Joseph H . Thompson Joseph " Colonel Joe " Henry Thompson ( September 26 , 1871 – February 1 , 1928 ) was a highly decorated World War I veteran , recipient of the Medal of Honor , lawyer , Pennsylvania state senator , head football coach of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers , and College Football Hall of Fame inductee . College years . Geneva College . Thompson came to the United States from Ireland in 1898 at the age of 18 and entered Geneva College that year . He immediately became a basketball star and also participated in gymnastics and wrestling , but did not go out for football until 1900 . He served as Geneva ’ s player - coach for three years , with his football teams compiling a 27 - 2 - 3 record . University of Pittsburgh . Thompson continued his education at the University of Pittsburgh , then called the Western University of Pennsylvania , where he played football from 1904 and 1906 , during which time the Panthers compiled a 26 - 6 record . He captained the Pitt football team to its first perfect season in 1904 when the Panthers won all ten games and surrendered only one touchdown . Thompson graduated from Pitt in 1905 and continued on with post - graduate work in the School of Law completing his law degree . While at Pitt he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity . Professional life . Coaching . Following graduation from Pitt ' s Law School , Thompson assumed the head coaching position at Pitt from 1909 to 1912 during which period he led Pitt to a 22 - 11 - 2 record . The highlight of his coaching tenure was the 1910 season in which Pitt went undefeated and unscored upon and was considered by many consider to be that season ' s National Champion . While compiling its 9 - 0 record , Pitt outscored its opponents 282 - 0 . During this time , he attended Pitt ' s School of Law , graduating in 1909 and was admitted to the bar . A song to Joe Thompson was written to honor him as football coach at Pitt . Entitled " Joe Thompson " it was sung to the tune of the American folk song " Old Black Joe " by Stephen Foster . Who plans the plays to spring upon the foe ? Who ' s still for Pitt , does anybody know ? We ' re coming , we ' re coming ; So here ' s a cheer for Pittsburgh dear While at Pitt , Thompson also coached the track and field team beginning in 1904 . At various points , he also coached football at Pittsburgh High School and Carnegie Tech and was Rochester High School ’ s first football coach . Politics and law . Thompson represented the 47th District as a member of the Republican Party in the Pennsylvania State Senate from 1913 - 1916 and practiced law in Beaver Falls , Pennsylvania . Military service . Thompson entered the Army in 1917 and fought in Mexico and France during World War I where he was repeatedly wounded and became a decorated hero . In addition to the Medal of Honor , he was awarded the French Croix de Guerre , the British Medal of Honor , and the American Distinguished Service Medal . After the war , he served in the reserves corp he practiced law in Beaver Falls , Pennsylvania until his death in 1928 from ailments aggravated by war wounds . Hall of Fame . Thompson was inducted into the National Football Foundation ' s College Football Hall of Fame in 1971 and has been inducted into the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame in 1977 . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Major , U . S . Army , 110th Infantry , 28th Division . Place and date : Near Apremont , France , October 1 , 1918 . Entered service at : Beaver Falls , Pa . Born : September 26 , 1871 , Kilkeel , County Down , Ireland . G . O . No . : 21 , W . D . , 1925 . Citation : Counterattacked by 2 regiments of the enemy , Maj . Thompson encouraged his battalion in the front line of constantly braving the hazardous fire of machineguns and artillery . His courage was mainly responsible for the heavy repulse of the enemy . Later in the action , when the advance of his assaulting companies was held up by fire from a hostile machinegun nest and all but 1 of the 6 assaulting tanks were disabled , Maj . Thompson , with great gallantry and coolness , rushed forward on foot 3 separate times in advance of the assaulting line , under heavy machinegun and antitank - gun fire , and led the 1 remaining tank to within a few yards of the enemy machinegun nest , which succeeded in reducing it , thereby making it possible for the infantry to advance .