The All-Ara Parseghian Notre Dame Unit: Defense & Special Teams
The Ara Parseghian era (1964-74) often is noted for his prolific offenses that always were tailored to the team’s specific talents. In 11 seasons, Parseghian had four different starting quarterbacks who finished in the top 4 of the Heisman Trophy balloting (with John Huarte winning it in 1964).
His 1973 national champs set the unbreakable school record for rushing yards per game (350.2) in a season, the 1968 squad still holds the program standard for most points per game in a year (37.6) and the 1970 unit is still the only one ever at Notre Dame to average at least 250 yards passing and 250 yards rushing in the same season. That team also ran an average of 92.4 plays per game — still an NCAA record in one year.
Yet Parseghian’s hallmark came on defense. Other than at quarterback, he would almost always assemble his greatest athletes on defense while operating on the premise, “If they don’t score, you don’t lose.”
During his 11 seasons at Notre Dame, Parseghian’s defenses ranked an aggregate No. 1 nationally while allowing only 215.6 yards per game in a season, and never more than 258.3. It’s a far different world in college football today regarding offense, but for context consider that even the stellar top-ranked Irish defense in 2012 finished at 305.5.
Putting together an "All-Ara" unit on defense is just as challenging as it was for the opposition going against it. The criteria was the same as offense that we featured yesterday: 1) body of work/production, 2) impact toward a national title or contention and 3) number of years played.
Defensive Line: Walt Patulski (1969-71) and Ross Browner (1973) the ends, with Mike McCoy (1967-69) and Alan Page (1964-66) the tackles
Patulski, the 1971 Lombardi Award winner, is the most recent Irish player to be selected No. 1 overall by the NFL (1972), while Browner’s profound impact as a freshman for the 1973 national champs began a career that made him Notre Dame’s most productive defensive lineman ever.
Although Page was an end at Notre Dame, he played tackle in the pros, so we’ll shift him there because he is one of only six Irish players to make both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame (joining Wayne Millner, George Connor, Paul Hornung, Dave Casper and Tim Brown).
The second tackle position was the most difficult position to select.
There was never a more dominant tackle at Notre Dame than Steve Niehaus (1972-75), the No. 2 pick in the 1976 NFL Draft. He was a starter in the first game of his freshman year as a 17-year-old (recording more than a dozen tackles and a blocked kick in that debut), yet was quick enough to star at end, out of need, as a junior in 1974. However, knee injuries limited Niehaus to only the first four games in both 1972 and 1973.
Another No. 2 overall selection was McCoy, whose No. 6 placement in the Heisman balloting as a senior is the second-highest ever by a Notre Dame defensive lineman (behind Browner).
Finally, Kevin Hardy (1964, 1966-67), the No. 7 pick in the 1968 NFL Draft, was a three-time All-American who as a sophomore stepped in and made a significant difference in sharing a national title in 1964 and then winning a consensus title two years later. He also was an effective emergency punter in the 1966 showdown versus Michigan State, and earned monograms in basketball and baseball, where he starred.
Flip a coin among that trio. There really is no right or wrong answer. Each was dominant in his own way. In this situation, we’ll give a slight nod to McCoy because of his Heisman placement and the fact that, among Irish defensive linemen, only Page lasted longer in the NFL than McCoy’s 11 seasons that included 97 starts. Hardy's impact was perhaps more profound (although he also had a stronger supporting cast), and Niehaus probably was the most physically talented of all.
Notre Dame was “Defensive Line U.” during this era under assistant coach Joe Yonto, who also helped develop All-Americans Pete Duranko (1965-66), Mike Kadish (1969-71), Greg Marx (1969-72) and Mike Fanning (1972-74) in the interior during the Parseghian years.
The most underrated at end was Jim Stock (1972-74).
Linebackers: Jim Lynch (1964-66), Bob Olson (1967-69) and Greg Collins (1972-74)
Captain of the 1966 national champs, future NFL Pro Bowl player and Super Bowl champ Lynch was the recipient of the Maxwell Award that year, a rarity for a defensive player, and he is in the College Football Hall of Fame. He truly was a "linchpin" of the Parseghian era.
Olson led the Irish in tackles three straight years and his 369 stops were the most in the Parseghian era. He also was the lone two-time captain (1968-69) during the head coach’s reign.
Collins was the leading tackler for the 1973 national champs with 133, and had 144 a year later as a co-captain with quarterback Tom Clements (not including both bowl wins versus 11-0 Alabama). Linebackers coach George Kelly, who also would mentor All-Americans Bob Golic (1975-78) and Bob Crable (1978-81), said he’s never coached anyone who was better or loved the game and the hitting more than Collins.
Jim Carroll had 140 stops for the 1964 Cinderella squad while serving as the team captain. John Pergine (1965-67) holds the school career record for interceptions by a linebacker (9), and Drew Mahalic was a three-year starter from 1972-74.
Gary Potempa, who also worked at nose guard, had a tremendous season for the 1973 national champs.
Defensive Backs: Tom Schoen (1965-67), Clarence Ellis (1969-71), Mike Townsend (1971-73) and Luther Bradley (1973)
Schoen was a two-time All-America pick at safety after converting from quarterback, where he had a previous start the year prior. He had two interceptions in the epic showdown versus No. 2 Michigan State in 1966 with the national title on the line.
Ellis, a first-round pick at cornerback, was a two-time All-America selection who still holds the school career record for passes broken up (32) to go with his 13 career interceptions. He also was the Defensive MVP in the 1971 Cotton Bowl win over No. 1 Texas – and set up a score by catching a 37-yard pass as a receiver.
As a cornerback, Townsend led the nation in interceptions in 1972 with 10 (still a single-season Notre Dame record), and the next year as a free safety he was a tri-captain and a first-team All-America selection for the 1973 national champs.
Similar to classmate Browner, Bradley’s 1973 freshman year is the gold standard for first-year Irish players as he led the squad in interceptions (6) and passes broken up (11), playing his best game against USC while helping end the Trojans’ 23-game unbeaten streak.
Three-year starting cornerbacks Ralph Stepaniak (1969-71) and Reggie Barnett (1972-74) also must receive their props, although neither played in the NFL. Stepaniak’s 13 interceptions matched classmate Ellis’ and Townsend's, while Barnett started for the 1973 national champs. In Parseghian’s final game, Barnett made the game-saving interception near his 30-yard line in the closing minute to help seal the 13-11 win over 11-0 and No. 1 Alabama in the Orange Bowl.
Specialists: Kicker Bob Thomas (1971-73), punter Brian Doherty (1971-73) and return man Nick Rassas (1964-65)
Three-year starters together, Thomas thrived after walking on to the team, while Doherty punted. Thomas, who had an 11-year NFL career, kicked the game-winning field goal against Alabama in the 1973 Sugar Bowl matchup for the national title, with Doherty the holder.
Walk-on safety Rassas was not only an All-America in the defensive backfield — consider him the nickel — but he also led the nation in punt returns in 1965 with a 19.1 average and three touchdowns.
----
• Talk about it inside Rockne's Roundtable
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue & Gold Illustrated.
• Follow us on Twitter: @BGINews, @BGI_LouSomogyi, @BGI_CoachD,
@BGI_MattJones, @BGI_DMcKinney and @BGI_CoreyBodden.
• Like us on Facebook