Remember former football coaches Ara Parseghian and Dan Devine? Both won national championships at Notre Dame, but Parseghian was beloved and Devine was vilified.
In the era of Ara, which lasted from 1964-74, the Irish won two national championships. Notre Dame thought outside of the box when they hired him to replace Hugh Devore after five straight non-winning seasons. Parseghian wasn’t Catholic or a Notre Dame graduate, but he restored a crumbling program to glory.
Under the charismatic Armenian Presbyterian’s watch the Irish went 95-17-4, punching his ticket to the College Hall of Fame in 1980. They also won three major bowls, most notably ending Texas’ 30-game winning streak and its hopes of repeating as national champion with a 24-11 victory in the 1970 Cotton Bowl.
“He was very dynamic, extremely well organized,” said Dennis Gutowski, who launched Andrean’s 22-game winning streak in 1968, then picked Notre Dame over Michigan and Northwestern.
Parseghian was demanding, but caring. His motivational skills elevated him to the next level.
“He’d walk through the locker room and training room, always encouraging the players,” said Gutowski, who will be inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame on May 3.
Growing up in Hobart, Gutowski dreamed of playing for the Irish. In 1969 it became a reality. Though freshmen weren’t eligible he led the rookie team in rushing, then moved up in his sophomore season.
“I was on the second team in our opener against Northwestern and suffered a serious knee injury in the fourth quarter,” he said.
It took him a year to recover and he never regained his 4.5 speed for the 40. Most of Gutowski’s playing time was limited to special teams and a part-time defensive back,
During his time on campus the Irish were 34-8-1, topping out with a 10-1 record in 1970. Nebraska benefited from ND’s upset of Texas, being chosen as the consensus national champion.
Gutowski still keeps in touch with his Notre Dame teammates and will attend a football reunion sponsored by the Monogram Club on the weekend of the Irish home opener against Texas on Sept. 5. The Thornwood High (Illinois) guidance counselor is happy to report that Parseghian is looking forward to his birthday on May 21.
“He’s had a hip replacement, but keeps himself in shape,” said Gutowski, who attended Parseghian’s 90th birthday party two years ago.
Recalling Devine
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Unlike Parseghian, the Irish faithful never warmed up to Devine despite his 53-16-1 record and three bowl victories from 1975-80. That included a 38-10 rout of Texas in the Cotton Bowl, vaulting the Irish to a 1977 national championship.
An odd duck who came to Notre Dame from Green Bay, Devine never really connected with the media or Notre Dame’s passionate fan base.
Tom VanDenburgh, a star lineman at Merrillville under Ken Haupt, recalled his time at Notre Dame from 1976-80 as special, but seemed lukewarm about Devine, who posted an 11-1 record in 1977, but inspired “Dump Devine” signs that year.
“He came from the pros and surrounded himself with great assistants,” said VanDenburgh, who is also being inducted into the Indiana Hall of Fame. “They did everything. That’s why he was so successful. He was more of a figurehead.”
VanDenburgh made Notre Dame’s traveling squad in his freshman year, but most of his playing time came as a sophomore. Unfortunately, he suffered a career-ending spinal injury in his junior season.
“My fifth vertebrae,” he said. “Got injured in our Blue-Gold scrimmage before the season.
Ironically, his son, Mark suffered a nearly identical injury playing for Eastern Michigan, leading VanDenburgh to believe it was hereditary in nature.
His teammates at Notre Dame included all-staters Randy Harrison (Hammond) and Ken Dike (Merrillville). They were a couple of years ahead of VanDenburgh, but the regional connection proved strong.
“They looked out for me,” said VanDenburgh, who missed out on Merrillville’s 1976 state championship season by a year.
His senior season, 1975, was Haupt’s first year as a coach and he scared off most of the veterans by introducing a two-a-day practice schedule.
“We only had four seniors,” said VanDenburgh, who played nose guard, tackle or linebacker, depending on the opponent. “The only time I ever came off the field was on kickoffs.
His high school teammates included Kelly Keough, who played on three Big Ten championship teams at Michigan, and was inducted in 2011; and Tim Seneff, who was a three-year starter at Purdue and will also be inducted in this class.
“Underclassmen got a chance to play more and it helped prepare them for winning state the next year,” said VanDenburgh, who owns a car wash in Michigan City. “I thought it was great.”
Despite the two-a-day workouts, Haupt’s approach appealed to the Pirates.
“Haupt made it fun,” VanDenburgh said. “We enjoyed it. Now I don’t think kids do as much. It’s more like a job, which is too bad.”
Completing the class
Others who will be inducted at the Avalon Banquet Center are: Pat Malackowski (Air Force Academy) and Todd VanKeppel (Northern Illinois), both Valparaiso; Bob Brooks (Lew Wallace, Kentucky), Merrillville; John Mathias (Chesterton, Indiana); John Doherty (trainer), Munster; and Richard Boer (official) DeMotte.
John Mutka is a freelance reporter.