Lou: learn to enjoy being a preseason favorite

Sporting News, The, August 1, 1994 by Mark Blaudschun

To: Lou Holtz

University of Notre Dame

South Bend, Ind.

Dear Lou:

Another season is only weeks away and some people had the audacity to pick your team No. 1 in the nation. I know this is like fingernails on a blackboard to you.

You talk about all the quality players you lost from last season's Cotton Bowl team, such as offensive linemen Aaron Taylor and Tim Ruddy and defensive players like Bryant Young and Pete Bercich. You point out the in-experience you have at quarterback, where everyone is already crowning freshman Ron Powlus as the next Irish All-American. The only thing the kid has done so far is suffer a broken collarbone.

You say that those who pick Notre Dame No. 1 have to be out of their minds not only because of the loss of players, but also because not even your staff is familiar with the system. You had to hire four new assistant coaches during the offseason, including new offensive and defensive coordinators.

When you learned that football writers picked you so high in preseason polls, you shook your head.

"Every season they overrate us early in the year and under evaluate us at the end of the year," you say. "There is as much justification for us at two to start the season as there was to pick us No. 2 at the end of last year. Both of those, I thought, were absurd."

Obviously, the sting of last year when your team arguably deserved to be national champion over Florida State (a team you defeated) still fingers.

But, Lou, it's time to move on to this year and this season's worries, of which, as usual, you have a long list.

"I worry about the intensity of the seniors," you say, knowing how much leadership counts at a place like Notre Dame. "This isn't the strongest senior class we've had at Notre Dame in terms of contribution to date."

But then you do what you always do. You hint at what the future might bring. When asked about the senior leadership you say, "I do like the indications I've seen so far when it comes to attitude."

None of this is new, of course. You have one of the greatest crying towels in college football and everyone knows it. So here's some advice for the upcoming season.

Change, Lou. Oh, not much. Just bite your tongue when people say nice things about your team. You know you have a good team. Maybe even a great one. You have people like Lee Becton and Bobby Taylor, who are as good as you can get at running back and defensive back. As usual, you have blue-chip recruits hanging from the rafters. And you have your ability as a coach, which no one has ever questioned. You have 10 starters returning from a team that came within two points of winning the national championship. And you have said that winning the national title is Notre Dame's goal every year.

People have underestimated Notre Dame before, such as last season when everyone thought the loss of quarterback Rick Mirer and other strong seniors would lead to a drop in the rankings.

Some drop. An 11-1 record and a No. 2 finish in the polls. It has been the same almost every year. In 1992, Notre Dame was fourth; in 1990 the Irish finished sixth; in 1989 your team finished second (in another poll you disputed) and in 1988 you won it all. There is good reason why people regard Notre Dame so high every year.

One more thing, Lou. Maybe it isn't so bad being No. 1 in August and September. Just ask Don Nehlen at West Virginia. His team was unranked when the season began and had to fight its way to the top five in the polls. Had the Mountaineers not had to come from so far back, their unbeaten regular-season record might have earned them a No. 1 or No. 2 ranking and a spot in the Orange Bowl against Nebraska for the national championship.

But enough of that. Enjoy the season, Lou, for what it is. Don't make faces when people tell you how good your team will be. In fact, you should encourage it.

See you this fall.

Early advantage

If you want to see a Heisman Trophy front runner, Michigan running back Tyrone Wheatley is an obvious choice. And he can probably take a strong lead in the first month of the season just because of the high profile of Michigan's early schedule.

The Wolverines open on Labor Day weekend against Boston College in a nationally televised game and play Notre Dame the next week. Add a home game against Colorado (September 24) and Wheatley will have more exposure than any player in the country. If he does well, he could lock up the Heisman race in a hurry.