Rockne At Columbia?

[OswaldTheOsprey]

After the 1925 season, in which Notre Dame fell off
to 7-2-1 after the graduation of the Four Horsemen,
Columbia University made a strong effort to hire Knute
Rockne as their head coach.

What if this had come about? Might Rockne have turned
Columbia into the grid pride of NYC? What about Notre
Dame? Would the Irish have found a suitable replacement
or would demorilization have set in?

What do you think?

OswaldTheOsprey

[RedSoxVT92]

I definitely think that if Knute Rockne went to Columbia he could have made that team a winner. Such a great coach like Knute with his awsome passing attacks, I think would do good anywhere. And also if he had gone to Columbia he would not have died in that tragic plane crash in 1931. Notre Dame wouldnt be as successful but hey there Notre Dame and still be a contender. Of course if he had gone to Columbia, a gut feeling tells me he would not be as much as a legend as he is today.

In the end I believe all this is impossible though because Knute Rockne always had his heart set in Notre Dame and I dont think anything could pry him away that university.

[tdk1984]

And also if he had gone to Columbia he would not have died in that tragic plane crash in 1931.

He almost went to Columbia, but Grantland Rice broke the story before he could secure his release, leaving him with little choice but to stay in South Bend. Also, I think he still would've died in that plane crash. He was on his way to LA to wrap up filming of a football instructional video and well as give a speech at the Studebaker auto company. If he was as good at Columbia as he was at ND, he would still have had to make that trip. Therefore, he would've died regardless.

[RedSoxVT92]

He almost went to Columbia, but Grantland Rice broke the story before he could secure his release, leaving him with little choice but to stay in South Bend. Also, I think he still would've died in that plane crash. He was on his way to LA to wrap up filming of a football instructional video and well as give a speech at the Studebaker auto company. If he was as good at Columbia as he was at ND, he would still have had to make that trip. Therefore, he would've died regardless.

I did not know that it came that close to happening. But I would have to disagree that he would have still died if he had gone to Columbia. If he had gone to Columbia he would be in a completley diffrent place. The plane left from Kansas City which is alot farther from New York than Indiana. So he in all likelihood would have left from a diffrent place. And also their is too many variables to happen between 5 years. If he was in New York who knows if anyone would have even contacted him for that certain video.

[OswaldTheOsprey]

Also, had Rockne left for Columbia and the plane crash never
occured, the question is raised about Lou Little who left
Georgetown in 1930 to coach Columbia. Might he have
stayed at Georgetown and continued his success there?

When Rockne died in the 1931 crash he was succeeded
by Hunk Anderson. Would this have been true in 1926?
If not who do you think would have been his successor?

OswaldTheOsprey:confused:

[efin98]

I did not know that it came that close to happening. But I would have to disagree that he would have still died if he had gone to Columbia. If he had gone to Columbia he would be in a completley diffrent place. The plane left from Kansas City which is alot farther from New York than Indiana. So he in all likelihood would have left from a diffrent place. And also their is too many variables to happen between 5 years. If he was in New York who knows if anyone would have even contacted him for that certain video.

If at Columbia I see him taking a train to LA instead of flying, would have made more sense for him to do that. It it's not out of the realm of possibility that the instructional film could have been shot in New York.