Bowl wins, had an ownership stake in the Dolphins, and had an owner that wouldn’t release him even if Shula wanted to. It was a pipe dream for many ND fans. I think in 1980 the times had changed and there was a possibility

There was a period in the immediate aftermath of Csonka, Kiick & Warfield signing w/ WFL that year that Shula & Robbie were NOT on speaking terms. The archbishop (they were both devout Catholics) had to meet with them and broker a truce.

I have no clue as to whether Shula to ND in '74 was a remote possibility. Joyce pushing for Devine then is consistent w/ my understanding. Robbie sent kids to ND and had multiple ties (he was on ND's sideline for 1/78 Cotton), and ND may not have wanted to step on his toes. The Shula-Robbie relationship, however, was very shaky at the time Parseghian retired.

Resignation. He was a candidate for the job in 1964. He was Joyce’s choice while Hesburgh favored Ara and Hesburgh got his choice. The second go around in 1974 Joyce got his way. I don’t think there was much consideration for anyone else. I think Ara would have preferred Tom Pagna. There was a story that Ara suggested a sabbatical from coaching with Pagna filling in. This has been consistently denied by all parties.

Devine was very unpopular in 1977 especially after the sputtering start to the season. After a win at Pitt thanks to Willie Fry injuring Matt Cavanaugh, the loss to Ole Miss where Montana didntbeven mske the travel squad, and the near loss to Purdue, a five minute parking sign was placed on his parking spot at the ACC. I will never forget the collective groan heard on campus when Rusty Lisch was reinserted after Forstek’s injury in the Purdue game and the campus wide cheer when Montana went in. The story at the game was the ND team started jumping up and down on the sideline as Montana first went in. The Purdue SID was watching the game with Roger V up on the press box. He turned to him and said, “you guys are acting like you’ve won the ballgame.” Roger V commented back, “actually we just did.”

game amid the excitement generated by Montana playing QB and Professor Evans said to me something like. “I could see that Montana should be the quarterback. Why couldn’t Coach Devine see that?”

It was truly one of life’s great mysteries why what was obvious to the students and a cerebral philosophy professor was not obvious to Dan Devine.

It wasn't until green jersey game and the run that followed that he became grudgingly accepted. Seniors all hated him my frosh year (his 2d year). After Ole Miss loss in year 3, people were really down on him. When Irish trailed PU 24-14 next week and he finally turned to Montana in desperation, Devine's popularity probably hit its low point. Things improved after that.