The All-Ara Parseghian Notre Dame Team: Offense
Defense was the true calling card of the Ara Parseghian teams from 1964-74, as he would put most of his best athletes on that side of the ball.
The inside joke with his backfield coach Tom Pagna was “you can’t play for Parseghian and Pagna in the backfield if you’re big and fast.” In their final eight seasons from 1967-74, only one of their backs who graduated from Notre Dame was drafted higher than the eighth round (there aren’t even eight rounds anymore). The leading rusher for the 1970 team that finished No. 2 in the country was a walk-on, Ed Gulyas.
Further epitomizing the overachieving “grit” of Parseghian offenses was the fact that in his last six seasons from 1969-74, only one offensive lineman was drafted high than the fifth round: Jim Reilly (1967-69) in the 1970 third round, although he would play only two seasons in the NFL.
This was the criteria for the All-Ara team on offense: 1) body of work/production, 2) impact toward a national title or contention and 3) number of years played.
Quarterback: Joe Theismann…(or Tom Clements)
Right off the bat this is an extremely difficult choice.
First, how can it not be John Huarte (1964), Parseghian’s lone Heisman winner who led the Irish to a dramatic 9-1 “Resurrection” season in the first year after a 2-7 finish a year earlier? How can a Heisman winner be omitted?
One also could argue for Terry Hanratty, who made the cover of Time magazine while helping the Irish to the 1966 national title as a sophomore. Plus, he was the highest draft pick at the position (No. 30 overall in 1969, second round) during the Era of Ara.
I’m partial toward Tom Clements (1972-74), who in totality had the best college career:
• He was his lone three-year starter at quarterback (an injured Hanratty was replaced by Coley O’Brien in 1966 and Theismann in 1968), and had the most victories (29-5 as the starter).
• He was the MVP in a national title tilt while completing the most famous pass in Notre Dame history (1973 Sugar Bowl versus Alabama).
• He finished fourth in the 1974 Heisman balloting, and was a threat as a passer and runner, with his 1,148 yards on the ground second only to Tony Rice (1987-89) among Irish QBs, and just ahead of Theismann’s 1,091.
• He was the only QB under Parseghian to be selected as a team captain, and the reverence teammates had for his leadership and poise is unparalleled.
Nevertheless, if there was word association with Parseghian and one player at Notre Dame he is most identified with, our guess is it probably would be the dual-threat Theismann with his combination of talent and personality.
The 1970 Heisman runner-up and future NFL MVP and Super Bowl champ capped his career with a 24-11 upset of No. 1 Texas in the 1971 Cotton Bowl for a No. 2 finish. What was amazing about Theismann was in his senior year not one member of his offensive line or running back corps played in the NFL, nor did his tight end. Even top receiver Thom Gatewood was a fifth-round pick whose NFL career was limited to two years.
If you pick solely on college achievements, it’s Clements. If you base it on NFL-caliber talent, it’s Theismann.
Fullback/Halfback: Wayne "The Train" Bullock & Nick Eddy
Before Notre Dame ever rode Jerome “The Bus” Bettis, it traveled well with “The Train.” Bullock's 948 yards rushing in 1974 and 831 for the 1973 national champs (including the bowl games) ranked 1-2 as the best single-season outputs by a back during the Era of Ara. Bullock’s 1,892 yards rushing were the most in a career amassed by a back under Parseghian, as were his 24 rushing TDs.
Eddy (1964-66) finished third in the 1966 Heisman Trophy balloting, and had the second most yards on the ground under Parseghian (1,615) while averaging 5.6 yards per carry. He also was a dynamic receiver, averaging 15.7 yards on his 45 career catches, and returned two kickoffs for TDs as a senior.
Larry Conjar’s (1965-66) tenacious blocking and productive running made him into a second-round pick at fullback. Rocky Bleier (1965-67) was a 16th-round pick, but the 1967 Irish captain became one of the best underdog stories in NFL history while starting for four Super Bowl champions.
