 While Brennan kept the Irish competitive during his tenure (the dismal 1956 season notwithstanding), his teams' performances were well short of what fans had come to expect even allowing for the reduction in scholarships.After a 6–4 record in 1958, the movement to dismiss Brennan gained momentum, and the coach was fired along with his entire staff in mid-December; Hugh Devore was eventually retained.Notre Dame's administration was heavily criticized for the firing, since Brennan's overall 32–18 record was not bad considering the caliber of their opponents.