30 Best College Football Coaches of All-Time
By Hayden Hyde
3. Knute Rockne
- Career Record: 105-12-5
- Record at Each School: 105-12-5 at Notre Dame.
- Bowl Record: 1-0
- Honors and Awards: Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951. 4 National Championships.
The native Norwegian helped innovate the game and laid the foundation for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s rich history. According to babynameshub.com, there hasn’t been a baby named Knute since 1893, but that’s not only what makes Rockne unique.
In college, he helped further the development of the forward pass, something that no one had really tried to do before. Rockne’s use of box formation and forward pass lead him to five different undefeated seasons in South Bend, Indiana. From 1918-1930, Notre Dame only lost 12 games and didn’t suffer a single losing season.
In addition to his four national championships and 100-plus wins, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951. Rockne would’ve had a ton more victories, but he tragically died in a plane crash in 1931. His death was heartbreaking and rocked the nation.
Next: Joe Paterno