Dan Devine
Encyclopedia
Daniel John Devine was an American football
player and coach. He served as the head coach football coach at Arizona State University
from 1955 to 1957, the University of Missouri
from 1958 to 1970, and the University of Notre Dame
from 1975 to 1980, compiling a career college football mark of 173–57–9. Devine was also the head coach of the NFL
's Green Bay Packers from 1971 to 1974, tallying a mark of 25–27–4. His 1977 Notre Dame team
won a College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS after beating Texas
in the Cotton Bowl. Devine was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
as a coach in 1985.
, Devine and his eight siblings later went to live with an aunt and uncle in Proctor, Minnesota
. As a star at Proctor High School
, Devine started at quarterback
as a freshman and later became known as, "The Proctor Flash." He also competed in three other sports during his four years at the school, and graduated in 1942.
Devine then enrolled at the University of Minnesota Duluth
, and was team captain of both the baseball and football teams, playing as a 170 lb. (77 kg) quarterback. His time at the school was interrupted after his enlistment in the Army Air Corps
during World War II
, where he became a B-29
flight officer
. He graduated from college in 1948 with a bachelor's degree
in history.
, reaching his interview by a combination of bus travel and hitch-hiking. Following two undefeated seasons at the school, he accepted an assistant position at Michigan State
in 1950 under legendary coach Clarence "Biggie" Munn
. For the next five seasons, he helped the Spartans achieve success, including winning a national championship in 1952.
, in Tempe, Arizona
. Joining him as an assistant was Frank Kush
, who would have even greater success at the school after Devine's departure. During his three years with the Sun Devils
, Devine compiled a record of 27–3–1 (.887), including a spotless 10–0 mark during his final campaign. In that last season, Devine's team led the nation in total offense and scoring, averaging just under 40 points per game in the latter category.
, which he accepted on December 18, 1957. At first, Devine was reluctant to accept the position, his flight to Missouri had developed engine trouble. In addition, Devine had hot chocolate spilled on him by a stewardess
during the flight, which arrived six hours late.
Over the next 13 years, Devine would turn the once-dormant program into a consistently competitive school that finished with a Top 20 ranking nine times. His record of 92–38–7 (.697) included four bowl game victories, with his winning percentage passing that of Don Faurot
, the legendary coach who had preceded him. He is still second on Missouri's all-time wins list, behind only Faurot.
After finishing 5–4–1 in his first year in 1958, Devine (with two years left on his contract) gained some job security when a group of Mizzou
alumni funded a $150,000 life insurance
policy that covered him as long as he remained as head coach of the Tigers
. The investment paid off as Missouri never lost more than three games over the next decade.
In 1960, the Tigers began the year unranked, but after shutting out SMU
20–0, in the season opener, moved up to 16th and continued to head upward in the weekly rankings. Following that win with eight straight victories, Missouri became the top-ranked team in the country following a 41–19 victory over Oklahoma
.
Needing only a victory over the Kansas
to clinch a national championship, the Tigers (favored by a touchdown) instead were stunned in a 23–7 upset loss—later reversed after an investigation revealed that KU's Bert Coan
had received illegal benefits and was thus ineligible. After an Orange Bowl
victory over Navy
on January 1, 1961, Missouri finished the year ranked fifth in a season which saw upwards of four teams claim a share of the national title.
While never again reaching that level, Missouri maintained its strength throughout the 1960s, with Devine taking on the added duties of athletic director
in 1967. During his three years in the latter role, he made a key hire when he selected Norm Stewart
to head the fortunes of the school's men's basketball
squad.
After finishing 9–1 in 1969, a season capped off with a massive 69–21 win over KU that saw Jayhawk coach Pepper Rodgers
showing the peace sign to Devine late in the game and Devine "return half of it", Missouri faced Penn State University in the 1970 Orange Bowl. The Nittany Lions entered the game with a 28-game winning streak, and extended the string by intercepting seven Tiger passes in a 10–3 defensive battle.
of the NFL
, succeeding Phil Bengston. Devine acknowledged the pressure of the position, but had the benefit of not immediately following legendary coach Vince Lombardi
. Bengston had endured three years of unrealistic expectations following Lombardi's brief retirement after Super Bowl II
.
