A look back at Gerry Faust’s journey from high school coaching glory to Notre Dame’s sidelines
Tribune Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN Gerry Faust during an event hosted by Regis Philbin and featuring former Notre Dame coaches Ara Parseghian, Lou Holtz, and Gerry Faust inside the Purcell Pavilion at Notre Dame in South Bend on Friday, June 3, 2011.
Gerry Faust, the former Notre Dame football coach who took an unprecedented leap from high school coaching to the college ranks, passed away on Monday at 89.
During his tenure from 1981 to 1985, Faust led the Fighting Irish to a 30-26-1 record before stepping down at the end of his fifth season. Known for his gravelly but high-pitched voice, Faust’s time at Notre Dame was marked by thrilling highs and frustrating inconsistencies.
In his debut year, the Irish defeated LSU with a decisive 27-9 score. The following year, they stunned top-ranked Pittsburgh, led by quarterback Dan Marino, with a 31-16 win. Over five seasons, Faust’s team appeared in two bowl games, including a victory against Boston College in the 1983 Liberty Bowl.
However, the Irish also endured two losing seasons and never managed to finish with a record better than 7-5 under Faust’s leadership.
In 1980, Notre Dame took a bold step by hiring Faust, a high school coaching legend from Cincinnati’s Moeller High School. Over 19 seasons at Moeller, he amassed an impressive 178-23-2 record. A devout Roman Catholic, Faust expressed his deep connection to Notre Dame during his first news conference, calling it,
“the only college job I’d consider. The job I prayed for. The job at Notre Dame.”
Turning point in Faust’s Notre Dame journey
As Notre Dame’s administration deliberated on extending Faust’s tenure for a sixth season, he made the choice to step down just days before the 1985 season’s final game against Miami.
Reflecting on his decision, Faust told the South Bend Tribune, “I don’t like to think of quitting but of changing directions.” His last game with Notre Dame ended in a crushing 58-7 defeat to the Hurricanes, who faced accusations of running up the score.
The following year, Notre Dame brought in Lou Holtz as Faust’s successor, and in 1988, Holtz led the team to a national championship.
In 1986, Akron hired Faust, where he played a key role in guiding the Zips from I-AA to Division I football. Over nine seasons, he achieved a record of 43-53-3 at Akron.
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Image: © Robert Franklin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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