 After graduation, Kilkenny went on to the Notre Dame Law School, graduating in 1925 with "cum laude" honors earning a Bachelor of Laws.At Notre Dame, Kilkenny tried out for the football team, then coached by Knute Rockne, but a knee injury kept him from playing.He helped manage one of the teams and was assigned by Rockne the task of acquiring four horses for the Four Horsemen photograph in 1924 due to his experience growing up on a ranch.