Slip Madigan

Bio

Edward "Slip" Madigan played his collegiate football under Knute Rockne and carried the gospel of the Fighting Irish to the West Coast where, over 19 seasons, he built St. Mary's College into one of the most formidable opponents in the Pacific region. Little St. Mary's, located at Moraga, California, took on the big schools of the Pacific Coast Conference and won some surprising victories. The Galloping Gaels, upset a Rose Bowl team, Stanford, 16-0, in 1927, and knocked off another Rose Bowl team, Southern California, 13-7, in 1931. In 1938, St. Mary's got a chance to play in the Cotton Bowl, and won over Texas Tech 20-13. Like Rockne, Madigan's teams played a national schedule traveling to play games in New York. Madigan's totals at St. Mary's from 1921 through 1939 were 117 victories, 45 defeats, 12 ties. Madigan was so popular at St. Mary's College, many joked that SMC stood for Slip Madigan's College, He also coached two wartime teams at the University of Iowa, 1943 and 1944.