Hugh Devore
Encyclopedia
Hugh John Devore was a football
player and coach whose close connection to the University of Notre Dame
saw him serve in both capacities, while also seeing time as head coach at two other colleges as well as the National Football League
's Philadelphia Eagles
.
to play at Notre Dame. While playing on the freshman squad in 1930, Devore caught Rockne's eye during an intrasquad scrimmage when he stopped All-America quarterback Frank Carideo
with a crushing tackle. Unfortunately, Devore never had the opportunity to play for Rockne in an official game after the coach was killed in a plane crash on March 31, 1931.
During his three years as a member of the Fighting Irish varsity, Devore played at end under Hunk Anderson, serving as co-captain during his senior year in 1933. Upon graduating from the school, Devore stayed at Notre Dame the following year as freshman football coach, then followed fellow Irish alum Jim Crowley
as line coach at Fordham University
in 1935.
coach Vince Lombardi
he accepted his first head coaching position when he was hired at Providence College
on January 20, 1938 and served as head coach of the Friars through the 1941 season and compiled a record of 12–19–2. After finishing his fourth season with the Friars, Devore then took an assistant coaching position with Holy Cross College
on January 11, 1942. His one year at the school was marked by his outstanding scouting report of rival Boston College, leading to a stunning 55–12 upset of the Eagles in the season finale. In a strange twist of fate, Devore probably saved the lives of most or all of the BC players. The overconfident BC team had made reservations at Boston's Cocoanut Grove nightclub to celebrate their victory but cancelled. That night Cocoanut Grove burned down with the loss of 492 lives.
entered the U.S. Navy in early 1944, Edward McKeever
was named interim head coach and guided the Irish to an 8–2 record. However, when McKeever accepted the head coaching slot at Cornell University
, Devore took his place on March 6, 1945. Notre Dame started that season in strong fashion with five straight wins and was ranked second in the nation, but a 48–0 thrashing by a potent Army squad ended hopes of a national title, with the Irish closing out the year with a 7–2–1 mark.
, but instead signed to lead St. Bonaventure College on February 13, 1946. In his first three years, Devore led his teams to a 19–5–1 record, including a 7–1–1 mark in 1948, an effort that earned him a new three-year contract. Yet after one 6–4 season, Devore announced his resignation on February 2, 1950 to accept the head coaching position at New York University
, citing the proximity to his New Jersey roots.
coach for the New York University Violets
located in New York, New York. His coaching record at NYU was 4–17–2. This ranks him tenth at NYU in total wins and 20th at NYU in winning percentage.
Devore had entered the job in hopes of improving the fortunes of the once-powerful program which had struggled after years of neglect and strict academic standards that had led to a severe downturn. The effort went for naught when after three years of trying, the school announced on March 10, 1953 that it was dropping its football program after 80 seasons, leaving Devore and his staff looking for work.
. That role lasted only one season, with Devore and Ray McLean
serving as co-coaches for the team's final two games. Devore then returned to the colleges as head coach at the University of Dayton
on January 6, 1954. After two seasons with the Flyers in which he compiled an 8–11–1 record (one of his players was future Notre Dame head coach Gerry Faust
), homesickness pangs once again led him to accept the position of head coach of the NFL Eagles on January 9, 1956. The move, prompted by the strong urgings of league commissioner Bert Bell
, engendered some controversy after Devore had first turned the position down because of his new four-year contract with Dayton.
head coach Steve Owen, Devore struggled during his two seasons in the City of Brotherly Love, compiling a mark of 7–16–1. The poor record led to Devore's firing on January 11, 1958, but the mentor quickly found work again at Notre Dame as freshman coach and assistant athletic director.
after Terry Brennan
was dismissed along with his entire staff. Then when Kuharich resigned during spring practice in March 1963, Devore was once again named interim head coach at the school. In a complete reversal of his earlier stint, Devore's one season at the helm saw Notre Dame hit rock bottom with a 2–7 record. One of the few bright spots was a midseason 17–14 upset of the University of Southern California
, while the season finale against Syracuse University
saw Devore adorn his team in bright green jerseys, a sharp contrast to the school's traditional blue and gold.
Despite the 2–7 docket in 1963, the beloved, personable Devore, affectionately known as "Hughie," boosted the morale of the squad that had been left devoid of emotion under Kuharich. He knew all along that he was merely a stopgap measure while the search for a permanent replacement was being conducted and maintained, "I'll do whatever Notre Dame feels is best for me." The following year, he was presented with a game ball after Notre Dame's victory over Stanford, and new coach Ara Parseghian
praised Devore for making his job that much easier.
The arrival of Ara Parseghian
brought an exciting new era to the Golden Dome
, including a near-national championship during his first season in 1964. Devore served as assistant athletic director during each of Parseghian's first two years, but on February 9, 1966, he was hired as an assistant coach for the American Football League
's Houston Oilers
under Wally Lemm
.
