The 1963 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was an American football team that represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1963 NCAA University Division football season. Hugh Devore served as interim head coach for the 1963 season following the resignation of Joe Kuharich. Devore had previously stepped in as head coach in 1945 while Frank Leahy completed his military service. The 1963 Notre Dame team compiled a 2–7 record and were outscored by a total of 159 to 108. In five games against ranked opponents, they defeated No. 7 USC and lost to No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 4 Navy, No. 8 Pitt, and No. 4 Michigan State. A tenth game against Iowa was cancelled due to the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
End Jim Kelly received first-team honors from the American Football Coaches Association and the United Press International on the 1963 All-America college football team. The team's statistical leaders included quarterbacks John Huarte (243 passing yards) and Frank Budka (239 passing yards, 24 points scored), Joe Kantor (330 rushing yards), and Kelly (264 receiving yards).
In December 1963, Devore's position as interim head coach ended, as Notre Dame hired Ara Parseghian as its new head coach.
The team played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.
Schedule
Personnel
Team players drafted into the NFL Jim KellyTE 2 Pittsburgh Steelers Paul CostaTE 4 Green Bay Packers Frank BudkaDB 4 Chicago Bears Jim SnowdenTackle 5 Washington Redskins George BednarGuard 8 St. Louis Cardinals Tom MacDonaldBack 13 Washington Redskins Dave HumenikTackle 17 New York Giants
References