Notre Dame football: Who is the greatest coach in program history?

Notre Dame football: Who is the greatest coach in program history?

Ranking the Coaches and Why

So, now that you have everyone’s resume, the question remains, “Who is the best coach in Notre Dame history?” Let’s take a look at how they breakdown:

8. Elmer Layden

Layden is a clear bottom choice among the eight coaches who were considered for this list of great Notre Dame coaches. He didn’t win a National Championship and the program stagnated under him as he tried to recreate the Knute Rockne era.

7. Brian Kelly

It’s impossible to ignore the win total for Brian Kelly, but it can also be explained away with longer regular seasons and his individual longevity. It’s also impossible to ignore the hump that he never got over.

6. Dan Devine

Going back and looking at Dan Devine’s Notre Dame career can catch you off guard. He was only there for six season, most of which was disappointing compared to the team he inherited. Still, you have to take 1977 into account.

5. Jesse Harper

Jesse Harper was one of the great innovators in college football history, and he largely put Notre Dame on the map. It can’t be undersold how big of an impact he had on the program. Don’t even blame him for not winning a national championship, because the game was drastically different at the time.

4. Lou Holtz

Lou Holtz probably should should have won three national championships. In the end, with a couple of poorly timed late season losses Notre Dame missed out on opportunities to win a championship. Still, he brought Notre Dame football back from the Gerry Faust era quickly and emphatically.

3. Frank Leahy

No one has more national championships in Notre Dame history than Frank Leahy, and he easily could have had more if not for World War II. At the same time, he also had a ton of natural advantages established by Knute Rockne that he simply took advantage of once he got to South Bend. That’s why he comes in at three, not two.

2. Ara Parseghian

Ara Parseghian and his two national championships take second place, largely because of how bad the team was before he got there and the immediate turnaround job he put together. Mix that with longevity and the innovations he brought to the Irish offense and Parseghian is a clear choice for second best coach of all time.

1. Knute Rockne

Who else could be number one? It’s Knute Rockne who built the program, fanbase, and mythology of Notre Dame football. He won three national championships and tons of games. If it wasn’t for his untimely death, he easily could have doubled all of his marks at Notre Dame.