SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Gerry Faust, who served as the head football coach at Notre Dame for five seasons in the early 1980s, passed away on Monday at the age of 89.

In a heartfelt statement, his family expressed, “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Gerry Faust, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and coach who unwaveringly committed his life to his family, faith, and the players he coached.”

Faust’s tenure at Notre Dame (1981-85) came between notable national championship coaches Dan Devine and Lou Holtz, and it was characterized by challenges and a steep learning curve. He was appointed at the age of 45 after achieving significant success at Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, where he accrued a record of 30-26-1 (.535) during his time with the Irish.

His first and last teams recorded 5-6 records, marking Notre Dame’s first losing seasons since 1963. However, during his tenure, the team managed to secure two winning records and participated in a couple of less prestigious bowl games. They produced a surprising 19-18 upset against the 13^th-ranked Boston College and future Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie in the 1983 Liberty Bowl, though they faced a defeat against the 10^th-ranked Southern Methodist (27-20) in the Aloha Bowl the following year.

Throughout Faust’s five seasons, Notre Dame consistently entered the preseason Associated Press rankings, earning three Top 10 spots, yet finished each season outside the rankings.

Faust and Bob Davie (in 1999 and 2001) are the only Notre Dame coaches to have overseen multiple losing seasons.

“What I can say about Coach Faust is that you won’t find anyone who loved the school more or wanted to win more,” former running back Allen Pinkett shared with the South Bend Tribune in June 2023. “He just didn’t quite know how to achieve it, and it was somewhat unfair to expect him to jump straight from high school coaching. We had ample talent, yet my best season resulted in just seven wins. It was really unfortunate.”

Pinkett, who played from 1982-85, is second in the program’s history with 4,131 career rushing yards and leads in rushing touchdowns with 49, having the highest number of rushing attempts in the team’s history with 889.

‘A really difficult role, no matter what’

Larry Williams, who was honored as a second-team All-American offensive lineman (1983-84) during Faust’s time, reflected on Faust’s vibrant coaching approach.

“Gerry always maintained a positive attitude,” Williams, now the athletic director at the University of San Francisco, told the South Bend Tribune in June 2023. “He became more at ease in his second year, and his offensive strategies began to show results. He had a lot of talent at his disposal. The main challenge lay in efficiently positioning that talent.”

During the central years of Faust’s tenure, the team posted a record of 20-14-1, including two consecutive 7-5 seasons as Williams closed out his college career.

“I believe he gained better understanding over time,” Williams stated. “This was a new landscape for him coming from high school to heading a college football program. It required time to ascertain the best positional fits for the players.”

At Archbishop Moeller, where Faust coached for more than 20 years, he achieved an impressive record of 178-23-2 and led his teams to five Ohio state championships in his final six seasons, earning mythical national champion status four times.

Some former standout players from Moeller, such as Bob Crable, Tony Hunter, and Tim Koegel, were already on the roster when Faust became the head coach at Notre Dame.

Ultimately, the transition from high school football to high-stakes college coaching proved to be an insurmountable challenge for Faust. While often viewed as excessively kind-hearted, Faust faced difficulties in that regard, according to Williams.

“It’s an incredibly tough position, regardless of the circumstances,” Williams acknowledged. “You need to foster a positive environment where young athletes feel appreciated, but there’s also a need for them to trust you enough to accept constructive criticism.”

Faust kicked off his coaching career at Notre Dame with a convincing 27-9 victory over LSU on September 12, 1981, and the team reached the No. 1 ranking the following week. However, consecutive losses against Michigan and Purdue saw the Irish drop out of the rankings for the rest of that season.

In his final game, after announcing his resignation for the end of the season, Faust’s team faced a disheartening 58-7 defeat to No. 4 Miami. This marked the conclusion of a rough stretch that saw the Irish lose three consecutive games, including clashes against No. 1 Penn State and No. 17 LSU at home.

“I hold no regrets about my time at Notre Dame,” Faust stated in an interview with The New York Times during the week of his resignation. “If I knew ahead of time how things would transpire in those five years, both the hardships and the triumphs, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Following his time at Notre Dame, Faust transitioned to a nine-season coaching position at Akron (1986-94), where the Zips recorded a 43-53-3 (.426) score, achieving just two seasons with winning records after moving up to Division I.

I-A. Faust, who served as the quarterback for the University of Dayton from 1955 to 1957, is currently ranked as the third winningest coach in Akron’s history.

Faust passed away on the same day as former USC head coach John Robinson, who was also 89 years old. Faust faced Robinson’s teams from USC twice, losing both close games in 1981 (14-7) and 1982 (17-13).

“He led an extraordinary life marked by a strong commitment to his Catholic faith. He was a cherished mentor to countless young men, both on the field and beyond,” his family stated. “His legendary work ethic, positivity, leadership, and humility have left an indelible mark. His legacy embodies perseverance, compassion, and inspiration, highlighting the significant influence one individual can have on many.

“Though many knew him as a coach, we will always treasure the memories of him as a loving father and grandfather, who inspired us to strive for our best.”