- Born
- Died
- Birth nameFrancis William Leahy
- Nickname
- The Master
- Frank Leahy is an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive.
He served as the head football coach at Boston College from 1939 to 1940 and at the University of Notre Dame from 1941 to 1943 and again from 1946 to 1953, compiling a career college football record of 107-13-9. His winning percentage of .864 is the second best in NCAA Division I football history, trailing only that of fellow Notre Dame Fighting Irish coach, Knute Rockne, for whom Leahy played from 1928 to 1930. Leahy played on two Notre Dame teams that won national championships, in 1929 and 1930, and coached four more, in 1943, 1946, 1947, and 1949. Leahy was the athletic director at Notre Dame from 1947 until 1949. Leahy served as the general manager for the Los Angeles Chargers of the American Football League (AFL) during their inaugural season in 1960.
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1970.
- IMDb mini biography by: Bazza the Beast
- SpouseFlorence Reilly(1935 - June 21, 1973) (his death, 8 children)
- Always referred to his players as "his lads"
- Resigned from Notre Dame on January 31, 1954 due to "health reasons". Revealed later that his health was fine and that he had the impression he simply wasn't wanted anymore.
- Collapsed in the locker room due to a pancreatic attack during halftime of the 1953 Georgia Tech game and was given the last rites of the Roman Catholic Church when it was thought he was dying.
- Won national championships in 1943, 1946, 1947 and 1949. Had a 39-game unbeaten streak (37-0-2) from 1946 through the opening week of the 1950 season.
- Played at Notre Dame from 1928 to 1930. Graduated in 1931.
- Served as assistant coach at Georgetown (1931); Michigan State (1932) and Fordham University (1933-1938). Head football coach at Boston College (1939-1940) and Notre Dame (1941-1943, 1946-1953). Compiled an overall 107-13-9 record including an 87-11-9 docket at Notre Dame. Caused an uproar in 1942 when he did away with Rockne's box formation and installed the T formation.
- Football isn't work.
- We'll be lucky if we make a first down this year. [before the 1947 season which saw Notre Dame win the national championship with a 9-0 record]
- "Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity".
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
