Former Notre Dame football coach Gerry Faust dies at 89

A former head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish has died.

Gerry Faust was 89 years old.

Faust was the head football coach from 1981 to 1985 and finished with a record of 30-26-1 over the five seasons.

He was hired from Cincinnati Moeller High School, a nationally-known team, when Dan Devine left the Irish in 1980, Sports Illustrated reported.

Moeller, under Faust’s lead, went 178-23-2 in 19 seasons, The Athletic said.

He led the team to beat Boston College and Doug Flutie in the 1983 Liberty Bowl but lost the 1984 Aloha Bowl the next year, USA Today reported.

Faust left the team before the final game of the 1985 season when Notre Dame went 5-6 and lost the final game against Jimmy Johnson’s University of Miami in a rout 58-7, The Athletic and USA Today reported.

Faust’s resignation opened the door for Lou Holtz to take over.

Faust then coached Akron for nine seasons, ending his career there with a record of 43-53-3. During that time, he took the team from an I-AA school to a Division I team within a year.

The coach’s family announced his death but didn’t provide a cause.

They called him “a beloved mentor to countless young men both on and off the playing field,” adding, “He leaves behind a legacy of perseverance, compassion, and inspiration, reminding us all of the extraordinary impact one life can have.”

© 2024 Cox Media Group