Section B·Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Thursday, August 20, 1998
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Fulfilling expectations more difficult for Irish
Lawsuits, sanctions and youthfulness hurt team
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Many Notre Dame coaches have had disappointing first seasons.
The Associated Press
Lou Holtz and Gerry Faust went 5-6.丹 Devine was 8-3. Even Knute Rocke struggled, going 3-1-2. But none of them had to deal with an embarrassing age discrimination lawsuit from a fired assistant coach. None of them returned for their second season facing the threat of NCAA sanctions.
And in their third season, Devine, Frank Leahy and Ara Parseghian all won the national championship, while Rockne put the final touches on his second straight undefeated season.
"I've looked at that schedule in year three, and I hope I'm not going to be judged by that standard," the Irish coach said. "But let's face it. You are judged by a different standard when you are the head coach at Notre Dame."
Bob Davie knows it's time to produce.
But Davie has more to worry about than wins and losses. A cloud has been hanging over the program ever since ex-assistant coach Joe Moore successfully sued because of his dismissal in December 1996, one of Davie's first coaching moves. Moore, 64 when he was fired, was awarded close to $86,000 by a jury.
Notre Dame also is facing possible NCAA sanctions after an internal investigation turned up two rules violations by a booster who gave Irish players cash and gifts with money she embezzled from a South Bend business. The university is awaiting word on the punishment.
Nonetheless, Irish coaches and players insist the problems haven't been a distraction.
"You just can't pay attention to it," said senior captain Mike Rosenthal, one of the star witnesses in Moore's lawsuit. "It's never been a distraction."
Besides, they have enough to worry about on the field.
The Irish don't have a proven quarterback in Jarius Jackson. They don't have breakaway threats at tailback and wide receiver. They lack experience at defensive line and cornerbacks for
a squad that ranked in the bottom one-third of Division I schools for rush defense last year.
Then there's that season opener at home against defending national champion Michigan.
"I think the future is bright," Davie said. "Now, is it bright enough for Sept. 5 when we play Michigan? That's what time will tell, but I think we're going in the right direction. I think we have the potential to be pretty good."
That's similar to what Davie said last year when he promised that the Irish were going to open up their offense on the arm of Ron Powlus, prompting fears among Notre Dame faithful that he'd abandoned the traditional Irish power running game.
Instead, both went nowhere. After averaging 269.5 yards a game on the ground in 1996, the Irish limped to 174.9 yards a game last season, the first time since 1986 that Notre Dame didn't rank in the top 20 nationally for rushing.
The passing game didn't fare much better, and the Irish threw for fewer yards last season (185.3) than in 1996 (193.7) and 1995 (186.1) when the running game dominated.
So Davie has decided to resurrect the option, a key element to Notre Dame's 1988 national championship, its last. But Davie stresses the Irish won't run out of the wishbone or abandon the passing game they worked to develop last year.
Still, Davie doesn't have delusions that the option will resurrect Notre Dame's hopes for a national title, especially when he looks at what he believes are the four critical positions for any football team.
Quarterback — "We're inexperienced. We're talented there. But we're inexperienced."
Cornerback — "We lost both corners (Allen Rossum and Ivory Covington). ... That makes you nervous."
Defensive line — "We're young."
Despite all their problems, the Irish insist they feel no urgency to win.
Kicker — "We've got a kicker (Jim Sanson) coming back who missed three field goals against USC inside the 35-yard-line."
"I don't feel any pressure, and I don't think anyone on the team feels any pressure," Jackson said.
Try telling that to the alumni after a 7-6 season at a school where they joke 11-1 is a "losing" season.
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