. Surprisingly, the athletic director informed Parseghian that the University would not renew his contract after its expiration. 

As Parseghian’s time with the Wildcats was coming to an end, Notre Dame was wrapping up its 1963 season with an embarrassing loss to Syracuse at Yankee Stadium and the firing of then-head coach Hugh Devore. With the position now open, Ara contacted Father Joyce about his interest in the job, left a message, and hopped on a plane to Miami, Florida, looking to toss his hat in the ring for the Hurricanes’ head coaching spot. On his stopover in St. Louis, Parseghian received word that Father Joyce had returned his call and requested a meeting. As legend has it, Ara skipped his flight to the Sunshine State and flew back to Chicago. He met with Father Joyce the following day, and within two weeks, Athletic Director Moose Krause announced that Northwestern’s Ara Parseghian would become the next head coach at the University of Notre Dame. 

Parseghian had grown up in the heart of the Midwest and had known plenty about the fighting Irish of Notre Dame. It was a time when college football was the national fascination, and Notre Dame’s legendary Knute Rockne was a household figure, especially to young catholic boys playing football in the Midwest. Ironically, one of Akron South High School’s yearbook superlatives for 1942 was “Destined to become head football coach at Notre Dame,” and who other than Ara Parseghian would be its recipient, as if some other force had preordained it. Parseghian finished with a (36-35-1) record over 8 seasons with Northwestern, turning a perennial bottom-feeder into a respectable BIG 10 Adversary. 

Parseghian arrived in South Bend for the 1964 season and inherited a dismal (2-7) team from the year before, and a program without a winning season in 6 years or a consensus National Championship in 15. When first meeting the players, coach Parseghian handed out playbooks with handwritten letters to each inside. He congratulated them, but ended each note with the same quote: “We have no breaking point.” The Irish began the season unranked, but moved up to the #9 spot quickly after a statement road win against Wisconsin (31-7), where Notre Dame’s defense set a single-game school record with -51 rushing yards allowed and 270 yards for 2 touchdowns from John Huarte. After winning the very first game of his Notre Dame career, Parseghian’s players carried him off the field in celebration, marking the beginning of a storied chapter in the program’s history. From here, the Irish would work their way up the rankings, adding 5 more wins before earning the #1 spot in the polls, and a rivalry match against Pitt. Despite a close game, Parseghian’s squad would pull out a (17-15) victory on the road to stay perfect and push their record to (7-0).

After two more wins, including their 3rd shutout of the season, the (9-0) Irish traveled to Los Angeles to face USC, looking to finish perfect. The Irish jumped out to a (17-0) lead going into halftime, but went scoreless in the second half, giving up 20 unanswered points capped off by a touchdown in the final 1:30 of the game, ultimately losing (17-20). The disappointment was palpable as the rags-to-riches story of redemption for the Irish suddenly ended. Despite the disappointing finale, the 1964 season restored hope to the Irish faithful. A (9-1) record and a #3 final ranking, highlighted by John Huarte’s Heisman Trophy-winning campaign, earned the Irish National Title consideration from three polls (the NFF, Football News, and Devold) despite their late-season loss. Following the conclusion of the regular season, the AP and Coaches polls would name the Bear Bryant-led Alabama Crimson Tide as National Champions. However, Bama went on to lose its Orange Bowl matchup with the Texas Longhorns (17-21). The Irish were awarded the “MacArthur Bowl” for their efforts - an award created in recognition of the late General MacArthur, traditionally presented to the top-ranked college football team in the country. Regardless, Notre Dame does not recognize the 1964 season as an official National Title-winning campaign.

