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