Stewart Ray "Red" Faught, pioneering football coach, dies

Associated Press

FRANKLIN, Ind. - Stewart Ray "Red" Faught, who coached Franklin College's football team for 32 seasons and helped pioneer the high-flying run-and-shoot offense, has died. He was 81.

Faught, who died Friday, coached Franklin from 1957-88, producing teams known for lining up from sideline to sideline and airing it out. - College Football -

"His quarterbacks would throw the ball as soon as they stepped off the bus, and they wouldn't stop throwing until they stepped back on," said Don Treibic, a friend of Faught's and the former announcer of Grizzliesfootball games.

"He wanted to win games, and he felt that was the way to win them," Treibic said.

At least 50 of his former players became coaches, including Indiana University head coach Terry Hoeppner.

Hoeppner, Treibic and former NFL quarterback Jeff George were among the close circle of friends who visited Faught in his final hours Friday. - College Football -

"He was my second father and mentor," Hoeppner said. "I wouldn't be where I am today without Coach Faught, and I always called him that. He was my coach."

Faught's "Red Shoot" offense helped one of the smallest schools in its conference become successful. - College Football - - College Football -

When he retired in 1988, Faught had amassed 18 winning seasons at Franklin - more than all 14 of his predecessors combined dating back to thecollege's first football season in 1886.

He closed with a career record of 160-139-6, which at the time ranked fourth in NAIA Division II victories. - College Football -

Faught became the offensive coordinator for one of Franklin's fiercest rivals, Georgetown College in Kentucky, from 1990 to 1992. He was there in 1991 when the team went 13-1 and won the NAIA national championship.

In 1999, Franklin College named its stadium in honor of Faught, who was a World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient. - College Football -

Visitation will be at Flinn and Maguire Funeral Home on Tuesday. He will be remembered Wednesday during a service at Franklin College's Spurlock Center, with burial with military honors at Greenlawn Cemetery.