With Notre Dame Down, Phelps Bows Out : Basketball: After a 12-20 season, he says 20 years are enough. Former assistant Gillen, Shumate are said to be candidates.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. —  Notre Dame Coach Digger Phelps ended months of speculation Monday by retiring from the job that “every day, even with the ups and downs, (has) been like Christmas morning to me.”

With his wife and two children seated next to him, Phelps--who spoke for 70 minutes and was upbeat--told a packed room of reporters, Notre Dame officials and boosters that after 20 years as the Fighting Irish coach, it was time to move on to other things.

“There is only so much time in the game of life,” said Phelps, who will turn 50 July 4. “Between the ages of 50 and 60, one better attempt the other challenges because things change between 60 and 70. I want to live the other life after basketball at Notre Dame. It’s what I teach my players and what I really believe.

” . . . I’ve seen a lot of people retire at 65, go to Florida and come back in a box two years later. That’s not going to be me. For the next decade of my life I want to do other things.”

Phelps said he plans to “do a lot of painting. I might even get an earring for my left ear.”

A replacement for Phelps has yet to be named. The names of Pete Gillen, a former Phelps assistant now coaching at Xavier of Ohio; and John Shumate, a former player for Phelps now coaching at Southern Methodist, have been mentioned.

Phelps said his leaving won’t hurt recruiting, because the Irish’s five high school recruits all assured Phelps they still would attend Notre Dame.

It was widely believed by many in college basketball that after a 393-197 career record at Notre Dame and an average of 20 victories per year, this would be Phelps’ last season. Phelps came off a 12-20 season, one of his worst as coach. It was marred by the loss of Notre Dame’s star player, LaPhonso Ellis, to academic problems. Two other starters were lost because of injuries.

Phelps has also lately been battling alumni and students for what has been perceived by some Irish faithful as his inability to get the Irish a national championship or more recently to the Final Four. Under Phelps, Notre Dame went to the Final Four only in 1978.

Phelps dismissed reports that he was forced out by Notre Dame Executive Vice President William Beauchamp and Athletic Director Dick Rosenthal. Both Beauchamp and Rosenthal were out of town and unavailable for immediate comment. However, both expressed in written statements their sorrow about Phelps’ leaving the university.

Phelps said he informed his family and the Irish athletic department last Monday that he would soon announce his retirement.

There have also been reports that after leaving coaching Phelps might become a college basketball television analyst, take a position in the Department of Education with the Bush administration or even stay at Notre Dame in a different position at the same salary.

Phelps said he has not been offered any position and that “everything is wide open.” He would not rule out coaching again.

“I’m flattered that people would associate my name with that (a possible job within the Bush administration),” Phelps said. “No, I haven’t been offered anything.”

One of Phelps’ largest achievements was that all 54 of his scholarship players who competed for four years got degrees.

The 1977-78 Irish became the first team in Notre Dame history to reach the Final Four.

“It’s a sad day for Notre Dame basketball,” said women’s basketball Coach Muffet McGraw. “We were all hoping he would change his mind.”

Said freshman guard Brooks Boyer: “When he told us this morning he was retiring, it came as a surprise to me. I had heard it, but I didn’t think it was going to happen. But he taught us that college basketball is about adjustments, so we’ll just have to adjust.”