Knute Rockne was a Norwegian-American football player and coach at the ‘University of Notre Dame.’ Knute is remembered as one of the greatest coaches in the history of football. He also holds the credit for popularizing the phrase ‘forward pass’ in the sport. Knute started playing football in a local football club. He won ‘All-American’ honors in 1913 at ‘Notre Dame.’ He played a major role in transforming the game at the University. He became the coach at the university in 1914. He remained the head coach for 13 years, during which he helped his team win 105 matches and three national championships. The team also lost 12 matches. Nonetheless, Knute scored the highest-winning percentage of the University at major leagues. He was inducted into ‘College Football Hall of Fame’ in 1951. Some of his brilliant quotes on passion, football, hard work and life are curated below.
Leaders are like eagles... they don't flock. You'll find them one at a time.
Knute Rockne
It isn't necessary to see a good tackle. You can hear it.
Knute Rockne
If winning isn't everything why bother to keep the score?
Knute Rockne
If we're a hit, let 'em say anything they want.
Knute Rockne
If the coach insists upon hard play, but clean play, the team will do likewise.
Knute Rockne
If I flop, let 'em pan me.
Knute Rockne
I've found that prayers work best when you have big players.
Knute Rockne
I'm getting sick and tired of doing anything half-way.
Knute Rockne
I don't like to lose, and that isn't so much because it is just a football game, but because defeat means the failure to reach your objective.
Knute Rockne
Generalities don't count and won't help you in football.
Knute Rockne
Four years of football are calculated to breed in the average man more of the ingredients of success in life than almost any academic course he takes.
Knute Rockne
Football is a game played with arms, legs and shoulders but mostly from the neck up.
Knute Rockne
Drink the first. Sip the second slowly. Skip the third.
Knute Rockne
Courage means being afraid to do something, but still doing it.
Knute Rockne
Build up your weaknesses until they become your strong points.
Knute Rockne
Boards, boards, boards.
Knute Rockne
At home we're the hosts, and I never liked the idea of being embarrassed in front of our friends.
Knute Rockne
All the world loves a winner and has no time for a loser.
Knute Rockne
A coach's greatest asset is his sense of responsibility - the reliance placed on him by his players.
Knute Rockne
An automobile goes nowhere efficiently unless it has a quick, hot spark to ignite things, to set the cogs of the machine in motion. So I try to make every player on my team feel he's the spark keeping our machine in motion.
Knute Rockne
I have to get the most energy out of a man and have discovered that it cannot be done if he hates another man. Hate blocks his energy and he isn't up to par until he eliminates it and develops a friendly feeling...(towards all his teammates.)