John Huarte graduated, leaving the Irish in a position to prove the doubters wrong and show that the prior season was no fluke. Of the 3 blemishes on their resume, the loss to the #1 Michigan State Spartans left the Irish with a bitter taste in their mouth. With the surprising success of the 1964 season, Parseghian’s second Irish squad began the year at #3. They pummeled Cal (48-6) for a statement season opener on the road, earning them the #1 spot in the polls and a marquee matchup against the #6 Purdue Boilermakers. Unlike his first season, Parseghian’s team would falter early, falling to Purdue in the second game of their season (21-25), dropping the Irish seven spots to #8. Following the loss, the Irish would post 6 straight wins, including Parseghian’s first win against #4 USC. The Trojans were led by the eventual 1965 Heisman winner, running back Mike Garrett, but the Irish defense handed him his worst outing of the year. Garrett was held to a season low 43 rushing yards while Notre Dame’s fullback Larry Conjar plowed ahead for 116 yards and 3 scores. The Irish secured a (28-7) triumph, avenging their Trojan-spoiled consensus title from the year before while replacing USC at #4 in the polls. Unfortunately, the Irish would lose their 9th game of the season against Michigan State (3-12) and tie Miami in the season finale. Despite nearly doubling the Hurricanes’ offensive production and never letting them get past the ND 42-yard line, the Irish failed to convert two short field goals and ultimately ended the game in a (0-0) stalemate. The Irish finished (7-2-1) and fell to #9 in the polls at season’s end.

Following the disappointment of the 1965 season, Parseghian and his team looked to redeem themselves and began his 3rd campaign at #8. Week 1 brought #7 Purdue to South Bend, and the NCAA’s new Broadcasting partnership with ABC had just been inked, making this in-state rivalry the deal’s first game on national television. Purdue entered with Heisman candidate QB Bob Griese, who carried the Boilermakers to an upset win over the Irish the season before, and the spotlight was bright for this top-10 showdown. Things began poorly for the Irish, coughing up the ball on a bobbled pitch at the Boilermakers’ 7-yard line and allowing Purdue to return it the length of the field to score the game’s first points. This could have been a gut punch for a lesser coach and a weaker team, but the Irish wasted no time in responding. On the following kickoff, running back Nick Eddy fielded the ball at the 3, following blockers down the dead center of the field, straight through the middle of the scrum. Impossibly, Eddy broke out the other side completely untouched, and into the clear, separating himself completely and tying the game (7-7). The Irish eventually pulled away to win (26-14), fueled by 3 touchdown passes between the classic duo of Terry Hanratty and Jim Seymour. Seymour caught 13 of Hanratty’s 16 passes for a still-standing Notre Dame receiving record of 276 yards in a single game.

Parseghian’s boys never looked back, winning 3 more games to become (4-0) and earn the #1 spot before another top-10 matchup against #10 Oklahoma. The Irish traveled to Norman and in front of more than 60,000 fans, destroyed the Sooners (38-0.) Notre Dame dominated on both sides of the ball, grinding the Sooners defense into dust with 5 rushing touchdowns in just 2 quarters of play, and the Irish defense posted their 3rd shutout of the season. From then on out, the 1966 Irish never looked back, beating Navy, Pitt, and Duke to become (8-0). #1 Notre Dame headed to East Lansing to face off against the #2 Michigan State Spartans, with only one team able to leave the stadium as the unquestionable best in the country.

Chilling winter weather and frosts carried into Michigan as the Irish hit the road, and Star Irish RB Nick Eddy slipped and fell while deboarding the train in East Lansing, aggravating a nearly recovered shoulder injury that sidelined him for what many considered the most anticipated game in recent memory. Gameday was a daunting 30ºF, and players succumbed to a brutal back-and-forth likened to trench warfare. It was a slugfest from the start, and neither team was able to gain much of a foothold, ending the first quarter at a scoreless draw. The Irish quickly lost momentum when star quarterback Terry Hanratty was sacked by Bubba Smith, knocking him out of the game and forcing in backup Coley O’Brien. The Spartans methodically drove the length of the field for an eventual 5-yard rushing touchdown to get on the board first. After failing to respond, the Irish allowed Michigan State to March back into scoring territory and surrendered a field goal to increase the deficit to 10. With time running out in the first half, Parseghian’s boys struck back with a beautiful 34-yard touchdown pass from O’Brien, just over the outstretched arms of a Spartan defender. Halftime arrived with Michigan State up (10–7), but the game was still completely within reach for both. 