Halfback Bob Gladieux (1966-68) scored the most TDs overall (26) during the Parseghian era. Bill Wolski (1964-65) paced the 1964 team on the ground, while the dynamic game-breaking skills of Eric Penick (1972-74) and Art Best (1972-74) were instrumental in the “run” toward the 1973 national title when the Irish set an unbreakable school record of 350.2 yards rushing per game.
Receivers: Jim Seymour & Thom Gatewood
Gatewood (1969-71) and Seymour (1966-68) dominated the Notre Dame receiving marks for 35 years, and are still prominent in the record books.
Gatewood finished with 157 catches while Seymour had 138. Both led the team in receptions all three years they played (freshmen were not eligible in their era).
Gatewood’s 79 catches in 1970 (including the bowl) weren’t eclipsed until 2009, by Golden Tate. Seymour’s 276 yards receiving against Rose-Bowl winner Purdue in his 1966 debut has not been rivaled.
Jack Snow (1964) and Pete Demmerle (1972-74) also had exceptional careers, with Snow finishing 5th in the 1964 Heisman balloting and Demmerle earning consensus All-America notice as a senior.
Like Theismann at QB, Snow probably was the best receiver, and a strong NFL career would back that argument. Unfortunately, he played only one season under Parseghian.
Tight End: Dave Casper
A captain for the 1973 national champs, Casper is one of the greatest tight ends in football annals. He actually started at offensive tackle in 1971-72 because the Irish were short on candidates there but were well-manned at tight end with Mike Creaney.
In 1972, Casper started at offensive tackle one week against Michigan State — and the next week versus Pitt he started in place of injured split end Willie Townsend. After Creaney’s graduation, Casper returned permanently to tight end, where he earned All-America notice. He earned induction into both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, one of only six Fighting Irish alumni to achieve that feat.
Creaney merits special mention because the three-year starter’s 46 career catches averaged a remarkable 19.3 yards. He actually finished his career with twice as many catches than Casper.
A special mention to the late Don Gmitter (1964-66). He started on defense in 1964 before moving to tight end his last two seasons.
And of course, there was never a more famous catch in Notre Dame history than Robin Weber's (1972-74) 35-yard grab from Clements in the closing two minutes of the 1973 Sugar Bowl battle for the national title. He would start the following year as Casper's successor.
Offensive Line: George Kunz and Bob Kuechenberg at tackle, Dick Arrington and Tom Regner at guard, and George Goeddeke at center.
Right tackle Kunz (1966-68) was the No. 2 pick in the 1969 NFL Draft, behind O.J.
Simpson, and was an eight-time Pro Bowl pick. Kunz, Aaron Taylor (1990-93) and Zack Martin (2010-13) are the three greatest offensive linemen to play at Notre Dame the past 60 years.
Kuechenberg started at defensive end his last two season in 1967-68, but was the starting right tackle as a sophomore for the 1966 national champs when Kunz suffered a season ending injury in the second game. Like Kunz, “Kooch” had a phenomenal NFL career with six Pro Bowl appearances — as a guard.
Regner started on defense as a sophomore but became an All-America guard in 1966 and a first-round pick (No. 15 overall) in 1967.
Arrington, an All-American in wresting and football, started on both offense and defense in 1965, sharing time with fellow “Iron Man” Regner on the defensive side.
Goeddeke, Notre Dame’s colorful “Mr. Clean” provided levity in the locker room and was the starting center three straight years (1964-66) when the Irish lost only three games.
One of the remarkable ascents was by tackle Paul Seiler (1964-66), who didn’t start until his senior year yet became the 12th pick in the 1967 NFL Draft.
Tackle Steve Sylvester (1972-74), a 10th-round pick, was on three Super Bowl champions in the pros.
Three-years starters such as brothers Larry (1968-70) and Gerry DiNardo (1972-74), John Dampeer (1970-72) and Frank Pomarico (1971-73) never suited up in the NFL. Same with 1973-74 starting center Mark Brenneman, while 1969 co-captain/center Mike Oriard was a walk-on.
Tomorrow: The All-Ara Parseghian Defense & Special Teams
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