College Football : Time Is Already Running Out on Gerry Faust

There was an 18-second gap in Gerry Faust’s judgment Saturday, when Notre Dame lost to Air Force, 21-15, that provides as good an example as any of his ineffectiveness as coach of the Fighting Irish.

That was the amount of time remaining in the first half after the clock had been stopped to move the chains because of a Notre Dame first down at the Air Force 41.

If you were the coach, what would your strategy be in that case?

You probably would call time out as soon as the clock began running again. But Notre Dame had no timeouts remaining, as is often the case when the Irish need one.

So you would instruct your quarterback to throw the ball out of bounds as soon as the clock resumed running so that you could have time to regroup.

Then you would want him to complete a sideline pass downfield and have the receiver get out of bounds, which again would stop the clock, provide better range for your field-goal kicker and give him time to kick it. You might even get a second chance if the first pass was incomplete.

What did Faust do?

When the clock began running again, he sent his field-goal team in for a 58-yard attempt.

Even considering the thin air of Colorado Springs and the strong leg of John Carney, odds against a successful kick from that range are almost prohibitive. And that’s with time to set up.

But since the clock already was running by the time the field-goal team reached the field, there was no time to set up. A hurried attempt failed.

It was a little thing, but little things have resulted in Notre Dame’s 1-3 record.

With seven games left, including contests against Army, USC, Penn State, LSU and Miami (Fla.), the Irish will have to overcome Faust’s coaching to avoid finishing with a 6-5 or even a 5-6 record.

Even Faust said before the season that Notre Dame wouldn’t accept a 6-5 record.

Speculation about Faust’s successor began long before this season. Virginia’s George Welsh appears to be the favorite.

People close to Notre Dame say Welsh was the second choice when Faust was hired five years ago. Last year in a Miami Herald poll of former coaches, players and recruiting analysts, Welsh was voted college football’s best game coach. He won at Navy and, even more remarkably, is now winning at Virginia.

Boston College’s Jack Bicknell has also been mentioned, although you have to wonder if Notre Dame would want a coach whose nickname is Cowboy.

Like Welsh, however, Bicknell has an impeccable character. He also is a proven winner. But the most appealing thing about him to Notre Dame is that he’s from Boston College, the school that sent Frank Leahy to the Irish. Maybe Bicknell can wake up the echoes.

Also mentioned have been Don Shula, Dick Vermeil, Holy Cross’ Rick Carter, Army’s Jim Young, Minnesota’s Lou Holtz and Louisville’s Howard Schnellenberger.

Terry Donahue’s name continues to surface in other parts of the country, even though he signed a three-year contract extension with UCLA last summer. In 1979, Donahue’s third season at UCLA, he heard the same kind of speculation about his potential successor at UCLA. That’s one reason he won’t discuss the Notre Dame job as long as Faust still has it.

“It’s totally unacceptable to discuss a coaching job before it becomes available,” Donahue told Tracy Dodds of The Times. “I think it’s cruel and unusual punishment for a coach and his family. Notre Dame has a coach.”

After losing his first three games as Missouri’s coach, Woody Widenhofer was willing to listen to anyone, even Vladamere Tepes.

Widenhofer had rejected an offer from Fonda Love, an exotic dancer in Columbia, Mo., who wanted to be photographed bestowing a rose and a good-luck kiss upon Widenhofer before the first game. The result was a 21-17 loss to Northwestern.

So when Tepes presented his business card--”Vampire For Hire, 508 Years’ Experience”--Widenhofer accepted without even comparing prices around town.

Tepes’ first assignment was to hex Missouri’s next opponent, Cal. He met the Bears at the airport, dressed in his best black cape, his hair slicked back just like Count Dracula’s.

Alas, the Bears didn’t feel hexed.

Asked if he’d ever seen anyone so bizarre, Cal’s coach, Joe Kapp, nonchalantly replied: “Are you kidding me? We’re from Berkeley, man. We see this kind every day.”

The next day, Cal beat Missouri, 39-32, and Tepes was at least temporarily out of work.

But he wasn’t discouraged. His wife, Susan, told Frank Luksa of the Dallas Times Herald that Tepes wouldn’t quit the vampire business.

“It’s in his blood,” she said.

College Notes There are six games today matching Top 20 teams--Alabama at Penn State, Florida State at Auburn, Tennessee at Florida, Nebraska at Oklahoma State, Baylor at SMU and Texas vs. Oklahoma at Dallas. . . . Florida State doesn’t seem to be bothered by road games. Since Bobby Bowden became their coach, the Seminoles are 2-0 at both Ohio State and Arizona State, 1-0 at Notre Dame, Oklahoma State and Boston College, 2-1 at Nebraska, 4-1 at LSU, 3-2 at Miami, 2-2 at Florida and 1-1 at South Carolina. No wonder Bowden is known as the king of the road. “We’ve probably got a better reputation nationally than we do in Florida,” he said.

It’s ironic that Grambling Coach Eddie Robinson got his 324th victory last Saturday at the Cotton Bowl, which is on the Texas State Fairgrounds. Until 30 years ago, blacks were allowed to visit the fair on only one day, Negro Achievement Day. On Saturday, Eddie Robinson Day in Dallas, he cut the ribbon to open the 1985 fair. . . . After Grambling’s 31-24 victory Tennessee St. Friday night, Robinson needs only one victory to tie George Halas as the coach with the most wins in either the college or the professional ranks. The man with the most victories at any level is Gordon Wood, who won his 400th game last Friday night for Brownwood, Tex., High School.

According to the Dallas Times Herald, penalties against SMU might have been stiffer if the NCAA had not violated its own rules during the investigation. A part-time investigator paid an informant $25 to discuss the Mustangs’ recruitment of a quarterback. The NCAA does not allow investigators to pay for information. . . . Illinois Coach Mike White’s son kicked the winning field goal in the 31-28 victory last Saturday over Ohio State, but Chris White didn’t take much credit. “In no way do I compare myself as a football player with the guys who are out there blocking and tackling,” he said. “They’re doing the hard work, and I figure if they get the ball in scoring position. the least I can do is kick it through.” On the field, White said he calls the coach Dad. “He was my dad long before he was my coach,” he said.

Even though his team beat Notre Dame last Saturday, Air Force Coach Fisher DeBerry said today’s game against Navy is more important. He said that the Falcons’ first priority is to win the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, which goes to the service academy with the best record against the two other service schools. “To do that, we have to beat Army and Navy, and Navy is our opponent this week,” DeBerry said. . . . Temple junior running back Paul Palmer, the nation’s third-leading rusher with 167.8 yards a game, is only 5-9 and 170 pounds, but he still expects to play in the NFL. “I never worried about it when people would say, ‘You’re short, you’re short, you’re short.’ ” Interrupted Temple Coach Bruce Arians, “That’s because you’re fast, you’re fast, you’re fast.”