Early in the third quarter, the Spartans fumbled deep in their territory and allowed the Irish to take the lead. Almost immediately, the Irish gave the ball back on an interception from O’Brien, but were able to tie the game with a field goal of their own just as the 4th quarter began. On the ensuing series, Michigan State tossed a second interception, giving the Irish a 41-yard field goal with under five minutes left to play. As the kick soared towards the uprights, it faded to the right and ultimately missed by just a few inches, leaving the game deadlocked at (10-10). The Irish defense forced a Michigan State punt, and Notre Dame got the ball back on its own 30-yard line with 1:24 left to play. Michigan State had all three timeouts left, so Parseghian called their bluff and ran the ball four straight times. This included a back-breaking fourth-down conversion run that forced the Spartans to begin using their timeouts. With time left to play, the Irish drop back for a pass, but we’re sacked, causing the clock to run out in the game to end in a historic (10-10) tie. 

In a way, the quality of both teams’ performance and the unsatisfying tie both supported and obscured the notion that these were hands-down the two best teams in the nation. Fans from both sides were left in disagreement, unsure whether or not everything had been done to secure a victory in the games’ waning moments. In actuality, Parseghian and the Irish had done everything in their power to make a historic comeback and even tie the game in the first place, and at that point, they were hoping not to give the Spartans a chance to beat them. Many advocates point to Notre Dame’s final play call with 10 seconds remaining, electing to drop back and throw the ball in an apparent attempt to score and win. Both Notre Dame and Michigan State remained #1 and #2 in the polls, respectively, holding off 2-time defending national champions Alabama, who finished (11-0-0) that year behind Bear Bryant. Whatever way you spin it, this regular-season game is being discussed nearly 60 years later. The Irish managed to tie a team with 3 of the top 5 picks in the following year’s NFL draft (Jordan Webster, Bubba Smith, Clinton Jones) without their starting quarterback, running back, and All-American center George Goeddeke.

After the infamous tie, Notre Dame finished off their season with a statement road win over #10 USC, thrashing them (51-0) for the single largest loss in Trojan football history to this day. Notre Dame finished (9-0-1) and shared that year’s MacArthur Bowl with Michigan State. In his 3rd season, Ara Parseghian led the Irish to their 1st National Title while earning the program its 8th. Notre Dame’s National Champion status was further bolstered by their ridiculous 362–38 scoring margin over opponents, alongside a defense that posted 6 shutouts, with only a single team scoring more than 1 touchdown. To this day, the 1966 team is considered one of the most talented in program history.

Following their nearly perfect 1966 showing, Parseghian’s 1967 Fighting Irish started the season at #1 against Cal, easily dispatching the Golden Bears (41–8) in their home opener. The following week, the Irish hit the road for West Lafayette, Indiana, to face off against longtime rival #10 Purdue. The boilermakers struck first, but the Irish responded shortly after, tying things up (7–7) before the half. Both sides traded blows, going into the fourth quarter, and with only a few minutes remaining, the game was tied up (21–21). Unfortunately, the boiler makers tossed a 21-yard touchdown late in the 4th to take a (28-21) lead. The Irish were unable to respond and dropped their first game of the season in just the second week. Now (1-1) and #6 in the polls, the Irish welcomed Iowa to South Bend the following week, and responded by embarrassing them (56–6). The Irish moved up to #5 before welcoming #1 USC to town for another chance at redemption. Unfortunately, things went sideways quickly, and the Irish dropped their 2nd of the last 4 games, falling (7–24) to their most prestigious rival. With the season seemingly lost, the Irish dropped out of the rankings altogether, and we’re written off by most. Surprisingly, they finished with 6 straight wins, besting Illinois, Michigan, State Navy, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, and Miami to finish the season (8–2). It was a letdown compared to the year prior, but a strong late-season rebound and final ranking of #6 boded well for the future. 

