He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, earning first-team All-American honors in 1974.
He was a starter for the Fighting Irish at defensive tackle in 1973 and 1974, and was a 1974 first-team All-America selection by the Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News,[3] Newspaper Enterprise Association, and Time.
As a rookie, Fanning broke his leg, and saw limited action after returning midseason.
In 2009, Fanning joined the University of Tulsa athletic department, where he worked for 14 years.
[6] He initially worked with group ticket sales, before serving as the special assistant for administration and operations until his death.