Rex Enright
Encyclopedia
Rex Edward Enright was an American football
and basketball
player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football
and college basketball
at the University of Notre Dame
in the 1920s. After graduating from Notre Dame in 1926, he played professional football in the National Football League
with the Green Bay Packers
for two seasons. Enright served as the head football coach at the University of South Carolina
from 1938 to 1942 and again from 1946 to 1946, compiling a record of 64–69–7. He was also the head basketball coach at the University of Georgia
from 1931 to 1938 and at South Carolina for one season in 1942–43, tallying a career college basketball coaching record of 82–62.
. He graduated from Central High School in Rockford, where he played on the 1918 state champion basketball team and was team captain and played running back on the football team. He then graduated from Notre Dame University where he played running back for Knute Rockne
on the football team and also played on the Irish basketball team.
in 1926 and 1927. In the early 1930s he was an assistant football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
. From 1931 to 1938, he was the head basketball coach at the University of Georgia
and assistant football coach. In 1938, he was hired as head football coach and athletic director at the University of South Carolina
. After the 1942 season, he joined the United States Navy
serving as a lieutenant and working mostly in their athletic program in the United States. He returned to the Gamecocks in 1946 as head football coach succeeding John D. McMillan, and remained until 1955 when he resigned for health reasons. He hired Warren Giese
as his successor, and continued as athletic director until 1960. The Rex Enright Athletic Center on the South Carolina campus was named for him and the Rex Enright Award (also known as the Captain's Cup) given to the football captains of the previous season. He was considered one of the "ring leaders" in the formation of the Atlantic Coast Conference
in 1953. He is a member of the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame. He died in 1960 of peptic ulcer
s and a rheumatic heart.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
in the 1920s. After graduating from Notre Dame in 1926, he played professional football in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
with the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
for two seasons. Enright served as the head football coach at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
from 1938 to 1942 and again from 1946 to 1946, compiling a record of 64–69–7. He was also the head basketball coach at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
from 1931 to 1938 and at South Carolina for one season in 1942–43, tallying a career college basketball coaching record of 82–62.
Early life and playing career
Enright was born in Rockford, IllinoisRockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
. He graduated from Central High School in Rockford, where he played on the 1918 state champion basketball team and was team captain and played running back on the football team. He then graduated from Notre Dame University where he played running back for Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
on the football team and also played on the Irish basketball team.
Coaching career
Enright played fullback for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in 1926 and 1927. In the early 1930s he was an assistant football coach at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. From 1931 to 1938, he was the head basketball coach at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
and assistant football coach. In 1938, he was hired as head football coach and athletic director at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
. After the 1942 season, he joined the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
serving as a lieutenant and working mostly in their athletic program in the United States. He returned to the Gamecocks in 1946 as head football coach succeeding John D. McMillan, and remained until 1955 when he resigned for health reasons. He hired Warren Giese
Warren Giese
Warren Giese is an American former South Carolina state legislator and college football coach. He served as the head football coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks for five years at the University of South Carolina....
as his successor, and continued as athletic director until 1960. The Rex Enright Athletic Center on the South Carolina campus was named for him and the Rex Enright Award (also known as the Captain's Cup) given to the football captains of the previous season. He was considered one of the "ring leaders" in the formation of the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
in 1953. He is a member of the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame. He died in 1960 of peptic ulcer
Peptic ulcer
A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. It is defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0.5 cm...
s and a rheumatic heart.