Ara Parseghian

You get different philosophies in coaching, usually depending on what position the coach himself played. ”

Success in football is relative. If you take a job at a school that finished with a 1-9 record the year before, you're considered a good coach if you finish 5-5 in your first season. But what happens if you start with 8-2 or 9-1? ”

When you set these high expectations and goals, and they are demolished so early in the season, that has an effect on the psyche. It wears you down. ”

I came to Notre Dame to renew the winning tradition. ”

When I make a fist, it's strong, and you can't tear it apart. As long as there's unity, there's strength. ”

You are going to get knocked down, but you don't lie there. You get up and face the challenge. ”

The 1973 team is real special. I had never coached against Bear Bryant. Alabama had never played Notre Dame. It was North against South; the Catholics against the Baptists; both teams were undefeated, and everything was on the line. ”

One thing about Notre Dame, it's like a service academy in a lot of ways. There is a closeness. ”

One of the reasons I never went into pro football was because I wanted my kids to grow up around an academic environment. And that's exactly what we did. ”

My kids grew up here. My son and daughter both went to Notre Dame. ”