After two years at Holy Cross and three rejections from Notre Dame, Rudy is finally admitted and attends football tryouts in an attempt to make the team as a "walk-on". Assistant coach Yonto warns the walk-ons that thirty-five scholarship players will not even make the "dress roster" of players who take the field during games, but notices Rudy’s determination and gives him a spot on the daily practice squad. Rudy tells Fortune and persuades him to promise to see his first game. Competing well during practices, Rudy convinces head coach Ara Parseghian to let him suit up for one home game in his senior year, but Coach Parseghian retires following the 1974 season and is replaced by former NFL coach Dan Devine, who refuses to place Rudy on the game day roster. Frustrated that he is not on the dress list for the next-to-last home game, Rudy decides to quit the team.