John Gagliardi: St. John’s Football Coaching Legend Wins with "No’s"
March 1, 2010
He probably would have made a good priest. After all, he is the Head Football Coach at St. John’s University, the small but big-time winning school in Minnesota.
His coaching record at the Division III program is off the charts. Since he began coaching in 1949 (four years at Carroll College and 56 years at St. John’s), he has compiled a record of 471-126-11.
He is John Gagliardi and no other college football coach has ever won more games.
Along with Chris Ault, Billy Joe, and Joe Paterno, Gagliardi is the only active head football coach ever elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
And his coaching philosophy is based upon his famous “Winning With No’s” program.
Years ago, I wrote to Coach Gagliardi and he sent me a warm response and a pamphlet outlining is unusual methods.
Generally speaking, there is no calling him “coach,” there are no lengthy drills or calisthenics, no tackling in practice, no swearing, no whistles used in practice, and on and on.
Mostly, I gathered from Coach Gagliardi the idea that there’s “no” one way of achieving success on or off the playing field.
Of all the coaches I’ve studied or corresponded with, John Gagliardi’s unique approach to winning football is to be closest thing I’ve ever seen to a higher calling.
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