Parseghian looks forward to Irish bouncing back
Ara Parseghian knows a thing or two about Notre Dame football, specifically how to recover from a bad season.
In 11 years coaching the Fighting Irish, Parseghian led the school to two of its 11 national championships. When Parseghian arrived in South Bend, Ind., however, Notre Dame had just endured a 2-7 season in 1963.
Parseghian quickly turned the Irish around. Notre Dame finished 9-1 the next season and was ranked third in the country. During the Ara era, the Irish were 95-17.
After watching the Fighting Irish stumble to a 3-9 record this past season, Parseghian had some simple yet profound advice for current coach Charlie Weis.
"Put big 'W's up. That's what I told (Weis)," Parseghian said last week while at a Notre Dame alumni golf outing in North Naples, Fla. "Get those wins. Sometimes it's not always easy."
In the first two years under Weiss, the Fighting Irish returned to the college football spotlight and were in contention for national titles. Notre Dame lost a lot of talent to graduation following 2006, however, which might have led to last year's record, which Irish fans hope was an anomaly.
"It defies a logical explanation," said Parseghian, 84, who splits time at residences in northern Indiana just five miles from Notre Dame Stadium and in Marco Island, Fla. "Apparently after winning 19 games and losing six in two years, the rebuilding process didn't quite measure up. The schedule is not quite as difficult this year, so I think they'll make a rebound."
George Sefcik played halfback for Notre Dame in the late 1950s and early '60s and also admitted it was tough to watch the Irish last year. But Sefcik has faith in the program and, most of all, faith in the coach.
As offensive coordinator with the New York Giants in the early 1990s, Sefcik worked alongside Weis, who served as the team's running backs coach, for one season.
"You're going to have up-and-down years until your recruiting gets stabilized," Sefcik said. "Charlie's a good coach. He's done a great job in the NFL and knows football. Good coaches find a way."
Dick Rosenthal worked with another Irish coaching legend, Lou Holtz, as athletic director from 1987-95.Rosenthal blamed a young and inexperienced Irish team for recent travails. Though the 2007 season was brutal, the former AD said it will strengthen Notre Dame's underclassmen for years to come.
"I think they're going to do a lot better," Rosenthal said. "They've got a lot of great young players."
Parseghian still makes it to the stadium on game days. He attends tailgating and other social functions, but prefers to watch the Irish play on television in private.
"Where I can swear at everybody," he said with a smile.
Based on what he's seen from Weis, Parseghian remains optimistic about Notre Dame's future. Weis recently decided to leave the play calling up to his offensive coordinator, which Parseghian said will help, as will the recent addition of defensive coach Jon Tenuta from Georgia Tech.
"You didn't win 19 games the first two years without doing something right," the former coach said. "It was just one of those years where nothing went right for them.''
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