Health issues led Devore to move in with his daughter, Noreen, in August 1992, and four months later, he died, nearly two weeks after his 82nd birthday. His death was overshadowed in the Notre Dame community by the passing of former Irish athletic director Moose Krause, who died in his sleep two days later.
and Russ Haas
were professional wrestlers who worked for WWE
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach whose close connection to the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
saw him serve in both capacities, while also seeing time as head coach at two other colleges as well as the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early career
Devore was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, and was a three-sport star at the city's St. Benedict's Prep. He was then recruited by the legendary Knute RockneKnute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
to play at Notre Dame. While playing on the freshman squad in 1930, Devore caught Rockne's eye during an intrasquad scrimmage when he stopped All-America quarterback Frank Carideo
Frank Carideo
-External links:...
with a crushing tackle. Unfortunately, Devore never had the opportunity to play for Rockne in an official game after the coach was killed in a plane crash on March 31, 1931.
During his three years as a member of the Fighting Irish varsity, Devore played at end under Hunk Anderson, serving as co-captain during his senior year in 1933. Upon graduating from the school, Devore stayed at Notre Dame the following year as freshman football coach, then followed fellow Irish alum Jim Crowley
Jim Crowley
James Harold "Jim" Crowley was an American football player and coach. He gained fame as one-fourth of the University of Notre Dame's legendary "Four Horsemen" backfield where he played halfback from 1922 to 1924. After a brief career as a professional football player, Crowley turned to coaching...
as line coach at Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
in 1935.
Providence College, Holy Cross
Following three seasons in that role, made famous by his coaching Fordham's iconic "Seven Blocks of Granite," a unit that included future Pro Football Hall of FamePro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
coach Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
he accepted his first head coaching position when he was hired at Providence College
Providence College
Providence College is a private, coeducational, Catholic university located about two miles west of downtown Providence, Rhode Island, United States, the state's capital city. With a 2010–2011 enrollment of 3,850 undergraduate students and 735 graduate students, the College specializes in academic...
on January 20, 1938 and served as head coach of the Friars through the 1941 season and compiled a record of 12–19–2. After finishing his fourth season with the Friars, Devore then took an assistant coaching position with Holy Cross College
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
on January 11, 1942. His one year at the school was marked by his outstanding scouting report of rival Boston College, leading to a stunning 55–12 upset of the Eagles in the season finale. In a strange twist of fate, Devore probably saved the lives of most or all of the BC players. The overconfident BC team had made reservations at Boston's Cocoanut Grove nightclub to celebrate their victory but cancelled. That night Cocoanut Grove burned down with the loss of 492 lives.
Back at Notre Dame
Devore then returned to his alma mater as ends coach the following year. When Irish head coach Frank LeahyFrank Leahy
Francis William Leahy was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive...
entered the U.S. Navy in early 1944, Edward McKeever
Edward McKeever
Edward Clark Timothy McKeever was an American football player, coach, and executive. He served as the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame and Cornell University and the University of San Francisco , compiling a career college football record of 25–12–1...
was named interim head coach and guided the Irish to an 8–2 record. However, when McKeever accepted the head coaching slot at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, Devore took his place on March 6, 1945. Notre Dame started that season in strong fashion with five straight wins and was ranked second in the nation, but a 48–0 thrashing by a potent Army squad ended hopes of a national title, with the Irish closing out the year with a 7–2–1 mark.
St. Bonaventure
Upon Leahy's return, Devore was under consideration for the head coaching position at the University of ArkansasUniversity of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
, but instead signed to lead St. Bonaventure College on February 13, 1946. In his first three years, Devore led his teams to a 19–5–1 record, including a 7–1–1 mark in 1948, an effort that earned him a new three-year contract. Yet after one 6–4 season, Devore announced his resignation on February 2, 1950 to accept the head coaching position at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, citing the proximity to his New Jersey roots.
New York University
Devore was the 24th and last college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach for the New York University Violets
New York University Violets
NYU Violets is the name of the sports teams and other competitive teams at New York University. The colors are the trademarked hue "NYU Violet", and white. The school mascot represents a bobcat. The Violets compete as NCAA Division III teams in the University Athletic Association conference...
located in New York, New York. His coaching record at NYU was 4–17–2. This ranks him tenth at NYU in total wins and 20th at NYU in winning percentage.
Devore had entered the job in hopes of improving the fortunes of the once-powerful program which had struggled after years of neglect and strict academic standards that had led to a severe downturn. The effort went for naught when after three years of trying, the school announced on March 10, 1953 that it was dropping its football program after 80 seasons, leaving Devore and his staff looking for work.