The Irish began 1968 at #3 in the polls, kicking off the season with a showdown in South Bend against #5 Oklahoma. It was a competitive first half, with the Irish only up (21-14), but they pulled away in the second half, running away with it (45–21). The impressive showing and return to form pushed the Irish to #2 in the country, and lined up yet another head-to-head showdown with #1 Purdue. Like the year before, the Irish could not get past the Boilermakers and played nearly the entire game from behind. They ultimately lost (22–37), but only dropped to #5 in the rankings. From there, Parseghian led his boys to three 3-straight wins over Iowa, Northwestern, and Illinois. The streak came to an end the following week when the Irish headed back to East Lansing to face now unranked Michigan State in a rivalry game that had all the makings of a trap. And indeed, a trap it was, with the Irish losing a (17–21) heartbreaker that knocked them back to #12. Both coach and team channeled the letdown and disappointment into another 3 straight wins over Navy, Pitt, and Georgia Tech before hitting the road for #2 USC. Notre Dame jumped out to a quick (21–7) halftime lead, but went scoreless in the second half, allowing the Trojans to tie the game (21–21). Neither side was able to secure the victory, and the Irish finished the year with a bitter tie and a (7-2-1) record. 

After 44 seasons of a self-imposed postseason bowl ban, Notre Dame‘s athletics department formally ended this policy in 1969 and became eligible to play an 11th game. The Irish began at #11 in the polls, facing off against none other than Northwestern, hoping to improve over the last two seasons. The Irish crushed the Wildcats in their home opener (35–10), but once again dropped their second game to now #16 Purdue (14–28), sending the Irish out of the rankings entirely. Parseghian’s squad responded with back-to-back wins, besting #14 Michigan State (42–28) and shutting out Army (45–0). It earned them a spot at #11 before their matchup against #3 USC. Both teams went scoreless in the first half and, for the second straight season, finished with a tie, this time (14–14). Now (3-1-1), things were looking a heck of a lot like the disappointing season of late, and Ara was beginning to feel a lot more eyes on him. Ironically, winning a championship and achieving success so early ended up hurting him later on when he failed to follow the same trajectory. With their backs against the wall, Parseghian and the Irish responded once again, winning five straight games against Tulane, Navy, Pitt, Georgia Tech, and Air Force. They finished the season (8-1-1) and #9 in their polls to earn a spot in the Cotton Bowl Classic against the #1 Texas Longhorns.

The Irish struck first with a field goal, and both teams traded touchdowns in the second, giving Notre Dame a (10–7) lead going into the half. Neither team was able to put up any points in the third, and everything came down to the game’s final quarter. Unfortunately, the Irish could only add one more touchdown to their score and gave two up to the Longhorns, losing (17-21) in their first official postseason bowl. It was another solid showing from Ara and the Irish, but was ultimately another letdown. 

The Irish began 1970 at #6 and quickly dispatched Northwestern, Purdue, Michigan State, and Army to become the #3 team in the country at (4-0). Parseghian led his boys on the road to Columbia, MO, to face their biggest test yet - #18 Missouri. Thankfully, the #3 Irish didn’t slow their roll, and easily took care of the Tigers (24–7). They continued with 3 straight wins over Navy, Pitt, and Georgia Tech before welcoming that year’s SEC champs, #7 LSU, to South Bend. It was Notre Dame’s first-ever SEC opponent, and everyone was looking for fireworks. Well, they watched the wrong game, as the defenses stole the show and neither offense got much going. The Irish knocked through a late field goal for the game’s only points and snuck away with a narrow (3-0) victory. In their final game of the regular season, the Fighting Irish hit the road for Los Angeles but lost (28-38) for the lone blemish on their schedule. Notre Dame finished the season (9-1) and #6 in the rankings, and secured a rematch in the Cotton Bowl Classic from the year before, against now #1 Texas. 

The Longhorns were undefeated, the reigning National Champions, and amidst a 30-game win streak, but the Irish had revenge, nay - redemption on their mind. Texas struck first, knocking in a field goal on their first drive, but the Irish followed with a 26-yard passing touchdown from Theismann to Thom Gatewood to take the lead. The Irish got the ball back and extended their lead with a 3-yard rushing touchdown from none other than Theismann, capping off a 13-yard drive on a short field. The Irish piled on with another Theismann rushing score and a field goal just before half, while the Longhorns could only muster a single touchdown. Ara had devised what he called the “mirror defense” to counter the prolific Longhorns’ triple-option, and it likely won them the game. By the end of the day, the Irish defense had forced 9 Texas fumbles and recovered 5. The halftime score was (24–11), and that’s precisely where it would stay, as neither team scored again in the second half, and the Irish won their very first postseason bowl.

