When many think of Gerry Faust, they think of football. That’s a fair place to begin. Faust had an impressive resume on the field as coach at Moeller High School and the University of Notre Dame. Beyond football, however, he was a man of great faith with a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

After Faust’s passing in November at the age of 89, Mike Suter, a team captain under Faust on Moeller’s 1979 state championship team, recalled a story that showed just how ubiquitous the Catholic faith was to this coaching legend.

About 10 years ago, Faust was the scheduled speaker for a father’s group at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish in Anderson Township. As the group prayed the Rosary before the meeting, Faust showed up early and, without missing a beat, pulled his own rosary from his pocket and joined in.

“He loves Mary,” Suter said. “He would carry a rosary with him all the time. It was just so classic Gerry Faust to do that.”

Born in Dayton, Faust graduated from Chaminade High School and played quarterback at the University of Dayton. Four years after graduating college, he became the first head coach of Moeller’s football program. Over the next 18 years, he led the Crusaders to a 178-23-2 record, including five state championships and 12 Greater Catholic League titles.

Suter was a part of that success. He noted that Faust was an early adopter of offseason weightlifting and unique training approaches, like bringing in a ballet instructor. But Suter particularly remembers a pre-game tradition Faust put in place: On the Thursday before each game, Faust gathered his team captains, loaded them into his car, stopped at Wendy’s for dinner, then visited Holy Cross- Immaculata Church in Mt. Adams to pray the Rosary on the steps

“That was something that he expected us to do [as captains],” Suter said. “As far as I know, all the captains while he was there did that.… To this day, on Good Friday when my wife and I are in town, we do the steps, and I think of Gerry Faust all the time, every time I’m there.”

His legacy of success continues at Moeller, which remains a perennial football powerhouse. “Coach Faust is a shining example of what it means to be a Man of Moeller,” said current Moeller Head Football Coach Bert Bathiany. “He was a devout Catholic, strived for excellence in everything he did and poured his heart and soul into the lives of the young men he coached. He taught meaningful life lessons through the game of football that went well beyond the gridiron. The outreach from his former players is nothing short of amazing. He represents what all coaches strive to be.

After Moeller, Faust went on to his “dream job” coaching the University of Notre Dame. He went 30-26-1 at Notre Dame, winning the Liberty Bowl in 1983. Faust then led Akron University in its transition from Division I-AA to Division I-A going 73-79-4.

In a 2013 interview with the National Catholic Register, Faust reflected on his post-high school coaching career: “I prayed about it, and I think the reason these things happened was so that people will relate to me better. When I speak at men’s groups and other events, they can understand my situation, the ups and downs of life. That gives me more credibility, because they know I’m a real human being.

“I have also learned that adversity doesn’t have to get the upper hand on you. As long as you have faith, family and friends, you can get through anything.

This article appeared in the January 2025 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here