- Resigned from Notre Dame on January 31, 1954 due to "health reasons". Revealed later that his health was fine and that he had the impression he simply wasn't wanted anymore.
- Collapsed in the locker room due to a pancreatic attack during halftime of the 1953 Georgia Tech game and was given the last rites of the Roman Catholic Church when it was thought he was dying.
- Won national championships in 1943, 1946, 1947 and 1949. Had a 39-game unbeaten streak (37-0-2) from 1946 through the opening week of the 1950 season.
- Played at Notre Dame from 1928 to 1930. Graduated in 1931.
- Served as assistant coach at Georgetown (1931); Michigan State (1932) and Fordham University (1933-1938). Head football coach at Boston College (1939-1940) and Notre Dame (1941-1943, 1946-1953). Compiled an overall 107-13-9 record including an 87-11-9 docket at Notre Dame. Caused an uproar in 1942 when he did away with Rockne's box formation and installed the T formation.
- Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1970.
- Son Jim and grandson Ryan also played football at Notre Dame.
- Coached four Heisman Trophy winners at Notre Dame (Angelo Bertelli, 1943; Johnny Lujack, 1947; Leon Hart, 1949; and Johnny Lattner, 1953) and recruited a fifth - 1956 winner Paul Hornung.
- Inducted into the Sough Dakota Sports Hall of Fame.
- Interred in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Portland, Oregon.
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