Gerry Faust, the former Notre Dame football coach, has passed away at the age of 89. Notre Dame confirmed his death in an email to The Associated Press. Faust coached the Fighting Irish from 1981 to 1985, succeeding Dan Devine and preceding Lou Holtz. During his tenure, he achieved a record of 30-26-1.
After leaving Notre Dame, Faust spent nine seasons as the head coach at the University of Akron, where he transitioned the program from Division II to major-college status. His record with the Zips was 43-53-3. Faust continued his involvement with Akron after retiring from coaching, working in fundraising and the development office until his retirement in 2001.
Prior to his time at Notre Dame, Faust made a name for himself as a highly successful high school coach. He built a powerhouse football program at Archbishop Moeller in Cincinnati, achieving remarkable success with nine undefeated seasons, 10 city championships, eight regional titles, and five big-school state championships. His teams were awarded mythical national championships four times.
Despite initial skepticism when he was appointed as Notre Dame's head coach, Faust's legacy as a high school coach and his dedication to the game were undeniable. His impact on both the high school and college football communities will be remembered.
