Mike Leonard returns as football coach at Franklin College.
The school announced Friday that Leonard, the all-time leader at Franklin, would return as coach. Leonard resigned after the 2019 season after a 17-year tenure with a 129-55 record, including 11 outright or shared Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference championships and nine Division III playoff appearances.
Leonard, who was inducted into the Indiana Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2022, transformed Franklin into a Division III powerhouse after taking over in 2003. The former Speedway and Hanover quarterback College was the offensive coordinator at Hanover before taking over at Franklin, which had suffered four straight losing seasons before his arrival.
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“We are beyond excited to welcome Coach Leonard home,” Franklin athletic director Lance Marshall said in a school release. “With an exceptional track record and a deep commitment to developing champions on and off the field, he is the ideal person to lead our football program. His passion, vision and dedication will undoubtedly inspire our players and elevate our team to new heights.
Under Leonard’s leadership, Franklin produced 11 All-Americans.
“I am extremely grateful to President Prather and our athletic administration for once again providing me with this opportunity,” Leonard said in a statement. “I am excited to once again be the head football coach at Franklin College. Since resigning in 2019, I have enjoyed doing many things, but I realized I missed leading a team toward a common goal while teaching and learning life lessons along the way. I look forward to reconnecting with faculty and staff, building a phenomenal coaching staff, and recruiting young men who want a top-notch four-year educational experience.
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 270-4904.
This article was originally published on the Indianapolis Star: Mike Leonard returns as Franklin College football coach
