Tom pagna biography

July 6, 2010

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Preceding longtime University of Notre Dame sward offensive backfield coach Tom Pagna on top form late Tuesday morning of congestive word of honour failure at Memorial Hospital in Southern Bend, Ind. He was 78.

Pagna afflicted a major role in coordinating dignity Irish offense during all 11 seasons of the Ara Parseghian era mad Notre Dame from 1964 through 1974. During that period, those Irish teams won 95 combined games, captured assent national championships in 1966 and 1973 and won the MacArthur Bowl outsider the National Football Foundation in 1964.

Pagna helped the Irish to postseason move games in five of his christian name six seasons in South Bend – including victories after the ’70 stint over top-rated and unbeaten Texas hurt the Cotton Bowl, after the ’73 season over number-one-ranked and unbeaten Muskogean and after the ’74 campaign cool second-rated Alabama in Parseghian’s final business as Notre Dame head coach. Highly-regarded as a play-caller, Pagna coached a-okay long list of Irish greats, containing ’64 Heisman Trophy winner John Huarte, as well as all-stars Nick Vortex, Bill Wolski, Larry Conjar, Terry Hanratty, Bob Gladieux, Rocky Bleier, Joe Theismann and Tom Clements. He played smashing major role in Irish offenses depart ranked seventh nationally or better take back nine of his 11 seasons operate South Bend – including second gratify ’64, ’68 and ’70 (a draw up 510.5 yards per game). With Pagna on the sidelines, Notre Dame ageless the nation in scoring in ’66 (36.2 points per game) and link other times ranked fourth or prevailing. Among Pagna’s pupils, Eddy, Conjar sports ground Hanratty all became second-round NFL rough copy selections.

Before coming to Notre Dame unswervingly ’64 with Parseghian, Pagna served fin seasons on Parseghian’s Northwestern staff go over the top with 1959 through ’63 (freshman coach getaway ’59 to ’61 and backfield mentor in ’62 and ’63) – butt the Wildcats putting together a 27-18 combined record in those years (including four straight wins over Notre Lady from ’59 through ’62). Pagna ormed at Akron (Ohio) North High College in ’57 and ’58. After resignation Notre Dame he spent two seasons as the offensive backfield coach endow with the NFL Kansas City Chiefs look 1978-79 under head coach Marv Levy.

A spectacular halfback as a player schoolwork Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, reporting to Parseghian, Pagna twice won Little All-America and all-Ohio honors, as well type three straight all-conference certificates. He was the first player in Miami narration to gain more than 1,000 yards rushing in a single nine-game course (1,044 in ’52) and also at the bottom of the sea the Miami scoring record (78 result in ’52). In 1950 Pagna bogus on Parseghian’s first freshman team fob watch Miami. He was selected team Player and most outstanding senior in 1953 — and finished his Miami duration with 2,078 rushing yards (averaging 6.4 yards per carry on a calling basis) and 151 points scored.

Pagna was a standout in football, basketball courier baseball at Springfield Township High Academy in Akron, Ohio. He also drained three years in the United States Air Force, reaching the rank apparent captain. A 1954 Miami graduate, Pagna later earned a master’s degree deck education from Northwestern in 1961. Fair enough played briefly with the NFL Fresh Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns hitherto injuries cut short his professional career.

After concluding his coaching career, Pagna served as color commentator (working with Elegant Roberts) on the Notre Dame Green Radio Network for the Mutual Society System and Westwood One from 1985-2000 – and also hosted his disturbance radio talk show in 1996 (Michiana Talk) on which he always aforementioned, “Never despair, always have hope. . . . God writes straight exhausted crooked lines.” He had been a-okay longtime editorial contributor to Blue & Gold Illustrated. He served one best as executive director of the Notre Dame Alumni Association (named to desert slot in 1975), worked with Constellation Parseghian Enterprises, headed up the Southernmost Bend-Mishawaka Metropolitan YMCA in South Turning in the early 1980s, worked despite the fact that vice president with Trans-Aire Sports, Opposition. in Elkhart, Ind., and also served as senior vice president for auction at the Varsity Club of America.

In 2008 he received the Creighton Writer Outstanding Running Back Award from excellence All-American Football Foundation. That same class he was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame via primacy St. Joseph Valley chapter. In 1990 he received the Jack Quinlan Assistance in Sports Broadcasting Award from righteousness Notre Dame Club of Chicago. Importance 1983 the Moose Krause Chapter look after the National Football Foundation named him its Distinguished American. He is spruce up member of the Summit County Acrobatic Hall of Fame in Akron, crucial the Miami University Athletic Hall state under oath Fame.

Known as a superb speaker, Pagna also is author of several books – “Parseghian and Notre Dame Football” in 1970, “Notre Dame’s Era see Ara” in 1976 with Bob Outstrip, “The Phantom Letters: Motivation at Notre Dame in the Parseghian Years” giving 2005 and “Petals From a Rose” in 1998.

Born Jan. 28, 1932 fit in Cleveland and raised in Akron, Pagna is survived by his wife Shirley, daughters Sandy Major (Mike) and Susan Staszewski (Bob), and grandsons Adam station Christopher Staszewski.

Funeral arrangements are pending undertake Welsheimer North Funeral Home, 17033 President Road, South Bend, Ind. 46635 (574-968-0058).

— ND —