In one of the most notable moments of Ara’s coaching career, his players celebrated the victory by hoisting their beloved coach onto their shoulders and carrying him off the field. The iconic moment was immortalized in photographs, recording the depth and love between a coach and his players. This success was also shared by individual achievers, with Irish QB Joe Theismann capping off an excellent season with 3 touchdowns against Texas and a 2nd place finish in the Heisman Trophy race, just behind eventual winner Jim Plunkett of Stanford.

The Irish began the season all the way up at #2 in the rankings and were primed to have another excellent outing. They came out of the gates hot with 5-straight wins, starting with Northwestern, then Purdue, Miami, and finally North Carolina. As they had many times before, the Irish prepared to face off with arch-rival USC in the middle of the season, hoping not to let them stop another Irish Championship sprint. USC struck first, going 31 yards through the air for a score, but the Irish responded on the very next drive to tie things up (7–7). The Tide officially turned on the next series, as the Trojans showed little trouble getting around the Irish defense. USC scored a second straight first-quarter touchdown, and the game never fell out of their control. They were able to hold the Irish to that single touchdown until late in the 4th quarter, when the game was already decided. Ultimately, USC once again ended Notre Dame‘s pursuit of an undefeated, untied season with a (14–28) win. Now, (5-1) and #12, Ara and the Irish dispatched Navy, Pitt, and Tulane before their final test of the season, #14 LSU. It wasn’t much of a contest, as the Tigers took a (10–0) halftime lead and never looked back, continually scoring and stopping the Irish all the way until 2:45 in the 4th, when the Irish finally scored via a 7-yard touchdown pass to Thom Gatewood. Ultimately, the game was decided early, and the Irish fell (8–28). It was a bitter end to an above-average season, but the University announced that it would not participate in any bowl games following the LSU loss. 

Looking to improve over a poor end to 1971, the 1972 Fighting Irish started out at #13 and won four-straight games against Northwestern, Purdue, Michigan State, and Pitt, before falling to the #8 Missouri Tigers at home (26-30). Once again, Parseghian’s squad fell victim to its midseason slump and let yet another easy game get the better of them. They bounced back with 4 straight wins over TCU, Navy, and Miami before hitting the road for Los Angeles. The Irish crept back into the rankings at #10 when they faced the Trojans, who were far and away the #1 team in the country. Parseghian and his Irish fell to the Trojans for the third straight year, this time by an embarrassing (23–45) mark. Despite finishing with an (8-2) record and #12 in the rankings, the Irish still qualified for a postseason game, and they matched up with the #9 Nebraska in that year’s Orange Bowl. In arguably the most embarrassing postseason game of Parseghian’s career, the Cornhuskers utterly destroyed Notre Dame (6–40) in front of 80,000 fans in Miami. Three total losses, two back-to-back to close out the season, and one of those being a postseason game, was an unexpected step back from 71. With eight seasons in South Bend under his belt, many began to wonder how much longer Ara would don the blue and gold. 

The #8 Fighting Irish began their season on a high note, crushing Northwestern at home (44-0) before things got a little closer against Purdue and Michigan State. Notre Dame squeezed by with (20-7) and (14–10) wins, respectively, followed by their second defensive shutout against Rice, (28-0). The following week, the Irish offense had its chance to shine by beating the brakes off Army (62–3).  Once again, the (5–0) Irish prepared to host #6 USC, smack dab in the middle of their schedule, right where they had tripped up so many times before. The Trojans went undefeated and won the National Title just the year before, and were looking to continue their current 23-game winning streak behind star running back Anthony Davis and future NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Lynn Swann. The Irish were led by a four-prong rushing attack, comprised of star fullback Wayne Bullock, halfbacks Eric Penick and Art Best, and the conductor, quarterback Tom Clements. Notre Dame struck first with an early field goal, but the Trojans responded quickly with a touchdown to take the lead. 

