A Special Visitor on a Special Day
11/2/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 2, 2009
 Gerry Faust and Michael Haywood  | |
The silver-haired gentleman with the raspy voice arrived last Saturday afternoon at Miami University's Yager Stadium under a cloak of secrecy from his home in Akron. He wanted it that way.
A coaching legend in the state of Ohio, Gerry Faust, accompanied by two of his Akron friends, had made the nearly four-hour trip down to the southwestern corner of the Buckeye State to see one of his favorite former-players-turned-coach.
"I've got a good feeling about today," said Faust prior to the Miami-Toledo game.
 Michael Haywood as a Fighting Irish player | |
Michael Haywood's father, Delmore, was the only one who knew that Coach Faust was going to be on hand for what would turn out to be a very special day in his son's life.
The mentor and his pupil smiled broadly upon seeing each other in the hallway outside Haywood's office, embracing in a manly, bone-crushing, back-patting bear hug. Haywood then proudly introduced his hero to everyone in sight.
Why was Faust's presence so important to Haywood last Saturday? The RedHawks head coach tells the story ...
"In 1982, Coach Faust came into my life," said Haywood. "I signed a national letter of intent to play for him at the University of Notre Dame.
"I had some adversity being that far from my home in Houston," he continued. "I was really homesick and actually went home for two weeks. Coach Faust called my parents once or twice a day for two weeks until I came back. And then, after I came back, his daughter, Julie, would pick up me and Milt Jackson, who was another wide receiver at Notre Dame, and take us over to their house for Sunday dinner. It really helped me to get over the home sickness that I was dealing with.
 Miss Johnnie and Little Michael | |
"I don't know too many people in this profession that would have stuck with a player like he stuck with me. And because of his dedication and loyalty to Mike Haywood, it's one of the main reasons I am where I am today. Coach Faust's support, his guidance, his leadership and his Christian faith have helped me to overcome a lot of adversity in my life, and I've learned many lessons from him over the years."
Faust has a soft spot in his heart for not only Michael Haywood, but also for Haywood's father, Delmore, and for his mother, Miss Johnnie. In the Yager Stadium press box before the game, with Faust hidden behind a piller, Mrs. Haywood was told to close her eyes. The coach planted a big kiss on the cheek of Miss Johnnie and the two visited for several minutes.
Faust even got to meet the newest member of the Haywood family, seven-month-old `Little Michael `Wood', who was dressed like a bumble bee on this Halloween day.
"When I was recruiting Mike, I quickly learned what a special family the Haywoods were," said Faust. "They had raised their son and all of their children to be caring, compassionate people. It was a bonus to me that Mike was a great athlete."
Faust made the rounds in the press box afterwards, meeting the first family of Miami University, David and Valarie Hodge. Mrs. Hodge presented Faust with a Miami scarf so that he would be adorned in RedHawk colors.
 Gerry Faust was Michael Haywood's first coach at Notre Dame | |
Numerous other individuals came up to the coaching icon and, whether he knew them or not, Faust greeted all with a genuinely warm handshake and a smile.
At halftime, Faust wanted to be on the field to shake his protégé's hand as he went into the locker room with a 24-7 lead.
"Great first half, Mike," said Faust, "but remember, you've got 30 more minutes to play."
"It was outstanding that he could see my first coaching victory," said Haywood afterwards. "We talked for a while in my office after he arrived and he said `When you win, you gotta put me on the plane', so I've got a seat reserved for him for every trip."
 The RedHawks celebrate their head coach's first win | |
Though he couldn't stay for the entire game because of a commitment at Cincinnati's Moeller High School later that evening, Faust listened to the entire second half of the RedHawks' game in his car.
A few minutes after the conclusion of Miami's 31-24 victory over Toledo, Faust placed one final call to Oxford. His message was simple and oozed with delight:
"Tell Mike that I'm proud of him."
 Gerry Faust and Michael Haywood | |
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