Wake-up fall?

Sporting News, The, August 21, 2000 by Michael Bradley

In a crucial year for Bob Davie, NOTRE DAME faces a brutal opening stretch, beginning with a September 2 matchup against Texas A&M

You know Bill Snyder would never find himself in this position. If his job at Kansas State were on the line, if his school's fans were screaming for wins now or his head later, if he had to impress a new boss, if his team were left out of the preseason Associated Press top 25 for the first time since 1986, and if he were coming off a 5-7 season that dosed with four straight losses, Snyder would not have a schedule beginning with five 1999 bowl teams.

No, Snyder would start the season the way he always does, with the Wildcats facing a handful of pushovers.

Notre Dame coach Bob Davie could sure use a little Snyder scheduling. You see, Davie starts the most important season of his short head-coaching career with a five-game kidney punch that would send most coaches into their athletic directors' offices screaming for relief.

The always-enthusiastic Davie talks about the stretch as an opportunity and says he came to South Bend for the chance to line up against such top-notch opposition, but even an optimist must realize the Irish need a good start or Davie may be interviewing at Mid-American Conference schools this winter.

Texas A&M. Nebraska. Purdue. Michigan State. Stanford. Davie's critics say that starting five equates to 1-4 for Notre Dame. His supporters insist that because four of the games are at home--Notre Dame will visit the Spartans--the Irish have a chance to get the nation's attention by winning three or even four. (Only the most rabid Golden Domer can see a victory over top-ranked Nebraska.) There can be no doubling, however, that a slow start would lead to some major dissatisfaction among the school's fans, alumni and administrators and precipitate a slide that likely would cost Davie his job.

"It is what it is," Davie says of the schedule. "If you look around this country, most conference schools are really starting their schedules the other way. Certainly, there are lots of advantages to opening against a team that, if you play just pretty well against, you can beat. That helps you develop players and develop confidence. I would much rather open up against somebody you can play pretty good against and beat

"But our situation is that we were lousy the last four games of 1999. The only way to get this back on track is to win big games."

The first opportunity comes September 2, when A&M visits. It is a game fraught with subplots and danger. Davie spent nine years as an assistant in College Station and remains close to Aggies coach R.C. Slocum and other members of the program.

"For me to say this was just another game wouldn't be accurate," Davie says.

It's not another preseason scrimmage, either. While San Jose State visits Nebraska, Bowling Green plays at Michigan and Wisconsin trounces Western Michigan, the Fighting Irish must face a perennial top-10 contender.

But like its ranked counterparts, Notre Dame will win its opener.

Don't be so surprised. Though the Aggies have a 19-game home winning streak, they have not been that successful on the road, particularly against high-quality opposition.

A&M lost four times last year, all away from home, by a combined 133-25. The Aggies' brand of run-dominated football doesn't always travel well. Though Davie is convinced Slocum will open things up this year, he'll be doing so with an untested quarterback and suspect wide receivers. The A&M defensive front seven is experienced, but one can't help remembering what Nebraska did to the Aggies during last year's 37-0 drubbing or how Penn State dominated A&M in a 24-0 Alamo Bowl win. And there also was Oklahoma's 51-6 rout of the Aggies.

Notre Dame has concerns of its own, particularly in the defensive backfield, which was a playground for enemy receivers last year. Junior quarterback Arnaz Battle hasn't proved to anyone he can throw the ball effectively. Davie admits as much.

"Everyone is aware (Battle) can beat you with his legs first and arm second," Davie says.

Battle will be helped by what should be a great ground attack, featuring tailbacks Julius Jones, Tony Fisher and Terrance Howard, and an experienced line. The defensive line is talented.

Bottom line: Notre Dame 24, Texas A&M 20.

It's just what Davie needs. But will it be enough? Starting 1-0 and hitting mid-October 2-4 won't get it done for Irish fans who spend time dreaming which savior new athletic director Kevin White would bring to South Bend to rescue the program.

White came to South Bend in the spring from Arizona State and has been charged with bringing the athletic department into the modern era, primarily from a revenue-generating perspective. An experienced surfer, he weaves in and out of questions about Davie's future as if he were riding a Pacific Ocean swell.

"Bob and I have a very candid, honest relationship that's been based on very straightforward conversations," White says. "We know we have to be better. We think we will be better."