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From: reiher@ucla-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sport.football
Subject: Gerry Faust resigns
Message-ID: <7803@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 27-Nov-85 23:23:44 EST
Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.7803
Posted: Wed Nov 27 23:23:44 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 10-Dec-85 06:27:37 EST
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 39

For those who haven't heard, Gerry Faust, head coach of Notre Dame, resigned
yesterday.  Since Faust's five year contract runs out this year, and since
Notre Dame's record for the year is 5-5 (likely to go to 5-6 after this
Saturday's Miami game), and since Faust's best year at Notre Dame produced
a 7-5 record, Faust's resignation is not much of a surprise and comes
slightly ahead of Notre Dame's certain decision not to renew his contract.

As a Notre Dame alumnus, I have always had mixed feelings about Faust.
He was the perfect Notre Dame coach, except for one tiny flaw: he didn't
win football games.  Unlike the usual Notre Dame practice, which calls for
crying for a coach's resignation any time he loses more than three games in
a season, both students and alumni were fairly patient with Faust.  (I
remember the slogan "Dump Devine!" when Dan Devine had the affrontery to
go 8-3 his first season and fail to get ND into a bowl.)  Unfortunately, 
Faust just couldn't do the entire job.  He was a fine recruiter, he had 
precisely the right attitude, but he couldn't win.  He may not have brought
much glory to Notre Dame during his tenure, but he did bring class, both in
his time there and in his leaving.

Speculation is high on his successor, who is bound to be announced very
soon, so that recruiting will not be too adversely affected.  Lou Holtz,
currently head coach of Minnesota, seems to be the front runner.  (Holtz
has stated that Notre Dame is the only job in college football that would
cause him to leave Minnesota.  When he signed with Minnesota, his contract
included a clause that permits him to leave before the contract expires in
the event that he is offered the head coaching job at Notre Dame.)  George
Welch, Terry Donahue, Jack Bicknell, Howard Schnellenberger, and Dick
Vermeil are also believed to be candidates.  At any rate, Notre Dame's
next head coach is certain to be someone with a long history of winning
lots of games at the collegiate level.

At any rate, I wish Coach Faust well, as I'm sure all of Notre Dame's
supporters do.  I also hope for better things from the Fighting Irish
in the future.  I understand our basketball team is supposed to be
pretty good this year...
-- 
        			Peter Reiher
				reiher@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU
        			{...ihnp4,ucbvax,sdcrdcf}!ucla-cs!reiher