I became a head football coach when I was 27 years old at Miami of Ohio.
The burdens of being a head coach are different from being an assistant. If I had been an assistant coach for awhile, then become a head coach, I probably would have lasted longer.
That's one thing: When I left Notre Dame, when I left every school, what I'm the proudest of is we never compromised the rules, never were on probation, never had any major problems of any kind.
Money talks; there's no question about it.
It's a terrific honor. To be associated with the number of people who represent the Cradle of Coaches, it's sort of unreal in a sense.
I say college football began with Rockne.
One thing about Notre Dame, it's like a service academy in a lot of ways. There is a closeness.
That's the unpredictable part, and that's what worries every coach: Protect the football. That's why, when you go into a ballgame, you may be favored, but there's no guarantee you're going to win it.
I've missed the association with players and coaches but haven't missed the recruiting and the travel.
I was a 52-year-old coach. But people don't realize I had 25 years as a head coach. Most coaches my age only had a few years as head coach. I had six years at Miami of Ohio, eight years at Northwestern, 11 at Notre Dame.
On any play where there's a scramble of 22 men, blindside hits and unprotected hits on knees occur.
I learned long ago not to tear into anyone for a mistake.
I remember when I drove into Notre Dame, getting ready for the first day of work. I had an electrical charge go up my back because I realized all of a sudden that I was responsible for the traditions that the Knute Rocknes and the Frank Leahys had set, and what Notre Dame stood for.
You're going to have disappointments. But how you handle those disappointments is the important thing for you and everybody that's around you. That's what I found from being not only a player but also a coach.
Whether you like it or not, you're a national figure after five games at Notre Dame.
To me, going for a tie means kicking the extra point for a tie instead of going for a two-point conversion to win.
In my own opinion, psychology in football is far more important than anyone believes, including the coaches.
I can't think of anything that's hit me harder in my life than when I learned that three of our youngest grandchildren were diagnosed with Niemann-Pick C.
External pressure I never worried about.
I had grown up during a time when Notre Dame football was held in the highest esteem. I listened to all of the games on the radio.