Devine's career in Green Bay got off to a painful start when he suffered a broken leg following a sideline collision in the season opener, a 42–40 loss to the New York Giants
. After finishing 4–8–2 in 1971
, Devine headed a brief resurgence that "The Pack is Back," by dethroning the four-time division champion Minnesota Vikings
in 1972
to reach the playoffs, the Packers' first post-season in five years. The Packers lost 16-3 in the first round to the Washington Redskins
at RFK Stadium on Christmas Eve
. The Packers would not reach the post-season for another decade, during the expanded 16-team playoffs of the strike-shortened 1982
season. Green Bay would not return to the playoffs in a full season until 1993
). Unable to recapture the success of 1972, Devine's final two seasons at Green Bay were disappointing (5–7–2 in 1973
and 6–8 in 1974
).
Prior to his last season as Packers head coach in 1974, Devine also orchestrated a trade that was widely considered as one of the worst in NFL history. He traded two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks, and a 3rd round pick for 34-year old quarterback John Hadl
from the Los Angeles Rams. On a personal note, Devine's wife developed multiple sclerosis
. These factors resulted in Devine leaving the Packers on December 16, 1974, to become the head coach at the University of Notre Dame
.
in 1964, when Ara Parseghian
was hired. When approached for the job following Parseghian's resignation, Devine accepted immediately, joking that it was probably the shortest job interview in history. In his six seasons at Notre Dame, Devine compiled a 53–16–1 mark (.764). His lasting achievement came midway through this run, when the Fighting Irish
won the 1977 national championship, led by junior quarterback Joe Montana
. The championship season was completed with a convincing 38-10 win in the 1978 Cotton Bowl Classic over previously top-ranked Texas
, led by Heisman Trophy
winner Earl Campbell
. The win vaulted the Irish from fifth to first in the polls.
Earlier in the season, before the annual game against USC, played at home on October 22, Devine changed the team's jerseys from navy blue
& white to kelly green & gold, which would remain for the rest of his time at the school. He also added names to the players' jerseys on a permanent basis when he took over at Notre Dame. Previously, names had been included on jerseys only during bowl games. (The traditional navy blue & white jerseys without names returned in the 1980s under Lou Holtz
.) Devine's teams won three bowl games, including consecutive Cotton Bowl Classics. In the 1979 Cotton Bowl Classic, the Irish trailed 34–12 with 7:27 remaining in the game. They rallied for 23 unanswered points behind ailing senior quarterback Joe Montana
for an incredible 35–34 victory over Houston
. The game became part of college football folklore, referred to as the Chicken Soup Game.
Because he had the unenviable task of following a legend, Devine came under heavy scrutiny while at Notre Dame and it was felt that he was never fully embraced by the Notre Dame community, despite winning a national championship. After a 5–2 start in his first season, rumors of incompetence were circulated and that Devine would be dismissed and replaced by Don Shula
or even Ara Parseghian
(who went so far as to say he would not return to Notre Dame under any circumstances). Even on the day of the 1977 USC game, "Dump Devine" bumper stickers were being sold outside Notre Dame Stadium. He also had the notoriety of losing to his old program, a shocking 3–0 loss to the Tigers at South Bend in 1978. It wasn't until after Devine had left Notre Dame that fans began to appreciate him.
Like Joe Kuharich
before him, Devine was involved in a game while at Notre Dame whose ending resulted in a rule change still in effect today. On September 15, 1979, the Irish faced the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor in their season opener. With six seconds remaining, Michigan lined up for a game-winning field goal attempt. Notre Dame linebacker Bob Crable climbed up onto the back of opposing center George Lilja and was able to block the kick, preserving a 12–10 Irish victory. A new rule was implemented the following season that prohibited this tactic.
), saying he wanted to be able to spend more time with his wife. He moved back to Arizona
and became a fundraiser for Arizona State's Sun Devil Foundation. In 1985, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
, and then returned to his old school at Missouri seven years later as athletic director to help navigate the school through financial troubles.
