Slap the Sign
Fansided

The top five Notre Dame football head coaches of all time

By Corbin Whitney

23 Nov1996: Head coach Lou Holtz of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is carried off the field by his team after defeating the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 62-0 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel/Allsport
23 Nov1996: Head coach Lou Holtz of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is carried off the field by his team after defeating the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 62-0 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel/Allsport /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next

3. Frank Leahy (1941-1943, 1946-1953)

Notre Dame football
SOUTH BEND, IN – AUGUST 30: The mural at the Hesburgh Library, commonly known as “Touchdown Jesus” is seen on the campus of Notre Dame University before a game between the Norte Dame Fighting Irish and the Rice Owls at Notre Dame Stadium on August 30, 2014 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Overall Record: 87-11-9

Win Percentage – .855

Consensus All-Americans (ND Only) – 15

National Titles – 4

NFL Draft Picks – 37

Length of Tenure – 11 Seasons

One thing that Leahy did, that only one other person on this list did is win four national championships for Notre Dame. These four titles came in 1943, 1946, 1947, and 1949. Leahy also came in at number two in two categories, with the second highest win percentage (.855) and consensus All-Americans (15) in the top 5.

For a list of his 15 consensus All-Americans and a more detailed look into each season, go to sportsreference.com.

However, he tied for last with only 37 players drafted into the NFL. These players can be seen listed at nfl.com along with every other Notre Dame player who has been drafted.

Despite “only” 37 players being drafted, as I mentioned previously, he brought Notre Dame four of its 13 national titles. According to ncaa.com, Notre Dame’s 13 national championships have it ranked fourth for most titles ever, behind Princeton and Alabama, which are tied at number two with 15, and Yale who stands alone at the top with 18.

Leahy’s average rank was 2.4, this earned him the number three spot in this top five, although some might argue his four national championships should have him ranked higher up on the list.

Home/Notre Dame Football