Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Under the Dome It was a tumultuous season for Leahy, who collapsed at halftime during the Oct. 24 Georgia Tech from acute pancreatitis and was even administered last rites. He also was castigated nationally for his team twice feigning injuries to stop the clock when it was out of timeouts before rallying to tie Iowa 14-14 Nov. 21. He could not make the trip to USC the ensuing week because of health reasons. Including his 20-2 record in his two seasons at Boston College (1939-40), Leahy had a career mark of 10713-9 (.864). That ranks just behind Head coach Frank Leahy was given a victory ride after Notre his former coach and mentor, Knute Dame finished 1953 with its sixth unbeaten season in his 11 Rockne, who was 105-12-1 (.881) years. Team captain Don Penza (83) helped lead the celebration. with the Irish from 1918-30 before photo courtesy notre dame media relations dying in a plane crash at age 43. Rockne and Leahy rank one-two in major college history for best winning percentage after coaching at least 10 seasons. What might have been if each could have coached another decade. 10 Years Ago: Dec. 5-7, 2003 This may have been the worst weekend in Notre Dame athletic performance: • On Dec. 6, the football team was crushed 38-12 by 5-6 Syracuse in the Carrier Dome, leaving the Irish with a 5-7 record to close the season. The Orange had lost three straight and four of their last five. • That same evening at home, the No. 23-ranked Notre Dame's men's basketball team lost at the buzzer, 69-68, to Central Michigan — which would finish 6-24. The Irish barely missed the NCAA Tournament later that season, and this setback was deemed a tipping point. • The women's basketball team lost at Washington, 85-74. • The hockey team, 8-1-2 in its previous 11 games, was swept by Western Michigan, 8-6 and 6-4 Dec. 5-6. • Volleyball lost in the first-round of the NCAA Tournament to Louisville. The lone Irish teams to win were the swim teams, which captured the Notre Dame Invitational. — Lou Somogyi Want to stay up-to-date with all the Irish news? Like Us On Facebook:www.facebook.com/blueandgoldillustrated Follow Us On Twitter: www.twitter.com/BGInews