Leahy, Frank William

Leahy, Frank William (lā`hē), 1908–73, American football coach, b. O'Neill, Nebr. He was an assistant coach at Georgetown Univ. (1931–32), Michigan State College (now Michigan State Univ., 1933), and Fordham Univ. (1934–38), and after his success as head coach (1939–41) at Boston College he was made (1941) athletic director and head coach at Notre Dame, his alma mater. Under Leahy, one of the leading exponents of the T formation in college football, Notre Dame regained the dominant position it had enjoyed in the days of his old coach, Knute Rockne. In four complete seasons through 1949, Notre Dame played 39 straight games without a defeat and with only two ties. Leahy retired from coaching after 1953; in the 13 years that he coached Notre Dame, his teams won 107 games, lost 13, and tied 9.