Ranking Notre Dame’s Top 10 Best Head Coaches of All-Time - #2

Connor Regan
May 18
9 min read

Here we are, nearly at the end of our journey to settle the debate over who earns the title of Notre Dame’s greatest head coach of all-time. We began our dive into the elite portion of Notre Dame’s top coaches list using the same established criteria to identify our #10-#6 spots.

Photo by the University of Notre Dame

Our top-5 list thus far is:

5. Dan Devine
4. Lou Holtz
3. Ara Parseghian

Now at our top-2 spots, the most controversial and divisive decision of the entire process will be made - who secures the top spot, and who's named runner-up.

Any good list should have either Frank Leahy or Knute Rockne at the top, with an easy case to be made for either’s superiority. Rockne tends to get the nod due to his historical significance, but Leahy’s resume is technically more impressive on paper. Let’s see how our list shook out.

2. Frank Leahy

After much deliberation, Knute Rockne managed to just barely edge Frank Leahy out for the top spot on our list. Ultimately, only one Irish coach could win the top spot, but Leahy’s rank is less a #2 and more a 1B to Rockne’s 1A.

Frank Leahy’s history with Notre Dame began on the field playing for the legendary Knute Rockne. He played offensive tackle from 1928-1930, where he helped the program earn its 2nd and 3rd National Titles. After school, he made a name for himself in the coaching world at Boston College, leading the Eagles in 1939 and 1940. BC put up a nearly perfect 20-2 record with Leahy at the helm, including an undefeated 1940 season, and a Sugar Bowl win against Tennessee. Despite recently signing an extension to stay with BC, Leahy changed his tune when his Alma Mater came knocking with an offer of their own. With the ink still fresh on his extension and a new offer in hand, Leahy began trying to find a way out. After repeated rejections by BC’s upper brass to dissolve the contract, Leahy desperately appealed to the Mayor of Boston and the Governor of Massachusetts for help, but made no progress. As a last resort, Leahy held an impromptu press conference to force Boston College’s hand. With a straight face and full of confidence, Leahy informed reporters and BC that he’d been formally released from his contract and intended to leave for Notre Dame immediately. Shortly after, BC’s Vice President called and begrudgingly granted Leahy’s wish to leave.

Leahy’s first season coaching in South Bend started with a bang - winning 5 straight games before tying #16 Army 0-0 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. They’d go on to win their remaining 3 games against #6 Navy, #8 Northwestern, and USC, finishing at #3 in the polls with an 8-0-1 record. It was an immediate improvement for the program, topping their back-to-back 7-2 seasons before Leahy’s arrival. Going undefeated in his very first year earned Leahy the fans’ admiration, along with formal recognition from the football establishment with that season’s “Coach of the Year” award.

The 1942 season began with one of the most controversial decisions of Leahy’s Notre Dame career - leaving Rockne’s famous “Box” formation behind for a new system, the “T-Formation.” Such a fundamental scheme change came with a learning curve and understandably took some time to perfect. As a result, the Irish would take a step back from the prior year’s progress, finishing at #6 in the polls with a 7-2-2 record. Their losses came against Georgia Tech and #6 Michigan at home, and ties with both Wisconsin and Great Lakes Navy on the road.

After a tough year implementing and adjusting to the “T-Formation,” Leahy’s squad spent the offseason drilling it to perfection, and it paid off. The Irish stared down the barrel of a grueling schedule, forced to go on the road for 7 of their 10 games and desperate to prove Leahy’s decision right. With the deck stacked against them, the 1943 Irish beat 7 of the top 13 teams in the country, including #2 Michigan, #3 Navy, #3 Army, #8 Northwestern, and #2 Iowa Pre-Flight. Irish QB Angelo Bertelli led a prolific offensive attack that outscored their opponents by a staggering 341-69 margin. They were a perfect 9-0 heading into their final game of the season against Great Lakes Navy, but ultimately fell 14-19, the only blemish on their record. Regardless, Bertelli’s talent won him the Heisman and the Irish earned the 1943 Consensus National Title - the first of Leahy’s coaching career, Notre Dame’s 4th, and the program’s first awarded by the Associated Press.

Due to the onset of WWII, Leahy left South Bend to join the Navy, and in his absence, the Irish went 8-2 in 1944 and 7-2-1 in 1945. While not terrible, they were a tough follow-up to the highs of the 1943 National Title, and hopes that Leahy would return from the war and guide the program back to the top grew deeper. Thankfully, Leahy returned for the 1946 season as a newly promoted Lieutenant and picked up right where he left off in 1943.

The 1946 Irish began their campaign with 5 straight wins, climbing to the #2 spot in the polls as they prepared to once again face off with #1 Army at Yankee Stadium. The matchup was enormous, with the two best teams in the country both averaging more than 30 points a game and Army riding a 25-game win streak, having last lost in 1943 to Leahy and the Irish. Army was led by FB Doc Blanchard and RB Glenn Davis, with QB Johnny Lujack and FB Leon Hart leading the Irish. The 1946 clash was the only game to ever have 4 eventual Heisman Trophy winners on the same field at one time. Surprisingly, neither high-powered offense made much progress, giving up the ball a combined 10 times and each team failing to convert multiple 4th & goal opportunities. The second half saw even less progress than the first, with neither offense making it into the red zone, ultimately ending in a 0-0 stalemate.

The Irish would quickly return to form, winning their final 3 games in dominant fashion to end the season with an 8-0-1 record. Despite just missing out on another perfect season, the 1946 squad secured the National Title, giving Leahy the 2nd of his career. Notre Dame’s offense led the nation in both total offense and rushing yards per game, putting up 271 points over 9 games. The Irish defense never allowed more than 6 points in a single game, with an insane 5 shutouts, only 24 points surrendered all season, and led the nation in fewest yards allowed. Due to his success both before and after his departure for the war, the University named Leahy Athletic Director in 1947, a position he would hold through 1949. Unknowingly, the success of the 1946 season would kick off 4 years of near-complete dominance by Notre Dame.

