Final goodbye to college football coaching great Gagliardi
- Oct. 15, 2018 08:03 PM EDT
St. John's University football players stand solemnly as the casket of long time St. John's University football coach John Gagliardi is carried to a hearse Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, at the St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minn. Using unconventional methods at the small private university in Minnesota, Gagliardi won more football games than anybody who has ever coached in college. Gagliardi died Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, at the age of 91. (Jason Wachter/St. Cloud Times via AP)
St. John's University football players stand solemnly as the casket of long time St. John's University football coach John Gagliardi is carried to a hearse Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, at the St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minn. Using unconventional methods at the small private university in Minnesota, Gagliardi won more football games than anybody who has ever coached in college. Gagliardi died Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, at the age of 91. (Jason Wachter/St. Cloud Times via AP)
St. John's University, Minn., football players stand as the casket of long time St. John's University football coach John Gagliardi is carried to a hearse Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, at the St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minn. (Jason Wachter/St. Cloud Times via AP)
St. John's University, Minn., football players line the road as long time St. John's University football coach John Gagliardi passes in a hearse Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, at the St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minn. (Jason Wachter/St. Cloud Times via AP)
Former St. John's University football player Chuck Williams, a 1982 graduate, walks across the football field alone before the funeral of coach John Gagliardi, Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, at the St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minn. Using unconventional methods at the small private university in Minnesota, Gagliardi won more football games than anybody who has ever coached in college. Gagliardi died Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, at the age of 91. (Jason Wachter/St. Cloud Times via AP)
Jim Gagliardi, son of long time St. John's University football coach John Gagliardi, shakes hands with the football players at his fathers funeral Monday, Oct. 15, 2018, at the St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minn. Using unconventional methods at the small private university in Minnesota, Gagliardi won more football games than anybody who has ever coached in college. Gagliardi died Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, at the age of 91. (Jason Wachter/St. Cloud Times via AP)
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COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (AP) — Hundreds of mourners have turned out to say goodbye to John Gagliardi, college football's winningest coach.

About 1,500 people filled St. John's Abbey Church in Collegeville, Minnesota, on Monday for Gagliardi's funeral. He died Oct. 7 at the age of 91.

The St. Cloud Times reports that as Gagliardi's coffin was wheeled to the hearse, the St. John's football team, wearing their jerseys, stood in his honor.

The Rev. Tim Backous officiated and compared Gagliardi's life as coach to other greats, including Mozart and Shakespeare.

Gagliardi retired in 2012 after a record 64 seasons as a head coach, with 60 of those at St. John's. He finished with 489 victories, 138 losses and 11 ties, winning four national championships with the Johnnies.

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