Fitting Tribute to Devine

The late great Notre Dame head football coach and College Football Hall of Fame inductee Dan Devine will finally join the ranks of Rockne, Leahy, Parseghian and Holtz as the University plans to complete its tribute to the five coaches who have led the Fighting Irish to national championships by unveling his likeness outside Gate A of Notre Dame Stadium on Friday, October 7, the day before Notre Dame takes on Air Force.

Rockne outside the North Tunnel

Leahy outside Gate C

Parseghian outside Gate B

Holtz outside Gate D

In six seasons as head coach of the Fighting Irish, Devine compiled a record of 53-16-1 (.764).  He brought Notre Dame to the pinnacle of college football during his 1977 national championship run, which included the legendary  “Green Machine” game against our arch rival Cal Southern Trojans (click the link for a great video recapping that game).  

The Trojans came into Notre Dame Stadium in 1977 riding a 7-1-2 record over the past ten contests against the Fighting Irish. Recognizing that “something special was going to be needed to get the Fighting Irish back in the winning trend,” Devine reached back to the days of Rockne and beyond in order to give his team the edge they needed.

After their final practice leading up to the game, he spoke to the team as a whole about the name “Fighting Irish” which they shared with the famous Irish Brigade of the Civil War.  He told them the story of the Irish Brigade’s notorious green flag that brought fear to the hearts of Confederate soldiers while inspiring the Union forces to "fight like Irishmen." He then explained how the color green symbolized a great struggle for freedom in Ireland during which brave men had "died so that Ireland might be free."

Devine’s history lesson left his team feeling confused as they left practice, but when they arrived for battle the next day they were greeted by the sight of bright green uniforms hanging in each of their lockers. The players’ adrenaline began to pump at that moment, and when they came charging out of the tunnel into a surprised Notre Dame Stadium they overawed their fans and their opponents alike with “Fighting Irish” bravado.

Their newfound swagger led them to a 49-19 annihilation of the Trojans, and the momentum generated by that game carried them all the way to the Cotton Bowl, where they defeated Texas to claim their spot atop the college football world once again.  The “Green Machine” game engineered by Devine would become a legendary symbol of the “Fighting Irish” spirit. 

Fr. Corby blesses the Union and Irish Brigade flags at the Battle of Gettysburg
prior to becoming the president of Notre Dame.

Despite his success, Devine was never fully embraced by the Notre Dame fanbase during his tenure as head coach.  It is good to see that he will finally be memorialized alongside his peers as one of the leading figures in Fighting Irish history.

Only one gate remains bare after the addition of Devine's statue, but rumor has it that a spot has already been reserved for the instalation of a bronze piece under what is sure to become Brian Kelly Gate.