A member of the football team during the
1947-49 seasons, Frank Downing `51 was a selfless
team player for the Lafayette Football program. A
three-year starter, Downing helped lead the team
to a 6-3 record in 1947, and a 7-2 mark in 1948.
He also helped fashion three consecutive wins over
arch-rival Lehigh. Leading a high-powered offensive
attack, Downing was at the controls of an offense
that scored 237 points in 1947, the most of any college
football team in Pennsylvania. That same season,
the passing attack was ranked eighth in the nation.
Downing became a member of the coaching staff in
1950, taking a position as backfield coach of the
freshman football team. Downing was involved with
coaching football for 25 years following graduation
from Lafayette.
