Francis Schmidt Francis Albert Schmidt ( December 3 , 1885 – September 19 , 1944 ) was an American football player and coach of football , basketball , and baseball . He served as the head football coach at the University of Tulsa ( 1919 – 1921 ) , the University of Arkansas ( 1922 – 1928 ) , Texas Christian University ( 1929 – 1933 ) , Ohio State University ( 1934 – 1940 ) , and the University of Idaho ( 1941 – 1942 ) , compiling a career record of 156 – 58 – 11 . Schmidt ' s teams were known for trick play s involving multiple laterals and non - standard tackle - eligible , and even guard - eligible , formations . The press labeled Schmidt ' s approach as the " razzle - dazzle offense . " Because Schmidt ' s teams were known for high scoring , the media nicknamed him Francis " Close the Gates of Mercy " Schmidt . Schmidt was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1971 . Schmidt also served as the head basketball coach at Tulsa ( 1915 – 1917 , 1918 – 1922 ) , Arkansas ( 1923 – 1929 ) , and Texas Christian ( 1929 – 1934 ) , compiling a career record of 258 – 72 , and the head baseball coach at Arkansas ( 1923 – 1929 ) , tallying a mark of 38 – 64 . Playing career and education . Schmidt was born in Downs , Kansas , and played college football at the University of Nebraska . He earned a varsity letter with the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 1905 and received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln College of Law a few years later . Coaching career . From 1915 through 1916 , Schmidt joined the football coaching staff as an assistant at the University of Tulsa . World War I , however , interrupted Schmidt ' s coaching career . He served in the United States Army and rose to the rank of captain . Schmidt was hired as the Tulsa head football coach in 1919 . In his first season , Tulsa finished with a record of 8 – 0 – 1 and outscored its opponents 592 – 27 . Schmidt ' s record at Tulsa was 24 – 3 – 2 in three seasons . Schmidt had defeated Arkansas by a score of 63 – 7 in 1919 , and the Razorbacks hired Schmidt away from Tulsa in 1922 . In seven years at Arkansas ( 1922 – 1928 ) , his record was 41 – 21 – 3 . While at Arkansas , he was also the coach of the basketball and baseball teams ; it was not uncommon during that time for coaches at major universities to coach more than one sport . Schmidt ' s most memorable years , however , were at Texas Christian and Ohio State . In five years at TCU ( 1929 – 1933 ) , he won two Southwest Conference championships and had a record of 47 – 6 – 5 ( ) . In seven seasons at Ohio State ( 1934 – 1940 ) , Schmidt won two Big Ten Conference titles and was 39 – 16 – 1 ( ) . Schmidt ' s most notable contribution to popular culture came in his first year at Ohio State . The Columbus press asked Schmidt about the team ' s chances of beating rival Michigan . Schmidt replied , " Those fellows put their pants on one leg at a time , the same as everyone else . " This phrase had previously been a Texas regionalism , but because of the press attention given to Schmidt , it soon became an internationally known cliché . Ohio State beat Michigan the first four years Schmidt coached there . Since that time , any Ohio State player that defeats Michigan is awarded a " Gold Pants Charm " , a gold lapel pin shaped like football pants . Schmidt finished his football coaching career with a two - year stint at Idaho Head coaching record . Football .