Playing at the University of Pittsburgh under legendary football coach Pop Warner, McLaren was an All-American in 1917 and 1918.

He played football at Peabody and competed in several other sports including track, basketball, and swimming.

[1] McLaren attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he was considered one of the greatest all-around athletes that Pitt ever produced.

Pitt's undefeated 1917 team was known as "The Fighting Dentists" because on occasion every position was filled by dental students.

[3] The dental students on the 1917 team included McLaren,[4] Katy Easterday,[5] Skip Gougler,[6] "Jake" Stahl,[7] and Jock Sutherland.

After his coaching career, McLaren worked in the industrial relations division of a company in Baltimore.