“ Legendary” is an adjective placed in front of far too many names when we speak and write about coaches.

Longevity is not a synonym for legendary. Nor is success because it is such a relative term.

Success for one may be merely finishing a race, while another measures its fluidity by victories alone.

Quantity and quality on their own aren’t qualifiers for legendary status either because one can feel empty without the other.

Clearly, “ legendary” is a word we should use less in order to restore the power to its meaning so that when it is appropriately applied, it truly denotes honor, even awe.

ADVERTISEMENT

As overused as “ legendary” may be, it is the singular word to best describe the coaching career of John McDonnell.

After guiding the Arkansas Razorbacks to 42 national titles and 83 conference championships and coaching scores of All-Amer icans and numerous Olympians over a 36-year career, McDonnell announced he would retire from his post as the Hogs head track and field and cross country coach at the end of this outdoor season.

No coach in NCAA history has won as much or as consistently as McDonnell and it is doubtful that one ever will.

To put things in perspective, only four NCAA institutions — California (72 ), UCLA (69 ), Stanford (57 ) and Oklahoma State (46 ) — have won more total national titles than McDonnell has.

That’s simply amazing.

But, what was even more amazing was getting to watch the man work up close with his athletes.

McDonnell and his various assistants such as Dick Booth and Stanley Redwine had an uncanny knack for figuring out what made each individual athlete tick and how to motivate them to perform at the highest level that they could achieve.

Some of his Razorbacks answered only to a kick in the pants, while others responded to a pat on the back, but all learned that through mental toughness they could push their bodies beyond where they had initially believed.

McDonnell did not demand perfection from his athletes, but he did expect excellence from each and every member of the squad no matter their talent level.

It seemed to literally nauseate him when an athlete undercut himself and his teammates by giving less than his best effort.

And generally the Razorbacks gave their best efforts for McDonnell and their teammates despite the circumstances. Winning all of those championships was not easy.

It often took the overachievement of one or more Razorbacks to bring the title home, and on his best teams, it always seemed like there was someone to pick up the slack when another Hog faltered.

But unlike many coaches, McDonnell approached track and field and cross country as a team sport rather than an individual one.

When a Mike Conley or a Niall Bruton or Wallace Spearmon, Jr. competed for the Hogs, they weren’t just going for individual titles, they and their teammates were working for team points that counted toward a team national title.

And, while the points of McDonnell’s stars were important up front, without the vaunted Razorback depth in the jumping, distance and middle distance events, Arkansas would have won far fewer conference and national titles.

For McDonnell, every point and ever y man counted toward bringing home another championship trophy.

And what is even more impressive is that McDonnell accomplished all of this with class, dignity and level of humility that is uncommon in any profession.

When McDonnell passes the torch to his successor after the NCAA Championships in June, an era will pass in Razorback track and cross country. While no coach should be expected to repeat the success that McDonnell achieved, the greatest honor the UA can give him is to do whatever is necessary to maintain the Razorbacks’ tradition of being a national track and field and cross country power.

It would be a shame to watch the programs McDonnell built dissolve into mediocrity.

000

While I would never consider myself an expert on track and field and cross country, Arkansas could do much worse than to promote from within.

There is no one better to continue McDonnell’s legacy as head track and field coach than his longtime field events coach Dick Booth.

As for cross country head coach, former Razorback All-American and current track and cross country administrative assistant Danny Green would be a perfect choice.

Terry J. Wood is the sports editor of the Northwest Arkansas Times.