In 2000, Devine's wife died. His own health began to deteriorate in February 2001, when after undergoing heart surgery, he suffered a ruptured aorta
. Fifteen months later, he died at home.
in the film Rudy
. In the film, Devine is portrayed in a somewhat unfavorable light, acting as a hindrance to Daniel Ruettiger
's dream of dressing for one game with Notre Dame. Devine was reported to be extremely angry with how he was portrayed in the film noting that he had planned to allow Rudy to play all along. He also maintained that none of the players laid down their jerseys on his desk as a form of protest and if anyone had, they would have been kicked off the squad.
Devine was asked by movie producers to allow his dramatized character to "play the heavy," to make the movie better. While Devine agreed, he later wrote that he didn't believe Ross' portrayal would be as antagonistic as it turned out in the finished film.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach. He served as the head coach football coach at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
from 1955 to 1957, the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
from 1958 to 1970, and the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
from 1975 to 1980, compiling a career college football mark of 173–57–9. Devine was also the head coach of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Green Bay Packers from 1971 to 1974, tallying a mark of 25–27–4. His 1977 Notre Dame team
1977 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 1977 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1977 college football season. The Irish, coached by Dan Devine, ended the season with 11 wins and one loss, winning the national championship...
won a College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS after beating Texas
1977 Texas Longhorns football team
The 1977 Texas Longhorns football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 1977 college football season.-Regular season:The Longhorns finished the regular season with a 11-0-0 record. As a collegiate football player at the University of Texas at Austin, Earl Campbell won the...
in the Cotton Bowl. Devine was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
as a coach in 1985.
Early life and military service
Born in Augusta, WisconsinAugusta, Wisconsin
Augusta is a city in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,550 at the 2010 census. The city is located entirely within the Town of Bridge Creek.-Geography:Augusta is located at ....
, Devine and his eight siblings later went to live with an aunt and uncle in Proctor, Minnesota
Proctor, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,852 people, 1,196 households, and 772 families residing in the city. The population density was 942.8 people per square mile . There were 1,246 housing units at an average density of 411.9 per square mile...
. As a star at Proctor High School
Proctor High School
Proctor High School is a secondary school located in Proctor, Minnesota, which educates students in grades nine through twelve. The school first opened in 1912....
, Devine started at quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
as a freshman and later became known as, "The Proctor Flash." He also competed in three other sports during his four years at the school, and graduated in 1942.
Devine then enrolled at the University of Minnesota Duluth
University of Minnesota Duluth
The University of Minnesota Duluth is a regional branch of the University of Minnesota system located in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. As Duluth's public research university, UMD offers 13 bachelor's degrees in 74 majors, graduate programs in 24 different fields, a two-year program at the School of...
, and was team captain of both the baseball and football teams, playing as a 170 lb. (77 kg) quarterback. His time at the school was interrupted after his enlistment in the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, where he became a B-29
B-29 Superfortress
The B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing that was flown primarily by the United States Air Forces in late-World War II and through the Korean War. The B-29 was one of the largest aircraft to see service during World War II...
flight officer
Flight officer
The title flight officer was a military rank used by the United States Armed Forces where it was an air force warrant officer rank. It was also an air force rank in several Commonwealth nations where it was used for female officers and was equivalent to the rank of flight lieutenant...
. He graduated from college in 1948 with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in history.
Early years as a coach at Michigan State
Devine earned his first coaching job as head coach at East Jordan High School in MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, reaching his interview by a combination of bus travel and hitch-hiking. Following two undefeated seasons at the school, he accepted an assistant position at Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
in 1950 under legendary coach Clarence "Biggie" Munn
Biggie Munn
Clarence Lester "Biggie" Munn was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator in the United States. He was the head football coach at Albright College , Syracuse University , and most notably Michigan State College , where his 1952 squad won a national championship...
. For the next five seasons, he helped the Spartans achieve success, including winning a national championship in 1952.
Arizona State
On February 5, 1955, Devine accepted the head coaching position at Arizona State College, now Arizona State UniversityArizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, in Tempe, Arizona
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
. Joining him as an assistant was Frank Kush
Frank Kush
Frank Joseph Kush is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Arizona State University from 1958 to 1979, compiling a record of 176–54–1...
, who would have even greater success at the school after Devine's departure. During his three years with the Sun Devils
Arizona State Sun Devils football
The Arizona State Sun Devils' football program represents Arizona State University in college football, and competes in NCAA Division I FBS as a member of the Pacific-12 Conference....
