Knute Rockne Quotes in Knute Rockne All American (1940)

Knute Rockne: Now I'm going to tell you something I've kept to myself for years. None of you ever knew George Gipp. He was long before your time, but you all know what a tradition he is at Notre Dame. And the last thing he said to me, "Rock," he said, "sometime when the team is up against it and the breaks are beating the boys, tell them to go out there with all they've got and win just one for the Gipper. I don't know where I'll be then, Rock," he said, "but I'll know about it and I'll be happy."

Committee Member: Mr. Rockne, couldn't football be replaced by some other game? Something less violent?

Knute Rockne: Well, what game would you suggest?

Committee Member: Well, hockey, for instance.

[This answer is greeted by raucous laughter in the committee room]

Knute Rockne: Why, as a matter of fact, I suggested that very idea to Father Callahan, our president. He was downright interested until we came to the use of sticks, and then he threw up his hands. He said, "No... , that game is not for our university. Notre Dame will never endorse any game that puts a club in the hands of an Irishman."

Knute Rockne: Coach, let us use the forward pass, I know it'll work.

Notre Dame Coach Harper: I'm not so sure. We've never seen it in a game.

Knute Rockne: Neither has the Army, what can we lose?

Knute Rockne: Father, I've decided to take up coaching as my life's work.

Father John Callahan: Hmmmm.

Knute Rockne: You think I'm making a mistake, don't you?

Father John Callahan: Anyone who follows the truth in his heart never makes a mistake.

Knute Rockne: We haven't got any use for gamblers around here. You've done your best to ruin baseball, and horse racing, and this is one game that's clean and is gonna stay clean.