Gerry Faust, the gravel-voiced Cincinnati high school coach who achieved his dream of leading the Notre Dame football program, has passed away at the age of 89.
Notre Dame confirmed Faust’s death through family communication, although no further details have been disclosed.
Faust served as the head coach of the Fighting Irish from 1981 to 1985, finishing with a record of 30 wins, 26 losses, and one tie.
He took over the coaching position from Dan Devine and was succeeded by Lou Holtz.
Following his dismissal after the 1985 season, Faust expressed his enduring affection for Notre Dame, stating, “I have always loved Notre Dame and still do.”
Subsequently, he spent nine seasons coaching at the University of Akron, elevating the program from Division II to major-college status while achieving a record of 43 wins, 53 losses, and 3 ties during his tenure with the Zips.
After retiring from coaching in 1994, Faust remained at Akron in a fundraising and development role until his retirement in 2001.
Faust first gained prominence as a high school football coach.
After graduating from the University of Dayton in 1958 with a degree in marketing and management, Faust began his career as an assistant coach at Dayton Chaminade, his high school.
His father, Gerry Sr., had served as a coach at Chaminade for an impressive 49 years.
Two years later, Faust was offered the opportunity to develop a football program at Archbishop Moeller, a new high school in Cincinnati’s suburbs.
During his three years at Moeller, he laid the groundwork for what would become a historic football program.
When Moeller’s first varsity team took the field in 1963, they achieved a surprising 9-1 record.
Over the next 17 seasons, Faust’s teams at Moeller secured nine undefeated seasons, clinched 10 city championships, eight regional titles, and five state championships in the large-school category.
His teams were awarded national championships on four occasions, due to their unbeaten and untied records in 1976, 1977, 1979, and 1980.
The 1980 team concluded a perfect 13-0 season, bringing Faust’s high school coaching record to an impressive 174 wins, 17 losses, and 2 ties, equating to a winning percentage of nearly 91%.
When Faust was appointed as Notre Dame’s coach in 1981, it stirred public debate, with many questioning the decision to promote a high school coach to such a prestigious role.
His inaugural season in South Bend saw a disappointing 5-6 record, followed by seasons of 6-4, 7-5, 7-5, and another 5-6.
Faust’s first team at Akron in 1986 finished with a 7-4 record, but subsequent years were marked by challenges as his teams faced a competitive Division I-AA schedule and struggled to reach similar successes in I-A play.