Green Bay Packers, University of Dayton
Less than a month later, Devore found employment at the professional level for the first time as an assistant with the NFL's Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. That role lasted only one season, with Devore and Ray McLean
Ray McLean
Ray "Scooter" McLean was a football player and coach at both the collegiate and professional levels, but may be best remembered for preceding Vince Lombardi as head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1958....
serving as co-coaches for the team's final two games. Devore then returned to the colleges as head coach at the University of Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
on January 6, 1954. After two seasons with the Flyers in which he compiled an 8–11–1 record (one of his players was future Notre Dame head coach Gerry Faust
Gerry Faust
Gerard Anthony "Gerry" Faust is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame from 1981 to 1985 and at the University of Akron from 1986 to 1994, compiling a career college football record of 73–79–4...
), homesickness pangs once again led him to accept the position of head coach of the NFL Eagles on January 9, 1956. The move, prompted by the strong urgings of league commissioner Bert Bell
Bert Bell
De Benneville "Bert" Bell was the National Football League commissioner from 1946 until his death in 1959. As commissioner, he helped chart a path for the NFL to facilitate its rise in becoming the most popular sports attraction in the United States...
, engendered some controversy after Devore had first turned the position down because of his new four-year contract with Dayton.
Philadelphia Eagles
Despite adding assistants such as former New York GiantsNew York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
head coach Steve Owen, Devore struggled during his two seasons in the City of Brotherly Love, compiling a mark of 7–16–1. The poor record led to Devore's firing on January 11, 1958, but the mentor quickly found work again at Notre Dame as freshman coach and assistant athletic director.
Second return to Notre Dame
The following year, after having recommended his former Fordham player Vince Lombardi for the Packers' head coaching position, Devore was retained as freshman coach by new head coach Joe KuharichJoe Kuharich
Joseph Lawrence Kuharich was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of San Francisco from 1948 to 1951 and at the University of Notre Dame from 1959 to 1962, compiling a career college football record of 43–37...
after Terry Brennan
Terry Brennan
Terence Patrick Brennan is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame from 1954 to 1958, compiling a record of 32–18.-Early life and playing career:...
was dismissed along with his entire staff. Then when Kuharich resigned during spring practice in March 1963, Devore was once again named interim head coach at the school. In a complete reversal of his earlier stint, Devore's one season at the helm saw Notre Dame hit rock bottom with a 2–7 record. One of the few bright spots was a midseason 17–14 upset of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, while the season finale against Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
saw Devore adorn his team in bright green jerseys, a sharp contrast to the school's traditional blue and gold.
Despite the 2–7 docket in 1963, the beloved, personable Devore, affectionately known as "Hughie," boosted the morale of the squad that had been left devoid of emotion under Kuharich. He knew all along that he was merely a stopgap measure while the search for a permanent replacement was being conducted and maintained, "I'll do whatever Notre Dame feels is best for me." The following year, he was presented with a game ball after Notre Dame's victory over Stanford, and new coach Ara Parseghian
Ara Parseghian
Ara Raoul Parseghian is a former American football player and coach of Armenian descent. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , Northwestern University , and the University of Notre Dame , compiling a career college football record of 170–58–6...
praised Devore for making his job that much easier.
The arrival of Ara Parseghian
Ara Parseghian
Ara Raoul Parseghian is a former American football player and coach of Armenian descent. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , Northwestern University , and the University of Notre Dame , compiling a career college football record of 170–58–6...
brought an exciting new era to the Golden Dome
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, including a near-national championship during his first season in 1964. Devore served as assistant athletic director during each of Parseghian's first two years, but on February 9, 1966, he was hired as an assistant coach for the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
's Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
under Wally Lemm
Wally Lemm
Wally Lemm was a football coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels and achieved his greatest prominence as head coach of the American Football League's Houston Oilers and the National Football League's St...
.
Houston
After five years in that capacity, Devore then went to work as promotions director for the Houston Sports Association, dealing primarily with bringing in events for the city's Astrodome. He continued working until retiring at the age of 75 in 1986.Health issues led Devore to move in with his daughter, Noreen, in August 1992, and four months later, he died, nearly two weeks after his 82nd birthday. His death was overshadowed in the Notre Dame community by the passing of former Irish athletic director Moose Krause, who died in his sleep two days later.
Personal life
Devore was married to the former Madeline Foster on January 15, 1938, who preceded him in death. They had seven children. Devore's grandsons, Charlie HaasCharlie Haas
Charles "Charlie" Doyle Haas II is an American professional wrestler and former collegiate amateur wrestler. He competes on the independent circuit, and is signed to Ring of Honor , where he is one-half of the reigning ROH World Tag Team Champions with Shelton Benjamin...
and Russ Haas
Russ Haas
Thomas Russell "Russ" Haas was a professional wrestler. He is best known for his work alongside his brother Charlie in Memphis Championship Wrestling and Jersey All Pro Wrestling....
were professional wrestlers who worked for WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
.