Holtz Will Try His Luck as New Notre Dame Coach

Lou Holtz was named Wednesday to succeed Gerry Faust as football coach at Notre Dame, one day after Faust, whose five-year contract was not expected to be renewed, announced his resignation.

Holtz, who has coached the last two seasons at the University of Minnesota, promised no miracles Wednesday afternoon at his first Notre Dame news conference. He had taken a plane from Minneapolis after accepting the post in the morning.

“I’m not a miracle worker, I’m not a genius,” he said as he appeared with Irish Athletic Director Gene Corrigan. “While we do have fine athletes here, other schools have fine athletes too. There’s a fine line between winning and losing.”

Faust announced his resignation Tuesday after becoming the losingest coach in Notre Dame history with a 30-25-1 record.

“The people expect a minor miracle every Saturday and a major one every now and then,” Holtz said. “You and I both know this is going to be a long uphill struggle. But I do believe we are mentally prepared to approach it with an optimistic attitude.”

Holtz said he had made no decisions about assembling his own coaching staff for the 1986 season or about offensive strategies for his first season with the Irish. Notre Dame opens against Michigan, which defeated the Irish, 20-12, this season.

Holtz used low-key humor, one of his trademarks, to evade a question about the pressures of coaching Notre Dame’s prestigious and demanding program, then said he was prepared to do his best.

“I attended one game here; I noticed the fans were unarmed,” he joked.

“I’m not looking at Knute Rockne’s record or Frank Leahy’s record or Ara Parseghian’s record. I looked at that and thought it was a misprint. I just want to do the best I can and add to the traditions of Notre Dame.”

The terms of Holtz’s contract were not announced. Notre Dame football coaches have traditionally signed five-year contracts, with extensions offered on a year-to-year basis, but there was speculation that Holtz’s contract departed from that tradition.

During Faust’s five-year tenure, university officials resisted intense pressure from some fans and alumni to ease the coach out of his contract.

A university official pointed out that President Theodore M. Hesburgh and Vice President and athletic board director Edmund P. Joyce, who approved Holtz’s hiring, are slated to retire in 1987, when Holtz would be only in his second year.

Nevertheless, Holtz said he was happy with the deal. “They’ve been very fair to me,” he said.

Corrigan said he offered Holtz the job just after midnight following a series of telephone calls between Notre Dame and Minneapolis that began six hours after Faust announced his resignation.

“He said, ‘Tell you what, I’ll sleep on it, and if I feel the same way in the morning as I do now, you’ve got yourself a coach,’ ” Corrigan said.

Corrigan said the deal was set by mid-morning. “I couldn’t be more happy that it’s Lou Holtz,” he said.

Holtz said he had mixed emotions about leaving Minnesota and a coaching job he took only two years ago. The Notre Dame job, which he had long hoped for, was the only post that could have pulled him away, he said.

“How many people at age 48 get a chance to follow their dream?” he asked.

The administration at Minnesota will decide whether he coaches the Golden Gophers against Clemson in the Dec. 21 Independence Bowl at Shreveport, La., Holtz said.

Holtz praised Faust, who left with the team for Miami and his final game with the Irish only hours before Holtz arrived.

“I hope I can display the same kind of integrity and strong feelings that Gerry Faust did here for five years,” he said.

Notre Dame is the fifth college coaching job for Holtz, who had one unsuccessful year coaching the New York Jets in the National Football League before returning to the college level. Minnesota was 1-10 the year before Holtz took over and went 4-7 and 6-5 under his coaching.

Minnesota Athletic Director Paul Giel said a three-man selection committee has been formed to find a successor to Holtz.

“We are disappointed,” University of Minnesota President Kenneth Keller said. “At the same time, we feel progress is present. Progress on which we can build. We thank him for his contribution. He’s helped us get to the point where we don’t need Lou Holtz anymore.”