, Devine compiled a record of 27–3–1 (.887), including a spotless 10–0 mark during his final campaign. In that last season, Devine's team led the nation in total offense and scoring, averaging just under 40 points per game in the latter category.
Missouri
His success at Arizona State resulted in an offer from the University of MissouriMissouri Tigers football
The Missouri Tigers football team represents the University of Missouri in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team has competed in the North Division of the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996...
, which he accepted on December 18, 1957. At first, Devine was reluctant to accept the position, his flight to Missouri had developed engine trouble. In addition, Devine had hot chocolate spilled on him by a stewardess
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
during the flight, which arrived six hours late.
Over the next 13 years, Devine would turn the once-dormant program into a consistently competitive school that finished with a Top 20 ranking nine times. His record of 92–38–7 (.697) included four bowl game victories, with his winning percentage passing that of Don Faurot
Don Faurot
Donald Burrows Faurot was an American football and basketball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, now Truman State University, from 1926 to 1934 and at the University of Missouri from 1935 to 1942 and again from 1946 to 1956...
, the legendary coach who had preceded him. He is still second on Missouri's all-time wins list, behind only Faurot.
After finishing 5–4–1 in his first year in 1958, Devine (with two years left on his contract) gained some job security when a group of Mizzou
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
alumni funded a $150,000 life insurance
Life insurance
Life insurance is a contract between an insurance policy holder and an insurer, where the insurer promises to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the death of the insured person. Depending on the contract, other events such as terminal illness or critical illness may also trigger...
policy that covered him as long as he remained as head coach of the Tigers
Missouri Tigers football
The Missouri Tigers football team represents the University of Missouri in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team has competed in the North Division of the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996...
. The investment paid off as Missouri never lost more than three games over the next decade.
In 1960, the Tigers began the year unranked, but after shutting out SMU
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
20–0, in the season opener, moved up to 16th and continued to head upward in the weekly rankings. Following that win with eight straight victories, Missouri became the top-ranked team in the country following a 41–19 victory over Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
.
Needing only a victory over the Kansas
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
to clinch a national championship, the Tigers (favored by a touchdown) instead were stunned in a 23–7 upset loss—later reversed after an investigation revealed that KU's Bert Coan
Bert Coan
Elroy Bert Coan III is a former American football player. He is most notable because of his extraordinary speed and size and because he was the central figure in a dispute over the 1960 college football game between the University of Kansas Jayhawks and the University of Missouri Tigers, the...
had received illegal benefits and was thus ineligible. After an Orange Bowl
Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935 and celebrated its 75th playing on January 1, 2009...
victory over Navy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
on January 1, 1961, Missouri finished the year ranked fifth in a season which saw upwards of four teams claim a share of the national title.
While never again reaching that level, Missouri maintained its strength throughout the 1960s, with Devine taking on the added duties of athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
in 1967. During his three years in the latter role, he made a key hire when he selected Norm Stewart
Norm Stewart
Norman E. "Norm)" Stewart is a retired American college basketball coach. He coached at the University of Northern Iowa from 1961 to 1967, but is best known for his career with the University of Missouri from 1967 until 1999. He retired with an overall coaching record of 731-375 in 38 seasons...
to head the fortunes of the school's men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
squad.
After finishing 9–1 in 1969, a season capped off with a massive 69–21 win over KU that saw Jayhawk coach Pepper Rodgers
Pepper Rodgers
Franklin C. "Pepper" Rodgers is a former American football player and coach in the United States. He served as the head coach at the University of Kansas , University of California, Los Angeles , and the Georgia Institute of Technology , compiling a career college football record of...
showing the peace sign to Devine late in the game and Devine "return half of it", Missouri faced Penn State University in the 1970 Orange Bowl. The Nittany Lions entered the game with a 28-game winning streak, and extended the string by intercepting seven Tiger passes in a 10–3 defensive battle.
Green Bay Packers
After suffering his first losing season in 1970, Devine departed on January 14, 1971, to become the head coach of the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, succeeding Phil Bengston. Devine acknowledged the pressure of the position, but had the benefit of not immediately following legendary coach Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
. Bengston had endured three years of unrealistic expectations following Lombardi's brief retirement after Super Bowl II
Super Bowl II
The second AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, later to be known as Super Bowl II, was played on January 14, 1968 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida....
