The last time Morstead saw his mentor was Sunday afternoon as he placed a New Orleans Saints hat next to Frank Gansz’s hospital bed.
Having been in a coma since his knee replacement surgery on Wednesday, Gansz, a former SMU special teams coach, was never made aware that Morstead was drafted. Gansz will always be to credit for Morstead’s success, but will never get to witness the masterpiece he helped create.
“You tell me the greatest special teams coach in the history of football is going to come out of retirement to work at what was regarded as one of the worst football programs in Division I football and say that’s not a coincidence,” said Morstead. “He kept telling me we have one year to make me ready. He said I would be ready [for the NFL] by the time he left.”
Gansz passed away Monday afternoon around 3 p.m. at Presbyterian Hospital after suffering complications from a blood clot following knee replacement surgery.
Gansz, 70, was a legend in professional and college football. His booming voice could be heard echoing off the walls of Ford Stadium as he barked drills and praise to members of the SMU football team.
But the man responsible for training Morstead and fine-tuning the punter’s skills for a future in the NFL, had no idea that Morstead will play in the Superdome of the New Orleans Saints this fall.
Gansz came out of surgery without any issues, according to a report on the ESPN Web site, but fell ill in the hours following the procedure.
Morstead spoke with Gansz the Tuesday before the coach’s surgery and was told to call Gansz to let him know how his practice with the Indianapolis Colts went. Morstead would never hear the inspirational voice of Gansz again.
“He was like a grandfather to me,” said Morstead. “It’s too much of a coincidence for how everything turned out for it to just be a coincidence.”
Placed in “serious condition” according to reports from ESPN and the Dallas Morning News, Gansz’s condition never improved following last week’s surgery.
Assistant athletic director, Brad Sutton did not have any updates on Gansz’s condition and did not comment further.
“He would appreciate us talking about it,” said Morstead mother, Isobel Morstead.
Twitter updates on head coach June Jones’ profile are dedicated to Gansz with tweets saying “we love you Frankie” and “Coach Gansz not doing good … say a prayer tonight … we all did today and will continue for him and [h]is family … he is our family.”
Jones, Sutton and Steve Orsini from the athletic department were not available to comment.
Gansz coached in the NFL for 24 years, sharing his time with eight teams, including serving as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs from 1987 to 1988. The U.S. Naval Academy graduate retired from the NFL in 2001 after working with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but was brought out of retirement to help June Jones coach SMU.
“He just told me I was ready and how proud he was of me,” said Morstead of his last visit with Gansz.
“I told him how much I appreciated everything he did for me. He said he loved me like a son, but him and I can’t be very serious and he then said ‘actually I might love you more than my son because you never asked me for any money.”
According to Morstead, Gansz requested to be buried at the U.S. Naval Academy. Funeral arrangements have not been set.
