30 Best College Football Coaches of All-Time
By Hayden Hyde
13. Frank Leahy
- Career Record: 107-13-9
- Record at Each School: 20-2 at Boston College, 87-11-9 at Notre Dame.
- Bowl Record: 1-1
- Honors and Awards: Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1970. 5 National Championships. 1941 AFCA Coach of the Year.
Frank Leahy is another one of college football’s great pioneers, as a player and coach Leahy excelled and helped transform the game we all know and love today.
He played offensive tackle at Notre Dame under legendary coach Knute Rockne from 1928-1930 before beginning his coaching career at Georgetown, Michigan State, and Fordham. His first head coaching gig was at Boston College where he won a national championship and only lost two games while he was in Chestnut Hill. His success there propelled him to the head coaching job at his alma mater, Notre Dame.
Leahy made waves early at Notre Dame, he didn’t lose a game his first year and made major schematically changes his second year. Knute Rockne was known for his legendary “box” formation, which evolved from one of Glenn Warner’s schemes. The box used four different running backs, and the quarterback was mainly a blocker. However, Leahy scrapped that for the “T” formation.
He had great success with this new offense, winning three straight national championships from 1943-1947. He only lost 13 games from 1941-1953 at Notre Dame, placing him among the most elite coaches in their history.
Next: Bud Wilkinson