The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Gerry Faust

Gerry Faust held Akron at Regional Program II for 8 seasons.

Peak, then fade
66–75
1981–1994 · 2 stints
Notre DameAkron
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Career arc

His real stature score, season by season, across every program he’s coached — so a stretch that stays in one tier the whole way can still climb or sink on the line, not just flatten out. Node color marks the tier reached. Which program a stretch belongs to is carried by the shaded lane behind it.

Stature score reached, by season of his head-coaching careerNOTRE DAMEAKRONDynastythe sport's summitBlue Bloodpermanent top tierPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyRegional Programthe building-block levelNotre Dame, 1981: 5-6, Blue Blood1981Notre Dame, 1982: 6-4, Blue Blood1982Notre Dame, 1983: 7-5, Blue Blood1983Notre Dame, 1984: 7-5, Blue Blood1984Notre Dame, 1985: 5-6, Blue Blood1985-11.4Akron, 1987: 4-7, Regional Program II1987Akron, 1988: 5-6, Regional Program III1988Akron, 1989: 6-4, Regional Program III1989Akron, 1990: 3-7, Regional Program III1990Akron, 1991: 5-6, Regional Program III1991Akron, 1992: 7-3, Regional Program III1992Akron, 1993: 5-6, Regional Program IV1993Akron, 1994: 1-10, Regional Program IV1994+0.0One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Blue Blood in his 1st career season — faster than 59% of the 100 FBS coaches who have ever reached Blue Blood (rank #1 of 100 by seasons-to-arrival).

Notre Dame, 5 seasons
−11.4
Blue Blood → Blue Blood.
Akron, 8 seasons
+0.0
Regional Program II → Regional Program IV.

The big-game ledger

How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.

7–8 against his rivals. Winless in 6 tries against Al Molde.

Rivalry record
7–8
46.7% · 3 rivals
One-score games
19–27–2
39.6% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
3–6
33.3%
Rivalry ledger
Kent State3–443%
USC3–260%
Michigan1–233%
The toughest matchupNemesis
vs. Al Molde0–6
6 meetings, 1987–1994
’87 L’90 L’91 L’92 L’93 L’94 L
Performance by opponent class
Blue Blood
3–6 33.3%
Power Program
7–12 36.8%
National Program
10–10 50.0%
Regional Program
35–38 47.9%

Coaching career

1987–1994
Akroncaretaker
Regional Program II
Gerry Faust held Akron at Regional Program II for 8 seasons.

2nd-best Akron tenure of 9 by the numbers.

Succeeded by Lee Owens (1995–2003).

1 NFL Draft pick: Chris Kelley (1987)

36–49
1981–1985
Notre Damesustainer
Blue Blood → Blue Blood
Gerry Faust kept Notre Dame a national power for 5 seasons.

6th-best Notre Dame tenure of 15 by the numbers.

Followed Dan Devine (1975–1980) · succeeded by Lou Holtz (1986–1996).

17 NFL Draft picks: John Scully (1981), Pete Holohan (1981), Bob Crable (1982), John Krimm (1982), Phil Pozderac (1982), Tony Hunter (1983), Dave Duerson (1983), Tom Thayer (1983) + 9 more

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