.
Devine's career in Green Bay got off to a painful start when he suffered a broken leg following a sideline collision in the season opener, a 42–40 loss to the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. After finishing 4–8–2 in 1971
1971 NFL season
The 1971 NFL season was the 52nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl VI when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins...
, Devine headed a brief resurgence that "The Pack is Back," by dethroning the four-time division champion Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
in 1972
1972 NFL season
The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied when they beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.-Major rule changes:...
to reach the playoffs, the Packers' first post-season in five years. The Packers lost 16-3 in the first round to the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
at RFK Stadium on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
. The Packers would not reach the post-season for another decade, during the expanded 16-team playoffs of the strike-shortened 1982
1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
season. Green Bay would not return to the playoffs in a full season until 1993
1993 NFL season
The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
). Unable to recapture the success of 1972, Devine's final two seasons at Green Bay were disappointing (5–7–2 in 1973
1973 NFL season
The 1973 NFL season was the 54th regular season of the National Football League. The season featured O.J. Simpson becoming the first man to rush for 2,000 yards in one season...
and 6–8 in 1974
1974 NFL season
The 1974 NFL season was the 55th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl IX when the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Minnesota Vikings...
).
Prior to his last season as Packers head coach in 1974, Devine also orchestrated a trade that was widely considered as one of the worst in NFL history. He traded two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks, and a 3rd round pick for 34-year old quarterback John Hadl
John Hadl
John Willard Hadl is a former collegiate and professional football player.Hadl was born in Lawrence, Kansas. After playing halfback on both offense and defense at the University of Kansas as a sophomore, Hadl played quarterback for his last two years at Kansas, and was selected as the school's...
from the Los Angeles Rams. On a personal note, Devine's wife developed multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
. These factors resulted in Devine leaving the Packers on December 16, 1974, to become the head coach at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.
Notre Dame
Devine had been a leading candidate for the head coaching job at Notre DameNotre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
in 1964, when Ara Parseghian
Ara Parseghian
Ara Raoul Parseghian is a former American football player and coach of Armenian descent. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , Northwestern University , and the University of Notre Dame , compiling a career college football record of 170–58–6...
was hired. When approached for the job following Parseghian's resignation, Devine accepted immediately, joking that it was probably the shortest job interview in history. In his six seasons at Notre Dame, Devine compiled a 53–16–1 mark (.764). His lasting achievement came midway through this run, when the Fighting Irish
1977 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 1977 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1977 college football season. The Irish, coached by Dan Devine, ended the season with 11 wins and one loss, winning the national championship...
won the 1977 national championship, led by junior quarterback Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
. The championship season was completed with a convincing 38-10 win in the 1978 Cotton Bowl Classic over previously top-ranked Texas
1977 Texas Longhorns football team
The 1977 Texas Longhorns football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 1977 college football season.-Regular season:The Longhorns finished the regular season with a 11-0-0 record. As a collegiate football player at the University of Texas at Austin, Earl Campbell won the...
, led by Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Earl Campbell
Earl Campbell
Earl Christian Campbell , nicknamed The Tyler Rose, is a former professional American Football running back. He, Paul Hornung and O.J Simpson are the only people to have won the Heisman Trophy , were first overall National Football League draft picks and are in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
. The win vaulted the Irish from fifth to first in the polls.
Earlier in the season, before the annual game against USC, played at home on October 22, Devine changed the team's jerseys from navy blue
Navy blue
Navy blue is a very dark shade of the color blue which almost appears as black. Navy blue got its name from the dark blue worn by officers in the British Royal Navy since 1748 and subsequently adopted by other navies around the world....
& white to kelly green & gold, which would remain for the rest of his time at the school. He also added names to the players' jerseys on a permanent basis when he took over at Notre Dame. Previously, names had been included on jerseys only during bowl games. (The traditional navy blue & white jerseys without names returned in the 1980s under Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz
Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...