Despite adding another field goal in the 2nd quarter, the Irish were still down a point, but got the ball back just before the half. They marched the length of the field and rushed for their first touchdown of the day with just 00:30 seconds left on the clock to take a (13-7) lead. Thankfully, the Irish were getting the ball to start the 3rd quarter and were in an excellent position to pad their score. After USC pinned the Irish at their own 15, Notre Dame played it safe and handed the ball off to halfback Eric Pennick, who motioned from the outside. Once he took the handoff, Pennick followed two blockers in front of him, who opened things up long enough for him to reach that next level speed. Just as he took off, Pennick broke a tackle and bounced to the outside, breaking one more tackle before flying down the field for an 85-yard score. USC narrowed the gap with a touchdown from Lynn Swann, but the Irish kicked another field goal to go up (23-14). They held the Trojans scoreless in the 4th and held on for the win. While the offense outperformed expectations, the Irish defense completely shut down one of the most prolific offenses in the country. USC’s Anthony Davis was held to just 55 rushing yards on 19 carries, a far cry from his 6-touchdown performance over Notre Dame the year before, while Eric Penick finished with 118 yards and a touchdown. It was the first time Parseghian had beaten USC since 1966, and only his second time in 10 seasons at Notre Dame.

Now #5 in the polls, Parseghian’s squad continued their undefeated season with a (44-7) win over Navy and a (31-10) road victory over #20 Pitt. Neither win moved the Irish up the polls, even after back-to-back wins over Air Force and Miami; the Irish were stuck at #5 as the regular season came to a close. Thankfully, Notre Dame finished undefeated and untied for the first time in Parseghian’s tenure, and earned a shot at the National Title against the #1, undefeated Alabama Crimson Tide. This head-to-head saw the two best undefeated squads in the country face off, with the winner earning the title of National Champion. The Irish were considered underdogs, but scored on their opening drive with a Wayne Bullock rush. Unfortunately, they missed the PAT, allowing USC to take the lead (7-6) only a few plays later with a touchdown of their own. That lead lasted until the next play, when Notre Dame’s freshman running back Al Hunter fielded the ball at the 7, and exploded for a 93-yard touchdown. After a successful 2-point conversion, the Irish took their 2nd lead of the day (14-7). The Tide trimmed the deficit to (10-14) as the game entered halftime, but answered with a 93-yard touchdown drive on their first possession of the 3rd quarter to regain the lead (17-14). The lead changed again in the 3rd quarter, with Notre Dame’s Eric Penick barreling for a 12-yard score to put the Irish up (21-17). 

The 4th quarter saw three straight turnovers, leading to a 25-yard Bama touchdown pass to regain the lead (23-21) with under 10 minutes to play. Crucially, the Tide missed their extra point, allowing a field goal to potentially win the game. Irish QB Tom Clements led his offense on an 11-play drive that chewed up more than 5 minutes of clock, and ended with the go-ahead field goal and 6th lead change of the contest. Notre Dame’s defense forced a Bama punt, but the offense was pinned deep with only a few minutes left to play. Tom Clements sealed the game with a deep 1st down conversion to his tight end, Robin Weber, allowing the Irish to burn the remaining clock and steal a (24-23) victory. The win gave the Irish the #1 spot in the AP’s final poll of 1973, and earned the program its 9th title, and Parseghian’s 2nd. Notre Dame and Alabama’s Sugar Bowl bout became an instant classic and is still widely considered one of the greatest college football games ever played.

Fresh off their second national championship, objectively the most successful season for Notre Dame in Parseghian’s tenure, expectations remained high for the preseason #3 Irish to repeat. They started strong with two road victories, first over Georgia Tech (31–7) and Northwestern (49-3). In game three of the 1974 season, the Irish welcomed routine party spoiler Purdue to South Bend, who once again supplied an early gut-punch, running away with a (20–31) win. The Irish were knocked back to number seven in the rankings, but won their next 7 games over Michigan State, Rice, Army, Miami, Navy, #17 Pitt, and Air Force to become (10-1) and #5 in the polls. Like many times before, the Irish headed to California to end their regular season against USC. The #6 Trojans upset Ara and his boys, separating themselves for a confident (55-24) win to formally drive the nail through what many had hoped would be a very different kind of season. 

