| Founded in 1887 the Notre Dame Football team is | | | | Irish from 1918-1930. |
| one of the most popular and well respected teams in | | | | After Knute, the next praise worthy coach is Frank |
| the NCAA today. Notre Dame is the only team in US | | | | Leahy, Frank is one of the most successful college |
| history to have won 8 wire (AP or Coaches) national | | | | coaches in US football history, with a win percentage |
| championships, and is the leading Division I-A team in | | | | of .864 Leahy has the second highest win |
| terms of championships won. No one could have | | | | percentage for any college football coach till date. |
| imagined that after facing an 8-0 defeat in their first | | | | Under Leahy the team had a win record of 87 wins |
| ever game in 1887 the team would rise to such great | | | | to 11 loses, and Leahy was coach of the Fighting Irish |
| heights. Notre Dame has produced players like Bryant | | | | for 11 seasons. Leahy's record would have been even |
| Young and Lance Legree of the San Francisco 49ers. | | | | more impressive had it not been for his absence |
| Popularly known as the Fighting Irish, the mascot of | | | | from 1944 to 1945 when he was serving in the US |
| the Notre Dame Football team is a Leprechaun. Over | | | | Navy. Leahy was coach of the Fighting Irish for 11 |
| a period of time the Fighting Irish have made a name | | | | years from 1941 to 1953. |
| for themselves, and are one of the most popular | | | | Ara Parseghian has made a place for himself in the |
| college football teams in the US. Second only to | | | | history of Notre Dame Football for lifting the "no |
| Michigan in terms of overall winning percentage (the | | | | bowl games" policy that the Fighting Irish followed, it |
| Michigan Wolverines have a .745 compared to Notre | | | | was under Parseghian that the Fighting Irish won the |
| Dame's .744) the Fighting Irish are one of the most | | | | McArthur bowl in 1964 and won two uncontested |
| successful college football teams in US history. The | | | | world championships. Many believe that Parseghian |
| history of college football is usually traced back by | | | | would have gone on to become the greatest college |
| the coaches that have run the teams and the first | | | | football coach ever had it not been for his untimely |
| notable coach of the Notre Dame Football team was | | | | retirement in 1974 due to health reasons. Parseghian |
| Knute Rockne. | | | | was coach for 7 years between 1966 and 1973. His |
| The influence of Knute Rockne on American Football | | | | record stands at an impressive 95-17-4 with a win |
| as a whole is undeniable, not only is he one of the | | | | percentage of .836, second only to Leahy. |
| most successful coaches that the Fighting Irish have | | | | The future of the Notre Dame Football team is bright |
| ever had, he is also one of the most notable sporting | | | | and every year the team is producing quality athletes |
| personalities of all time. Even a stamp | | | | that are becoming part of leading Football teams all |
| commemorating the life of Knute Rockne was issued | | | | over America. |
| some years back. Knute was coach of the Fighting | | | | |