Joe Montana - Related Biography: Coach Dan Devine

Joe Montana didn't always see eye to eye with coach Dan Devine during their years together at Notre Dame, but in the years before Devine's death in 2002 the two had established an uneasy peace. For his part, Devine made it clear that he thought Montana was the greatest quarterback ever to play the game. Montana, however, still harbored a degree of resentment toward Devine for what he believes was the coach's failure to give him his fair share of playing time. One thing is clear. Despite any lingering hard feelings, the two proved a powerful combination that fueled Notre Dame's drive to the national college championship in 1977 and a memorable Cotton Bowl victory over the University of Houston in 1979.

Devine was born in Augusta, Wisconsin, on December 23, 1924. He earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Minnesota at Duluth in 1948 and a master's degree in guidance counseling from the University of Michigan. He began his football coaching career at Arizona State University in 1955, where he compiled a record of 27-3-1 over three seasons. He next moved on to the University of Missouri, where he coached for thirteen seasons, compiling a record of 93-37-7 and winning for his team six bowl appearances and two Big Eight championships. He jumped to pro ball in 1971, taking over the reins at Green Bay. Although he coached the Packers to a NFC Central Division championship in 1972, his other three seasons with the team was disappointing, and fans turned against Devine.

In 1975 Devine replaced legendary Notre Dame coach Ara Paraseghian and over five seasons at the helm of the Fighting Irish compiled a record of 53-16-1. The brightest moments came in 1977, when Notre Dame won the national college championship, and in a brilliant come-from-behind victory against Houston in the Cotton Bowl. Montana figured prominently in both those victories.

Devine left coaching in 1980 and returned to Arizona State as executive director of the Sun Angel Foundation, a fund-raising group. In 1987 he