.) Devine's teams won three bowl games, including consecutive Cotton Bowl Classics. In the 1979 Cotton Bowl Classic, the Irish trailed 34–12 with 7:27 remaining in the game. They rallied for 23 unanswered points behind ailing senior quarterback Joe Montana
Joe Montana
Joseph Clifford "Joe" Montana, Jr. , nicknamed Joe Cool, Golden Joe, The Golden Great and Comeback Joe, is a retired American football player. Montana started his NFL career in 1979 with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played quarterback for the next 14 seasons...
for an incredible 35–34 victory over Houston
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
. The game became part of college football folklore, referred to as the Chicken Soup Game.
Because he had the unenviable task of following a legend, Devine came under heavy scrutiny while at Notre Dame and it was felt that he was never fully embraced by the Notre Dame community, despite winning a national championship. After a 5–2 start in his first season, rumors of incompetence were circulated and that Devine would be dismissed and replaced by Don Shula
Don Shula
Donald Francis "Don" Shula is a former American football cornerback and coach.He is best known as coach of the Miami Dolphins, the team he led to two Super Bowl victories, and to the National Football League's only perfect season. Shula was named 1993 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated....
or even Ara Parseghian
Ara Parseghian
Ara Raoul Parseghian is a former American football player and coach of Armenian descent. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , Northwestern University , and the University of Notre Dame , compiling a career college football record of 170–58–6...
(who went so far as to say he would not return to Notre Dame under any circumstances). Even on the day of the 1977 USC game, "Dump Devine" bumper stickers were being sold outside Notre Dame Stadium. He also had the notoriety of losing to his old program, a shocking 3–0 loss to the Tigers at South Bend in 1978. It wasn't until after Devine had left Notre Dame that fans began to appreciate him.
Like Joe Kuharich
Joe Kuharich
Joseph Lawrence Kuharich was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of San Francisco from 1948 to 1951 and at the University of Notre Dame from 1959 to 1962, compiling a career college football record of 43–37...
before him, Devine was involved in a game while at Notre Dame whose ending resulted in a rule change still in effect today. On September 15, 1979, the Irish faced the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor in their season opener. With six seconds remaining, Michigan lined up for a game-winning field goal attempt. Notre Dame linebacker Bob Crable climbed up onto the back of opposing center George Lilja and was able to block the kick, preserving a 12–10 Irish victory. A new rule was implemented the following season that prohibited this tactic.
Later life and death
On August 15, 1980, Devine announced that he would be leaving Notre Dame at the end of the 1980 season (to be succeeded by Gerry FaustGerry Faust
Gerard Anthony "Gerry" Faust is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame from 1981 to 1985 and at the University of Akron from 1986 to 1994, compiling a career college football record of 73–79–4...
), saying he wanted to be able to spend more time with his wife. He moved back to Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and became a fundraiser for Arizona State's Sun Devil Foundation. In 1985, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
, and then returned to his old school at Missouri seven years later as athletic director to help navigate the school through financial troubles.
In 2000, Devine's wife died. His own health began to deteriorate in February 2001, when after undergoing heart surgery, he suffered a ruptured aorta
Aorta
The aorta is the largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it branches off into two smaller arteries...
. Fifteen months later, he died at home.
In popular culture
Devine was portrayed by actor Chelcie RossChelcie Ross
Chelcie Claude Ross is an American character actor. He served in Vietnam as an officer in the United States Air Force, and earned an MFA from the Dallas Theater Center.-Filmography:*Skokie *On the Right Track...
in the film Rudy
Rudy (film)
Rudy is a 1993 American sports film directed by David Anspaugh. It is an account of the life of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, who harbored dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame despite significant obstacles...
. In the film, Devine is portrayed in a somewhat unfavorable light, acting as a hindrance to Daniel Ruettiger
Daniel Ruettiger
Daniel Eugene "Rudy" Ruettiger is a motivational speaker and former collegiate football player for the University of Notre Dame, who is best known as the inspiration for the motion picture Rudy....
's dream of dressing for one game with Notre Dame. Devine was reported to be extremely angry with how he was portrayed in the film noting that he had planned to allow Rudy to play all along. He also maintained that none of the players laid down their jerseys on his desk as a form of protest and if anyone had, they would have been kicked off the squad.
Devine was asked by movie producers to allow his dramatized character to "play the heavy," to make the movie better. While Devine agreed, he later wrote that he didn't believe Ross' portrayal would be as antagonistic as it turned out in the finished film.