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Joe Montana is undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever step on the gridiron. The San Francisco 49ers legend left an indelible mark on the beloved sport on both the professional and collegiate stages, winning championships and notable honors in his playing days.
Montana played football, basketball and baseball during high school, showcasing brilliance and attracting college scholarships in all sports. Following a superb performance in football in his junior and senior seasons, the quarterback committed to Notre Dame.
Joe Montana's early college football career
Joe Montana began his college career at Notre Dame in the fall of 1974 under the guidance of coach Ara Parseghian. Under Parseghian's leadership, the Fighting Irish achieved significant success, including winning the NCAA national championship in 1966 and 1973.
While Montana was a highly regarded prospect, he encountered a restriction at Notre Dame in 1974. University policy at the time dictated that freshmen were not allowed to practice or compete with the varsity team. He was limited to a few games with the freshman team.
Following the 1974 season, Parseghian resigned as head coach due to health issues, and Notre Dame hired Dan Devine to replace him. Devine did not see Montana as good enough to start for the Irish and played a backup role in 1975, appearing in just seven games.
Prior to the commencement of the 1976 season, Joe Montana suffered an injury, which ruled him out of the season. As a result, he was granted a medical redshirt waiver, allowing him to gain an extra year of eligibility beyond what other members of his scholarship class had.
College career resurgence after injury
Joe Montana started the 1977 season as a third-string quarterback behind Rusty Lisch and Gary Forystek. However, Lisch and Forystek sustained injuries during the third game of the season against Purdue. Coach Devine could only turn to Montana to finish the game.
Montana became the starting quarterback in Notre Dame's fourth game of the season and started the remaining nine games. He threw for 1604 yards and 11 touchdowns, leading the Fighting Irish to the AP/Coaches national title.
He continued in the role in 1978, where he led Notre Dame to the Cotton Bowl against Houston. His performance in the game, which came to be known as the "Chicken Soup Game," was well celebrated during his playing days. He ended the season with 2010 passing yards and 10 touchdowns.
The four-time Super Bowl champion graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in business administration and marketing.
Following his college football career, he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers as the 82nd overall pick in the 1979 NFL draft.
