The high expectations on current Notre Dame coach (and now official Dodd Trophy watch list inclusion) Brian Kelly is more than understandable, given the school’s rich and long-running tradition of having had some of the most decorated and respected coaches in college football. Hereunder are the most revered coaches in the Fighting Irish program.
Knute Rockne To say Rockne is the face of college football is no exaggeration. Between 1918 and 1930, he guided Notre Dame to a mind-blowing winning percentage of .881, ending up with a career record of 105-12 before his untimely and tragic passing.
Frank Leahy Leahy helmed the Irish before and after World War II, from 1941 to 1943 then from 1946 to 1953. His .864 winning rate is the second-highest in the history of the program. Some of his most renowned achievements include six undefeated seasons, four national championships, and even a record-setting win streak of 39 games.
Ara Parseghian Coach Ara led the Fighting Irish for 11 years (1964-1974), continuously managing to improve the team in each year of his stay. Just consider this stat: before Parseghian took over, the Irish were 41st and 76th in the national rankings. In just his first two years with the program, he already led his teams to 4th and 6th. He brought two national championships to Notre Dame.
Lou Holtz When Holtz took the helm for Gerry Faust, the Irish could get no higher than a 27th ranking. He was able to lead Notre Dame to nine major bowls in his 11 seasons, including a national championship in 1988. Now among the current faces of ESPN college football coverage, Holtz finished his coaching career with a 100-32 record.
My name’s Tom Colton, currently attending the University of Notre Dame. I’m an avid supporter of Notre Dame sports, particularly the school’s Fighting Irish football team. For more of my writings on college football, check out thiswebpage.
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| Image source: orlandosentinel.com |
Knute Rockne To say Rockne is the face of college football is no exaggeration. Between 1918 and 1930, he guided Notre Dame to a mind-blowing winning percentage of .881, ending up with a career record of 105-12 before his untimely and tragic passing.
Frank Leahy Leahy helmed the Irish before and after World War II, from 1941 to 1943 then from 1946 to 1953. His .864 winning rate is the second-highest in the history of the program. Some of his most renowned achievements include six undefeated seasons, four national championships, and even a record-setting win streak of 39 games.
Ara Parseghian Coach Ara led the Fighting Irish for 11 years (1964-1974), continuously managing to improve the team in each year of his stay. Just consider this stat: before Parseghian took over, the Irish were 41st and 76th in the national rankings. In just his first two years with the program, he already led his teams to 4th and 6th. He brought two national championships to Notre Dame.
Lou Holtz When Holtz took the helm for Gerry Faust, the Irish could get no higher than a 27th ranking. He was able to lead Notre Dame to nine major bowls in his 11 seasons, including a national championship in 1988. Now among the current faces of ESPN college football coverage, Holtz finished his coaching career with a 100-32 record.
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| Image source: theringer.com |
My name’s Tom Colton, currently attending the University of Notre Dame. I’m an avid supporter of Notre Dame sports, particularly the school’s Fighting Irish football team. For more of my writings on college football, check out thiswebpage.
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