The Irish followed their nearly perfect 1946 Championship season with a flawless 9-0 outing in 1947. They bounced between #1 and #2 all year, highlighted by a win over #9 Army and a 37-7 no-doubter over #3 USC in the season finale. Notre Dame secured a second consecutive National Title (Leahy’s 2nd) along with another Heisman trophy, this time going to QB Johnny Lujack. At the start of the 1948 season, Leahy and the Irish were once again poised to continue their reign of dominance, with a 3rd consecutive Championship all but guaranteed. They won their first 9 games and entered their final matchup with USC at #2 in the polls. Unfortunately, the Irish could not separate themselves from the Trojans, and the game would end in a 14-14 tie. Unlike the 1946 season, Notre Dame’s lone tie was too much to overcome, and they’d just miss out on that year’s Title to the undefeated/untied Michigan Wolverines.

Although the failed 3-peat loomed large over the program, Notre Dame had just posted their 3rd straight undefeated season, and everyone expected similar success in 1949. Once again, Leahy and his boys responded to the pressure, beating #4 Tulane, #10 Michigan State, and #17 USC en route to a perfect 10-0 record. This team was potentially Leahy’s most offensively dominant, outscoring their opponents by a stunning 360-86 margin, along with yet another Heisman Trophy, this time going to FB Leon Hart. With no tie to spoil their Championship hopes, the 1949 Fighting Irish secured the National Title, giving Leahy his 3rd in 4 years and his 4th overall. Over these 4 seasons, Leahy led the Irish on arguably the most successful stretch in school history, going 36-0-2 with 2 undefeated/untied seasons, 3 National Titles, and 2 Heisman Trophies.

Notre Dame’s 1950 squad entered the season at #1, poised to repeat their Title-winning campaign the year before. Leahy’s teams were used to this kind of hype, but unlike previous seasons, they now faced both an exodus of roster talent and a decrease in scholarships from 33 to 18. They stumbled in only their second game of the season, losing to unranked Purdue and beginning a spiral that ended with the worst record of Leahy’s tenure, 4-4-1. After 4 straight years of dominance, the 1950 season was an incredible disappointment, and Leahy found himself needing to correct the program’s trajectory before things got out of control. 1951 and 1952 were an improvement, with the Irish scraping together back-to-back 7-2-1 records and finding a way to maintain their relevance.

Leahy would complete his rebuild in 1953, leading his squad to wins over #6 Oklahoma, #15 Pitt, #4 Georgia Tech, and #20 Navy to earn Notre Dame the #1 rank going into week 8. Unfortunately, their momentum ran out, and they drew 14-14 against Iowa, dropping to #2 in the polls. Despite winning their final 2 games led by Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lattner, the 9-0-1 1953 squad would just miss out on a consensus National Title. They were named Champion by multiple selectors, but the University does not recognize this Title as one of their formal 11. With 2 years left on his contract, Leahy retired from coaching following the conclusion of the 1953 season and was succeeded by Terry Brennan. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1970 for his accomplishments as both a player and coach while at Notre Dame, being a part of 6 championships, including 2 as an Irish player.

While Rockne may be the most historically significant coach in Notre Dame’s long history, Leahy achieved more on paper and compiled a more complete resume. Leahy trails Rockne in tenure by 2 years but managed to record a nearly identical win percentage, only (.026) behind Rockne’s (.881), good enough for the 2nd best win percentage in Division 1 college football history, again behind only Rockne. Leahy led the program to 4 Title wins compared to Rockne’s 3, and while not an entirely fair comparison, Leahy coached 4 Heisman Trophy winners (Angelo Bartelli, Johnny Lujack, Leon Hart, and Johnny Lattner) while Rockne had none. The award was not created until the 1935 season, but it's within reason to believe Rockne would have coached at least a few Heisman winners during his time. Some of his star players included Hunk Anderson, Rip Miller, George Gipp, Elmer Layden, Harry Stuhldreher, Jim Crowley, and Don Miller, all of whom were at the top of college football’s talent pool at one point or another.

The most prominent blemishes on Leahy’s resume are his 4-4-1 season and a career seemingly cut short by health and circumstance. Despite these criticisms, Leahy was the first head coach to bring the Irish back to prominence following the tragic passing of Rockne, and he managed to find success both before and after leaving South Bend to serve his country. His absence was felt almost immediately after his departure, as the Irish quickly fell into relative mediocrity and wouldn’t win another Title until 1966. Whether or not you agree with Leahy’s position at #2, his resume is undeniable, and he’d likely take the #1 spot on most blue chip programs’ all-time coaches lists. Leahy led the Irish to a total of 4 National Championships (#1 all-time at Notre Dame), coached 4 Heisman Trophy winners (#1 all-time at Notre Dame), posted 6 undefeated seasons (2 of those being both undefeated and untied), and led a 36-0-2 undefeated streak over 4 seasons. His final record with the Irish was 87-11-9, a (.855) win percentage, and only lost 2 consecutive games once in his entire career (1950). Whether you put him at #1 or #2 on Notre Dame’s list, Frank Leahy is, without a doubt, one of the greatest coaches of all time across all of college football. His character and the impact he had on those around him somehow managed to outshine his impeccable resume, a feat in and of itself.

Next Up

By process of elimination, it’s abundantly clear that Knute Rockne has secured our top spot on Notre Dame‘s all-time greatest coaches list. In our next article, we’ll break down Rockne’s resume and examine the impact of his legacy within the program today.