**Two Former Notre Dame Coaches Identified by Experts as Among the Worst College Football Hires of All Time**
Notre Dame football is one of the most storied programs in college football history, boasting 11 national championships, seven Heisman Trophy winners, and countless legendary players and coaches. However, not every coaching tenure in South Bend has been successful. In fact, two former Notre Dame coaches have been singled out by experts as some of the worst hires in college football history. Their failures weren’t just about losing records—they left lasting scars on the program, setting back Notre Dame’s competitiveness for years.
When Gerry Faust was hired in 1981, it was one of the most shocking and unconventional moves in Notre Dame history. Faust had no college or professional coaching experience—he was a wildly successful high school coach at Moeller High School in Cincinnati, where he won four national championships at the prep level. But jumping from high school to one of the most prestigious jobs in college football was an unprecedented gamble, and it backfired spectacularly.
Faust’s tenure was defined by close losses, underachievement, and a lack of discipline. His overall record of 30-26-1 (.535 winning percentage) was the worst for any Notre Dame coach since the 1930s. Even more damning was his 2-3 record against Navy, a team Notre Dame had dominated for decades. His teams consistently struggled in big games, going 0-4 against Miami and failing to secure a major bowl victory.
What made Faust’s tenure particularly painful was the contrast with his predecessor, Dan Devine, who had won a national championship in 1977. Notre Dame fans expected dominance, but instead, they got mediocrity. Faust was known for his motivational speeches and positive attitude, but his lack of tactical expertise and inability to adjust in games became glaring weaknesses.
Perhaps the most telling moment of Faust’s failure came in his final game in 1985, a 58-7 humiliation at the hands of Miami—a defeat so lopsided that it symbolized how far the program had fallen. By the time he resigned (effectively being pushed out), Notre Dame was no longer a national powerhouse. His successor, Lou Holtz, had to rebuild the program almost from scratch.
If Faust’s hiring was a gamble based on potential, Charlie Weis’s downfall was a case of hype exceeding reality. Weis arrived in South Bend with enormous fanfare, fresh off his success as the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator, where he helped Tom Brady win three Super Bowls. Notre Dame fans hoped he would bring the same offensive genius to college football, and early success (back-to-back BCS bowl appearances in 2005 and 2006) suggested he might.
However, Weis’s flaws quickly became apparent. His recruiting was inconsistent, often relying on highly touted but poorly developed players. His teams lacked toughness, particularly on defense, and his offensive schemes—while effective in the NFL—proved too complex for college athletes. After the initial surge, the program collapsed.
The 2007 season was a disaster, with Notre Dame starting 0-5, including an embarrassing 38-0 loss to Michigan—the worst shutout defeat in Notre Dame history at the time. The team finished 3-9, one of the worst seasons in school history. While Weis rebounded slightly in 2008 (7-6), another collapse in 2009 (6-6) sealed his fate. His final game was a heartbreaking overtime loss to Stanford, a fitting end to an era of unfulfilled promises.
Weis’s biggest failure was his inability to develop players. Despite landing top recruiting classes, many of his highly rated prospects underperformed or transferred. His teams were soft, often outmuscled in critical games. By the time he was fired (with a 35-27 overall record), Notre Dame was no closer to competing for national titles than when he arrived.
Notre Dame’s standards are higher than most programs, which is why Faust and Weis are remembered so poorly. But what makes them stand out among the worst coaching hires in college football history?
1. **Unmet Expectations** – Both coaches inherited programs with championship aspirations. Faust followed a national title-winning coach, while Weis was supposed to restore Notre Dame to glory after the mediocre Tyrone Willingham years. Instead, they left the program in worse shape.
2. **Historic Lows** – Faust’s losing record against Navy and Weis’s 3-9 season were unprecedented lows for Notre Dame. These weren’t just bad seasons—they were embarrassments for a program of this stature.
3. **Long-Term Damage** – Unlike a typical bad coach who is quickly replaced, both Faust and Weis set the program back years. Holtz and Brian Kelly had to rebuild almost from scratch after their departures.
4. **Missed Opportunities** – Notre Dame could have hired established winners instead. In 1981, the school passed on experienced candidates to take a chance on Faust. In 2004, Urban Meyer (a Notre Dame assistant at the time) was interested in the job but was overlooked in favor of Weis.
Not every coaching hire works out, but few failures are as glaring as Gerry Faust and Charlie Weis at Notre Dame. Their tenures serve as cautionary tales about the dangers of hiring coaches based on hype rather than proven success. For a program with Notre Dame’s history, these two names remain synonymous with disappointment—reminders of what happens when a legendary program makes the wrong choice.
While Notre Dame has since recovered under coaches like Lou Holtz and Brian Kelly, the scars of the Faust and Weis eras linger. They stand as two of the worst coaching hires not just in Notre Dame history, but in all of college football.
