The Confessions of Al McGuire

Welcome to the official home of the upcoming feature film celebrating Coach Al McGuire—the fiery, magnetic showman who transformed the Marquette University Warriors into a basketball phenomenon of the 1970s. He was college hoops’ ultimate rebel poet, a sideline visionary whose passion sometimes burned too hot, costing him dearly in moments of heartbreak and thunderous emotion.

His teams delivered unforgettable highs and heart-crushing lows. The 1970 squad won the NIT championship, but famously turned down an NCAA bid—potentially strong enough to challenge UCLA for the national title. In 1972, a 21-0 start and #2 national ranking ended abruptly when star Jim Chones left for the ABA (at Al’s insistence), shattering championship dreams. The 1974 team reached the NCAA championship game only to falter amid controversial technical fouls and heartbreak. Then came 1976: a juggernaut ranked #2 in the nation, derailed by a collision with the #1 undefeated Indiana Hoosiers, the last team in NCAA history to finish a season without a loss.

The improbable 1976-77 season would be McGuire’s last. At just 48 years old, he announced his retirement effective at season’s end. His Warriors endured a roller-coaster ride—stunning home losses followed by convincing road wins—to secure the final at-large bid to the 1977 NCAA tournament. In his final stand, McGuire and Marquette captured the nation’s heart, embarking on a breathtaking, against-all-odds run to claim the NCAA championship against the North Carolina Tarheels.

We invite you to explore this site to learn more about Coach McGuire, the inspiration behind our film about this legendary Marquette coach and the teams he coached, the team bringing this project to life, the latest updates and progress, and the ways you can help make it a reality.