Howard Emmett Lepper (February 19, 1898 – December 1, 1985)
was a professional football player, as well as the manager, for the Buffalo All-Americans. Aside from playing football in Buffalo, Lepper also helped start the team in 1917, when they were called the Buffalo All-Stars, Niagaras and Prospects. All of the early press announcements regarding the Buffalo team, referred to Lepper as the team's manager. Around 1917, Lepper and Frank McNeil signed a lease for the team to play their home games at Canisius College. In 1920 the Buffalo All-Americans started their season 7-0. this gave Lepper the best start for a rookie head coach in NFL history. His record was kept intact until 1931, when

Potsy Clark George M. "Potsy" Clark (March 20, 1894 – November 8, 1972) was an American football and baseball player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Michigan Agricultural College, now Michigan State University, ...

of the

Portsmouth Spartans The professional American football team now known as the Detroit Lions previously played in Portsmouth, Ohio, as the Portsmouth Spartans, from its founding in 1928 to its relocation to Detroit in 1934. Originally drawing players from defunct indepe ...

broke the record with an 8-0 start. However. Barney kept his second-best start stat until November 1, 2009, when rookie coach Jim Caldwell of the Indianapolis Colts tied his record. A week later Caldwell tied Clark's record, giving Lepper now the third-best start by a rookie coach in the NFL. Prior to his professional career, Lepper played football at the high school level for Lafayette High School. There he starred at tackle and

place kicker Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter. Spe ...

leading the team to consecutive City Championships in 1914 and 1915.

Head coaching record

References

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Postgame Notes: 49ers-Colts
1898 births 1985 deaths American football tackles Buffalo All-Americans players Players of American football from Buffalo, New York {{Amfoot-coach-stub