Former Notre Dame Football coach Ara Parseghian has passed away at the age of 94-years-old. According to the University’s president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, Parseghian died at 1:30 AM on Wednesday, August 2 at his home in Granger, Indiana.
Parseghian led the University of Notre Dame football team to national championships in 1966 and 1973. He is a member of the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame.
Parseghian grew up in Akron, Ohio and played football starting in his junior year of high school. He enrolled at the University of Akron, but soon quit to join the U.S. Navy for two years during World War II. After the war, he finished his college career at Miami University in Ohio, and went on to play halfback for the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference in 1948 and 1949.
Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980, Parseghian led the Irish to a 95-17-4 record over his 11 seasons in South Bend, highlighted by the 1966 and 1973 teams that finished 9-0-1 and 11-0-0.
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Notre Dame released an official statement on Parseghian’s passing:
“Notre Dame mourns the loss of a legendary football coach, a beloved member of the Notre Dame family and good man – Ara Parseghian,” Father Jenkins said. “Among his many accomplishments, we will remember him above all as a teacher, leader and mentor who brought out the very best in his players, on and off the field.
“He continued to demonstrate that leadership by raising millions of research dollars seeking a cure for the terrible disease that took the lives of three of his grandchildren. Whenever we asked for Ara’s help at Notre Dame, he was there.
“My prayers are with Katie, his family and many friends as we mourn his passing and celebrate a life that was so well lived.”
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