With the year now over, rumors began to swirl that Ara was considering a move to a different program or possibly a professional team. Instead, after the conclusion of the 1974 season, coach Parseghian formally announced his intent to retire from the great game. The 51-year-old cited his declining health, familial obligations, and his sister’s illness as reasons for resigning, looking to spend more time with his family after 25 years of football and 11 seasons in South Bend. His final game was appropriately against Notre Dame’s opponent from the year before, now #2 and undefeated Alabama, led by the legendary Bear Bryant. 

The Irish entered the contest as underdogs, double digits in some predictions, but while they may have lost their shot at the title, there was just enough left in the tank to play spoiler. They started strong with back-to-back touchdowns, but missed the second PAT for a (13-3) lead heading into the half. Alabama’s prolific wishbone offense struggled to move the ball effectively against the Irish run defense and resorted to desperate passes. They were able to connect on a 48-yard bomb late in the 4th quarter and, after a 2-point conversion, were down just 2 points (11-13). The Tide had the ball as time ticked down, only needing a field goal to steal the game. Still unable to muster a productive running game and quickly running out of time, Bama tossed one last prayer to get into scoring position, only for Irish DB Reggie Barnett to reel it in to seal the close win. The Irish walked away with a (13-11) win and held Alabama to an abysmal 62 yards of total offense. For the very last time, Parseghian’s Boys carried him off the field - a winner, a coach, a legend. 

Parseghian finished his tenure at Notre Dame with a (95–17–4) record, 2  National Titles, and 1 Heisman Trophy winner. He has the 4th most wins in program history (1. Brian Kelly - 2. Knute Rockne - 3. Frank Leahy), 3rd most championships with 2 (1. Frank Leahy - 2. Knute Rockne), and a (.836) winning percentage, good for 3rd highest amongst our top-5 coaches. Over his 11 years leading the Fighting Irish, Parseghian directly coached 25 All-Americans and, most notably, 8 college football Hall of Famers: John Huarte, Jim Lynch, Alan Page, Joe Theismann, Thomas Gatewood, Dave Casper, Ross Browner, and Ken MacAfee. In addition to his 2 consensus National Championships officially recognized by the University of Notre Dame, coach Parseghian is credited with 3 unclaimed Co-National Titles, not formally recognized by the University. If Notre Dame counted titles like the University of Alabama, the 1964, 1967, and 1970 Co-National Titles would make Ara a 5-time winner. In 2007, the University honored coach Parseghian with an honorary degree and a statue of his likeness outside the stadium commemorating the moment his players carried him off the field in Notre Dame’s win over Texas in the 1971 Cotton Bowl. Ara Parseghian passed away on August 2, 2017, with his family by his side. He was buried in the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Notre Dame, Indiana. 

There are coaches on this list with more wins, more championships, and more Heisman Trophy winners than Parseghian, but somehow Ara immortalized exactly what it meant to be a Notre Dame man more than anyone else. He arrived to a team in desperate need of direction and made them believe in their own magic again. His consistency and dedication became legendary. His perseverance took him from small-time college football to the very biggest stage as a player, and then all over again restarted the process as a coach. Ara became a cornerstone of Notre Dame football, and while he enshrined himself in record books with success, it was the little moments in between that made his name. Those mundane moments of focus and tireless effort, the way he impacted his players’ lives, and made them believe in not just themselves, but something bigger than the individual. It’s those moments that echo through the program to this day. No matter the circumstances or the challenges ahead, Ara Parseghian saw opportunities where others saw only difficulties. In the words of Parseghian himself, “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which under prosperous conditions might have remained dormant.”

Next Up

In our next piece of this series, we’ll reveal who earned our #2 spot and explore what they did to make them such a pivotal part of Notre Dame’s coaching history.

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