Irish Echoes: Knute Rockne’s coaching tree spread quickly in the South
Notre Dame’s first interaction with southern football powers came in 1922 with a challenging trip to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech. The Golden Tornado had made their mark on the sport during the 16-year (1904‑19) tenure of coach John Heisman, one of the early leaders in the history of the game. Heisman’s squad had won national championship honors in 1917, when it outscored the opposition 491‑17 during a 9-0 season.
The Irish came home with a 13-3 victory that day. And within a decade, it was Knute Rockne’s name that resonated across the South, as his former Notre Dame players guided numerous programs, including powers such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Georgia.
Several factors were at play. Notre Dame’s consistent success on the field attracted national attention and respect. And Rockne’s personal magnetism, in-depth contacts and relentless communication put him in a position to recommend coaches for countless colleges, universities, prep schools and high schools that approached him with their athletic openings.
In the fall of 1924, the Four Horsemen and Seven Mules were all seniors at Notre Dame, concluding their playing days by winning a national championship. By the next fall, all 11 men were coaching college football, including three head coaches — Harry Stuhldreher at Villanova, Adam Walsh at Santa Clara and Elmer Layden at Iowa’s Columbia College (today’s Loras University).
Meanwhile, four members of the 1924 Irish were headed off to be assistants at major southern schools — Horsemen Jim Crowley (Georgia) and Don Miller (Georgia Tech), along with Mules Chuck Collins (Tennessee) and John Weibel (Vanderbilt).
Here’s a look at the schools in the region and the Rockne men who led their teams:
Alabama
Frank Thomas (’21) • 1931-46
Record: 115-24-7
Thomas played quarterback under Rockne on Notre Dame’s undefeated teams of 1920-21, as a teammate of George Gipp. He would go on to cross paths with more football legends in his 15-year stint as head coach of the Crimson Tide.
In his fourth season, 1934, he guided the Tide to a 10-0 record, a Rose Bowl victory over Stanford and the national championship. The stars of the team were quarterback Dixie Howell along with ends Don Hutson and Paul “Bear” Bryant.
Thomas would serve as Bryant’s mentor for years, including 1936-40, when the Bear was one of his assistants. Thomas led Alabama to victories in the Cotton (1941), Orange (1942) and Rose (1935, 1945) bowls.
Auburn
Chet Wynne (’22) • 1930-33
Record: 22-15-2
Another backfield mate of Gipp’s, Wynne lined up as the Irish starting fullback in 1920 and 1921. He guided Creighton as head coach for seven seasons (1923-29) before heading to Auburn. There, in his third season (1932), he coached the Tigers to a 9-0-1 record and Southern Conference title.
Jack Meagher (’17) • 1934-43
Record: 48-37-10
When Wynne left Auburn for Kentucky in 1934, the Tigers turned to another former Notre Dame star, and Meagher coached Auburn for the next nine seasons. In 1937, he led the Tigers to a 6-0 Orange Bowl victory over Michigan State, coached by former Irish lineman Charlie Bachman.
Florida
Charlie Bachman (’17) • 1928-32
Record: 27-18-3
Bachman first established his coaching credentials from 1920-27 at Kansas State, where in 1924 his Wildcats beat Kansas for the first time in 18 years. At Florida, he was 16-3 in his first two seasons, with victories both years over Auburn, Georgia and Clemson.
Tom Lieb (’23) • 1940-42 and 1944-45
Record: 20-26-1
Lieb, a world-class trackman, did some of his best coaching as Rockne’s top assistant in 1929, when health issues sidelined Rock for several games. Before taking the Florida job, Lieb helped Loyola of Los Angeles become a West Coast power, winning 47 games from 1930-38.
Georgia
Harry Mehre (’22) • 1928-37
Record: 59-34-6
The starting center for the 1921 Irish, Mehre served as a Georgia assistant for four seasons (1924-27) before becoming head coach. He led the Bulldogs to 8-2 records in 1931 and 1933, winning the rivalry showdown with Georgia Tech both years.
Kentucky
Chet Wynne (’22) • 1934-37
Record: 20-19-0
Wynne followed his four years at Auburn with another four at Kentucky. His 1935 team beat archrival Tennessee, 27-0, to finish 5-4. In 1936, Wynne’s Wildcats were 6-4, with victories over Florida and Clemson.
Mississippi
Harry Mehre (’22) • 1938-45
Record: 39-26-1
Ole Miss hired Mehre away from Georgia and he immediately paid dividends, leading the Rebels to marks of 9-2, 7-2 and 9-2 his first three seasons.
Missouri
Jim Phelan (’19) • 1920-21
Record: 13-3-0
Phelan, starting Irish quarterback in 1915-17, began his Hall of Fame coaching career at Missouri, and went on to win another 124 games at Purdue, Washington and St. Mary’s (Calif.).
Frank Carideo (’31) • 1932-34
Record: 2-23-2
Notre Dame’s All-American signal-caller found success harder to come by as a football coach. He fared better as basketball coach at Mississippi State in 1935-39.
North Carolina
Chuck Collins (’25) • 1926-33
Record: 38-31-9
Collins, one of the Seven Mules, led the Tar Heels to one of their best seasons, 9-1 in 1929.
North Carolina State
Buck Shaw (’22) • 1924
Record: 2-6-2
This was the first season of Shaw’s nearly 40 years in coaching, culminating in the 1960 NFL title with the Philadelphia Eagles.
John “Clipper” Smith (’28) • 1931-33
Record: 10-12-5
In 1932, Smith’s Wolfpack went 6-1-2, losing only to Collins’ North Carolina squad.
South Carolina
Rex Enright (’26) • 1938-42 and 1946-55
Record: 64-69-7
Notre Dame’s starting fullback in 1925, Enright was an assistant to Mehre at Georgia before guiding the Gamecocks for 15 seasons, including a 7-3 finish in 1953.
Wake Forest
Stan Cofall (’17) • 1928
Record: 2-6-2
Cofall had more success in pro ball, representing the Cleveland franchise in the founding of what became the NFL. He was named the league’s first vice president.
Jim Lefebvre is an award-winning Notre Dame author and leads the Knute Rockne Memorial Society. He can be reached at: jlefebvre@blueandgold.com.
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