Joe Yonto
Encyclopedia
Joe Yonto was an American football
player and coach, serving most of his career at the University of Notre Dame
. He served under three national championship coaches (Ara Parseghian
, Dan Devine
and Lou Holtz
) during his career.
A native of Orrville, Ohio
, Yonto played fullback
as sophomore (1945) and guard as junior (1946) under coach Frank Leahy
at Notre Dame. As a senior prior to his 1948 graduation, he served as an assistant freshman team coach after a leg injury ended his playing career. He went on to coach high school football
for 16 years at numerous schools, including seven years at Notre Dame High School for Boys in Niles, Illinois
.
In 1964 he returned to the University of Notre Dame as defensive line coach under incoming head coach Parseghian, and held that role throughout Parseghian's 11 seasons, as well as six more (1975–80) under Devine, the last four as defensive coordinator. During that period, he was a part of three Notre Dame national championship staffs (1966, 1973 and 1977) and he coached a dozen All-America defensive linemen. That list included Alan Page
, Kevin Hardy
, Mike McCoy
, Walt Patulski
, Mike Kadish
, Mike Fanning
, Steve Niehaus
and Ross Browner
—all of whom went on to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft
. Browner won the Lombardi
, Outland
and Maxwell Award
s, and Patulski also won the Lombardi.
On 12 occasions, Yonto′s defensive line ranked among the top 10 teams in the country in terms of rushing defense. Eight of those Irish teams gave up less than 100 rushing yards per game, and the 1974 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
ranked first nationally in both rushing defense and total defense (195.2 yards per game). During the Gerry Faust
years (1981–85), Yonto served as a special assistant to athletic director Gene Corrigan while handling administrative duties in a wide variety of football areas. Then, he returned to serve as defensive line coach in 1986
and 1987
under Lou Holtz
.
Yonto spent three more years as a special assistant to athletic director Dick Rosenthal
from 1988-89 through 1990-91. After his retirement, Yonto represented the University and athletics department at a variety of events.
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, serving most of his career at 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...
. He served under three national championship coaches (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...
, Dan Devine
Dan Devine
Daniel John Devine was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach football coach at Arizona State University from 1955 to 1957, the University of Missouri from 1958 to 1970, and the University of Notre Dame from 1975 to 1980, compiling a career college football mark of...
and Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz
Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...
) during his career.
A native of Orrville, Ohio
Orrville, Ohio
Orrville is a city in Wayne County, Ohio, United States. The population was 8,551 at the 2000 census.The J.M. Smucker Co., owner of the Smucker's brand, is headquartered in Orrville.-Geography:Orrville is located at ....
, Yonto played fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
as sophomore (1945) and guard as junior (1946) under coach Frank Leahy
Frank Leahy
Francis William Leahy was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive...
at Notre Dame. As a senior prior to his 1948 graduation, he served as an assistant freshman team coach after a leg injury ended his playing career. He went on to coach high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
for 16 years at numerous schools, including seven years at Notre Dame High School for Boys in Niles, Illinois
Niles, Illinois
Niles is a village in Maine and Niles Townships, Cook County, Illinois, United States. The 2010 population from the U.S. Census Bureau is 29,803.The current mayor of Niles is Robert M. Callero.-History:Niles was first settled in 1827....
.
In 1964 he returned to the University of Notre Dame as defensive line coach under incoming head coach Parseghian, and held that role throughout Parseghian's 11 seasons, as well as six more (1975–80) under Devine, the last four as defensive coordinator. During that period, he was a part of three Notre Dame national championship staffs (1966, 1973 and 1977) and he coached a dozen All-America defensive linemen. That list included Alan Page
Alan Page
Alan Cedric Page is a justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1963, received his B.A. in political science from the University of Notre Dame in 1967, and received his J.D. from the University of...
, Kevin Hardy
Kevin Hardy (defensive tackle)
Kevin Thomas Hardy is a former professional American football player who was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 1968 NFL Draft. Hardy played in the National Football League for just 4 seasons and never for the team that drafted him...
, Mike McCoy
Mike McCoy (defensive tackle)
Michael Patrick McCoy played for the Green Bay Packers, the Oakland Raiders, the New York Giants, and the Detroit Lions. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame, where he was a unanimous first-team All-American and Heisman Trophy candidate in 1969...
, Walt Patulski
Walt Patulski
Walter George Patulski is a former American football defensive end at the University of Notre Dame and the National Football League.-High school:...
, Mike Kadish
Mike Kadish
Michael S. Kadish was an American football defensive lineman who played nine seasons in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame....
, Mike Fanning
Mike Fanning
Michael LaVern Fanning is a retired American football player. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame. He was a defensive tackle for ten seasons in the National Football League...
, Steve Niehaus
Steve Niehaus
Steve Niehaus was a defensive lineman in the NFL. He was the first ever draft pick for the Seattle Seahawks and the second player taken in the 1976 NFL Draft. Niehaus was the 1976 NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year and holds the Seahawk rookie record for sacks in a season with 9½.He suffered multiple...
and Ross Browner
Ross Browner
Ross Browner is a former American football defensive end who played ten seasons in the NFL, mainly for the Cincinnati Bengals. He is the father of current Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Max Starks, and brother of Joey Browner and Keith Browner...
—all of whom went on to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
. Browner won the Lombardi
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
, Outland
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
and Maxwell Award
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
s, and Patulski also won the Lombardi.
On 12 occasions, Yonto′s defensive line ranked among the top 10 teams in the country in terms of rushing defense. Eight of those Irish teams gave up less than 100 rushing yards per game, and the 1974 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
1974 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 1974 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1974 college football season. It was Ara Parseghian's final season as head coach.-Georgia Tech:...
ranked first nationally in both rushing defense and total defense (195.2 yards per game). During the 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...
years (1981–85), Yonto served as a special assistant to athletic director Gene Corrigan while handling administrative duties in a wide variety of football areas. Then, he returned to serve as defensive line coach in 1986
1986 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Penn State winning the national championship. Coached by Joe Paterno, they defeated Miami 14–10 in the Fiesta Bowl. This Fiesta Bowl was the first in the game's history to decide the national championship, launching it into the top tier of...
and 1987
1987 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Miami winning its second national championship during the 80s in an Orange Bowl match-up featuring a rare #1 vs...
under Lou Holtz
Lou Holtz
Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz is a retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker in the United States...
.
Yonto spent three more years as a special assistant to athletic director Dick Rosenthal
Dick Rosenthal
Richard Anthony "Dick" Rosenthal was a NBA forward with the Ft. Wayne Pistons. He played collegiate basketball for the Notre Dame men's basketball team, where he averaged 16.4 points per game over his career. The Pistons drafted him in the first round of the 1954 NBA Draft...
from 1988-89 through 1990-91. After his retirement, Yonto represented the University and athletics department at a variety of events.