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Biggest Winner Of Them All; Tackle The Basics: Small-college coach John Gagliardi leads way to another title.(LEADERS & SUCCESS)
Byline: PATRICK SEITZ
John Gagliardi of St. John's University in Minnesota didn't start out the 2003 season planning to win a national championship. The winningest college football coach ever doesn't set such goals.
He sets high expectations for his players, but concentrates on one game at a time. The St. John's Johnnies finished the season Dec. 20 with a 14-0 record and an NCAA Division III title.
"It's pretty hard to be undefeated unless you win the first game," Gagliardi said in an interview. The 77-year-old coach focuses on fundamentals or, as he likes to say, "ordinary people doing ordinary things extraordinarily well."
Gagliardi is considered a maverick among football coaches. With his teams, there are no precision warm-up drills, no tackling in practice, no conventional calisthenics, no playbooks and no mission statements. In fact, Gagliardi has assembled a list of 108 "no" rules.
Those no rules have served him well. On Nov. 8, Gagliardi passed the 408-wins record of Eddie Robinson, former football coach at Grambling State University.
Gagliardi now owns a 414-114-11 college record. He just finished his 55th season as a college head football coach and 51st season as head coach in Collegeville, Minn., where 2,000 students attend St. John's.
- Gagliardi at 77 and 409: `He could go on forever'.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
- Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Sansevere, Bob November 8, 2003 700+ words
...maybe future, what's next for John Gagliardi? How much longer can he coach at St...How many more games can he win? Ask Gagliardi those questions, and you get the same...make it to midnight. I don't know," Gagliardi said. "I can't even think about what...
- Gagliardi at 77 and 409: `He could go on forever'.
- Newspaper article from: Saint Paul Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) (via Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service) November 8, 2003 700+ words
...maybe future, what's next for John Gagliardi? How much longer can he coach at St...How many more games can he win? Ask Gagliardi those questions, and you get the same...make it to midnight. I don't know," Gagliardi said. "I can't even think about what...
- For Gagliardi, football is just a way to teach lessons about living.
- Newspaper article from: Saint Paul Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) (via Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service) November 6, 2003 700+ words
...his next victory, his 409th, Gagliardi will become college football...has played and coached under Gagliardi for 32 years. "You go into...of practice this season when Gagliardi taught players how to introduce themselves...
- For Gagliardi, football is just a way to teach lessons about living.(Knight...
- Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Sansevere, Bob November 7, 2003 700+ words
...his next victory, his 409th, Gagliardi will become college football...has played and coached under Gagliardi for 32 years. "You go into...of practice this season when Gagliardi taught players how to introduce themselves...
- At brink of record win, Gagliardi leaves imprint on college record.(The Gazette)
- Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Borzilleri, Meri-Jo October 28, 2003 700+ words
...tradition-bound sport, Gagliardi wins despite bucking...Day Drill, where players flop on the ground...watch lots of film. Gagliardi says the no-contact...what St. John's players say about him now. Gagliardi prepares and frets...
- At brink of record win, Gagliardi leaves imprint on college record.
- Newspaper article from: Gazette (Colorado Springs, CO) October 26, 2003 700+ words
...tradition-bound sport, Gagliardi wins despite bucking...Day Drill, where players flop on the ground...watch lots of film. Gagliardi says the no-contact...what St. John's players say about him now. Gagliardi prepares and frets...
- Gagliardi on Eddie Robinson's trail.
- Newspaper article from: Saint Paul Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) (via Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service) October 29, 2003 700+ words
...of admiration for him." Gagliardi and Robinson will be linked...coaches of small schools. Gagliardi earned his victories in...Robinson's most celebrated players, said it didn't matter that all of Gagliardi's victories came on the...
- Division III legend John Gagliardi only as old as his latest recruits.(Knight...
- Newspaper article from: Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service Sansevere, Bob August 27, 2001 700+ words
...My players are my players. They're my kids," said Gagliardi, whose latest group...audience. There are 180 players out for the team. That...the best Division III player in the nation_Gagliardi and his program also...