1979 Notre Dame Football: A Rocky Transition After Montana

The Notre Dame football program had enjoyed a great run with Joe Montana at quarterback. The man who was already a college legend when he left South Bend following the 1978 season and was about to become an NFL legend with the San Francisco 49ers, had led Notre Dame to a national title in 1977 and a historic Cotton Bowl comeback win in 1978 had to be replaced. The transitional year of 1979 Notre Dame football proved to be a rocky indeed.