Independents

Sporting News, The, August 21, 1995 by Michael Bradley

Back to the future

It may have seemed like Gerry Faust had returned to the South Bend sideline last season, but, no, that was Lou Holtz squiring Notre Dame through a dreary 6-5-1 season that raised questions about the strawhaired leprechaun's losing his ability to grant Irish wishes.

We'll make it simple: He hasn't. Notre Dame's impersonation of a bumbling, Faust-era team was a one-time-only offer, resulting from a deadly combination of injuries, acrimony and overinflated talent assessments. It was not a harbinger of sustained mediocrity. This season will be much better and next season should mark Notre Dame's return to elite status.

Injuries forced the Irish to start nine offensive-line combinations last season and pushed starting running backs Lee Becton and Ray Zellars out of the lineup for a combined 13 games. The 1994 senior class was not as good as projected, and when losses mounted, the finger-pointing started. There were late-season disciplinary problems and an admitted lack of enthusiasm by coaches -- including Holtz.

"I hate to put a label on a year as a rebuilding year, but that's how we're going to use it," sophomore quarterback Ron Powlus says. "Things didn't go our way last year, and we have to learn from that. This year, we expect to be in the hunt for the national title."

A lot of what Notre Dame accomplishes will depend on Powlus, who enjoyed a solid freshman season (19 TDs, 1,729 yards, 9 interceptions). Now he needs to transform himself from a student under center to a team leader, something Holtz believes will occur.

Powlus should benefit from a more stable offensive line and the return of record-setting wideout Derrick Mayes. Running backs Randy Kinder, Marc Edwards and Robert Farmer appear ready to deliver strong seasons.

The defensive situation is shakier. A smooth transition to Bob Davie's more aggressive system has been hampered by the seasonending back injury suffered by talented defensive end Melvin Dansby. Even without him, the Irish will be faster than in recent seasons, a characteristic that should yield more big plays.

Holtz is satisfied with his front-line players but admits that he needs his latest celebrated freshman class to deliver as backups. If they do, Notre Dame could win 10 games. But even if the newcomers struggle, the Irish have the schedule and enough talent to win eight or nine. By this time next year, 1994 will be long forgotten and Holtz will be able to get back to his preseason tirades against pollsters.

Steppin' out

Northeast Louisiana will not challenge for anything beyond its regular-season schedule, but the Indians do have one of the nation's most explosive offensive weapons -- wide receiver Stepfret Williams.

Williams averaged 100.6 yards and 5.2 receptions per game last season and 19.4 yards per catch. Four of his 10 touchdowns covered 50-plus yards, and he registered five consecutive 100-yard receiving games. His biggest day was a six-catch, 160-yard detonation against Wyoming. Northeast may struggle, but opponents would be wise to pay close attention.

Happy bachelors

It makes little sense that East Carolina was left out of the new Conference USA alignment, particularly because the Pirates have had success against many of the league's members. ECU would love to find the right home, but nobody's panicking. The Pirates are moving ahead with a solid strategy that will enhance revenues and exposure.

East Carolina plans to add 11,000 seats to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, bringing its capacity to 46,000 -- the second largest in a state with four other I-A programs. The Pirates also have entered into an ESPN agreement that guarantees at least one televised game annually from 1996 through 2000. And although it isn't part of Conference USA, East Carolina will compete with its members for the host spot in the Liberty Bowl through 1997.

The Pirates will begin home-and-home series with North Carolina and N.C. State before the end of the decade and will play Miami, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, West Virginia, Duke and Wake Forest in Greenville by 2000.

"Initially, it hurt people's pride that we weren't in Conference USA," Athletic Director Mike Hamrick says. "At the same time, many of the people here are used to being told they're not as good as other people. That just makes them pull together and work harder to get where we want to go."

Welcome back

Those North Texas alumni who considered the school's 1983 decision to join the Southland Conference and leave Division I-A a mistake are smiling as they await the Eagles' return to major-college football. Like Northeast Louisiana, which endured considerable difficulty during its maiden I-A voyage last year, North Texas is expecting some trouble, especially with trips to Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama and Louisville.

But the future might not be so tough. North Texas joins the Big West Conference next season and has the recruiting advantage of being 20 miles north of Dallas. And it already has home games scheduled against Kansas and Oregon State.