Memories from the Past, Thoughts on the Future
KLB
December 13, 1999

    I remember the first ND football game I watched. I was either ten or eleven years old. I don't remember. It was either the '88 or '89 season. I cannot remember. All I do remember was Tony Rice dismantling West Virginia in the season opener. I was hooked, and I would never root for another college football team again.
    I remember that game against Tennessee in (90?). I watched the entire game, but the only part I can remember is watching a defensive back with a gold helmet pick off a pass in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. I remember him running over those orange and white tiles and getting tackled at the (six?). I remember seeing some guy named Ricky Watters for the first time, and wondering who the hell this guy was, and why he wasn't there before. I remember Mr. Ismail returning those punts, or were they kickoffs, against Michigan. I remember that same guy getting ripped off of a touchdown return by a questionable clipping call, and the entire team getting a national championship taken away from them. I remember the '92 Sugar Bowl, Jerome Bettis rolling over Florida in a game in which nobody gave Notre Dame a chance to win. I remember Rick Mirer completing a fourth down pass to Bettis to tie a game vs Penn State, than a scrambling Mirer hitting Reggie Brooks for a two point conversion right in front of Notre Dame fans who prematurely rushed the field. The score was 20-19 I believe, and I remember walking out of the house to rake some leaves feeling good about the football team I watched. I remember the '93 season, after Bettis, Brooks, and Mirer left for the NFL, guys named McDougal, Becton and Zellars stepped in and proved that a dominant offensive line can make any skill position player look good. My ignorance was obvious. Watters was overshadowed by some guy named "Rocket," and I just hadn't noticed him before. Now that I think about it that first game I watched must have been the opener of the '89 season. I didn't even notice the finer aspects of football in general, and took for granted the Irish having a good football team. What made the '93 team special was that it returned two All Americans on defense )one of two ('96) good defenses the Irish have had during the 90's. Notice I said good but not great). then '94 came, and it was just a rebuilding system, so we thought. For the next four years, ND would have to put up with Ron Powlus, who despite immediate signs of shortcomings as well as being a terrible fit in Holtz's system, had the confidence of first Holtz then Bob Davie. But he never-the-less had successful seasons in '95 and '96, and despite '96 being a disappointment, a major bowl berth would have been possible except for the fact that extra points in South Bend, or in Pasadena, are hard to come by. But there was still hope for next year... Holtz, who had been burnt out, was leaving. And here comes Bob Davie. I was happy so see Holtz leave. Bob would fix everything. There was so much hope for the future... And then came '97. 7-6. Oh well. It was because Holtz left "the cupboard bare." The only one (and I do mean ONLY) who doubted this was Tom Lemming (BTW, has taken a complete 180 since) who, in an article for TSN, poignantly pointed out that Holtz's last classes weren't great, but blue chippers were still among them and they had enough talent to avoid a 7-6 season. He blamed those currently in charge of the program. I though him an idiot. I knew the rebuilding process would take until 2000. So '98 comes along, and we see a determined ND team win many close games and close 9-3. Hey, not bad. We're making progress, a BCS bowl in '99, and a title contender in 2000.
    I know many ND faithful thought in a similar tone as I have. That is why the shock is all the worse when looking upon the '99 season. For the first time as a ND fan, I have no hope for next season. The list of impressive recruits Davie will haul in on Feb. 3 won't matter. The "changes" promised on defense won't matter. The more talented younger classes starting to take on starters roles won't matter. And so, as a mediocre team shows up on those Saturdays, sportswriters will scream the traditional. College football has changed. Parity is more commonplace. It's near impossible for a school with high academic standards to compete consistently at a high level. Davie will claim that his quarterback is inexperienced, seven starters on defense were lost, and the team is still young. Oooh, and don't forget the schedule.
    "The traditional," whether you buy it or not, was put best put by David Haugh: "The factors are not so difficult that Notre Dame should lose seven games." As for Davie, his excuses that will come next year will amount to "my dog ate it." The pain then sets in. Notre Dame will not turn things around in 2000. Unless an amazing frosh steps in, all twenty-two starters were there that day in Knoxville when the players gave up, realizing that four losses was four too many when you wear Blue and Gold. It was talent that kept ND in the last three games, and nothing else. This is Notre Dame after all, and the athletes recruited are very intelligent young men. Meaning they are intelligent enough to know that their coach is as clue less as Chris Fowler.
    And meaning that all hope is lost.

"If I'd gone to Ohio it would have been Ohio State. Indiana, it is Purdue." -Coach Nick Saban, commenting on MSU's second place status to UM in state. Purdue is now the top team in Indiana...

Recruiting The banquet was a complete success considering the speaker was Regis Philbin. Mike Goolsby and Greg Pauly committed, two blue chippers ranked among the top players in the nation. With more luck, Nate Curry, Alex Barron, and Vontez Duff will commit before long.
It looks like Duff is the last of a list of talented backs that ND has a chance at, so he will be a must get. Ian Scott has committed to Florida, which is odd because he's from Gainsville. DJ Williams has dropped the Irish from his list for good, but that was expected. So has Tab Perry. And, probably the most damaging, so has Antonio Hall.
Here's an updated list of the prime prospects Davie needs to land.

Bobby Williams - DE/New Smyrna Beach,FL. Top prospect and great athlete. Can play both the run and pass despite limited size (246lbs.), but has plenty of room to grow.

Shannon Snell - OL/Hillsborough, FL. GREAT lineman who can blow people off the ball. Can never get enough of kids like these. But he needs an outstanding visit to pick ND over Michigan or Florida.

Brandon Sumner - QB/Daytona Beach, FL. ND needs another QB, and this kid looks to be a better fit than Jared Clark.

Tre Orr - S/Lake City, FL. Kid can flat out play, and is still highly regarded despite blowing out a knee this year.

Lynn McGruder - DT/Las Vegas, NV. One of the top five defensive lineman in the nation, but might not have the grades to get in. Likes ND a lot. A shame of the first sentence is true...

The Ron Powlus' (highly regarded kids to stay away from) Max Starks - OT/Orlando, FL. Too tall (6'9"). Will probably be a heck of a collegiate on the court, however.

All Questions and Comments are welcome: klb1@keene.edu