The only entity that was able to beat Knute Rockne was fate. On March 31, 1931 Rockne was killed in a plane crash, an incident President Herbet Hoover called "a national loss."
In his death Rockne's fame has superseded even that of his life. Regularly regarded as the greatest coach in college football history and even having his persona, or references to it, in a variety of different forms of media including the timeless sports classic feature-film Knute Rockne: All American, with Ronald Reagan starring as George Gipp. Rockne was incredibly important to the evolution of Notre Dame football and college football as a whole. That, combined with his historically successful execution on the field, put Rockne easily atop any list of great college football coaches, obviously including this one of those from Notre Dame.
Will Charlie Weis ever crack this list? Likely not. But he is a very good recruiter, has put together a talented group of players (on offense at least), and a national championship or two would go along way towards Weis at least scratching his name on the wall of Irish history with the aforementioned names rather than being relegated with the Gerry Fausts and Bob Davies of history to the bin of willfully forgotten castoffs.
Article comments
1 - Elmer
I agree with your review. They are great coaches.
2 - Tony
Thanks Elmer. They have a great history, even if the present isn't so great. Would love to see Lou, or maybe his son, on the sidelines at ND.