Sept. 22, 1996
Off The Practice Field...Head Coach Lou Holtz
JOHN HEISLER: This is John Heisler here at Notre Dame. Coach Holtz
will make some opening remarks then we will take questions.
COACH HOLTZ: I had the opportunity to look at the film late last night
in depth and detail and, you know, it was just a tremendous game. I was
hoping to see a replay so that I could see it, like to see it from a TV
point of view, but it was an excellent game. Looking at the film, Texas
played very well and did a lot of things that we weren't quite ready
for. Defensively they played us with an eight-man front. They did more
blitzing than any defense we have ever played against.
We thought they might make some, but it really went contrary to Gary
Darnell's style and I thought he put together a brilliant defensive game
plan. Their safety man was within five yards of the line of scrimmage, and I
think made 18 tackles. But I also knew that their secondary
would be the strong part of their defense. That is considered the best
secondary in the country and I felt that they would play a lot of
man-coverage and put people up on the line, so I wasn't surprised by
that but I was surprised by the amount of twisting and things that they
did a long that line.
Offensively, they didn't change an awful lot of
things except they ran up inside more than we anticipated. A year ago
they hurt as an awful lot on the perimeter. We made up our mind that was
one place they weren't going to hurt us. We knew we would be a little
bit vulnerable inside, but I was surprised that we held them to 312
yards. When it was over, I couldn't believe that. I thought our
defensive coaches did a tremendous job at halftime making some
adjustments - taking away their passing game which we did pretty much in
the second half.
As far as our football team is concerned, let me touch
defensively. It wasn't one of our better efforts. Losing A'Jani
Sanders in the second series of the football game really hurt a great
deal. A'Jani gave you the ability to play man-coverage and do a lot of
other things, but I thought Benny Guilbeaux and Ty Goode stepped in and
did a very commendable job under the circumstances. I thought Allen
Rossum played an excellent football game. He and Ivory Covington. I
thought our corners played very well against some very, very fine
receivers and really tackled well. We didn't tackle as well
on defense as we have and we didn't play as well, fundamentally,
but then again, I think Texas had a lot to do with it. The thing that
amazed me was in the heat that we played as well and with as much effort
in the fourth quarter. I was worried that we didn't substitute enough
early in the ballgame and that the heat would catch up to us, but it
didn't seem to bother us. But it was very, very hot down there on the
field.
Offensively, we lost Mike Doughty early in the second quarter --
and Mike Doughty had played exceptionally well for the quarter and a
half that he played. Luke Petitgout came in and in his first bit of
action that he has seen on a consistent basis, he played awfully well.
He had a few mental errors -- that hurt us. But overall, I was very
pleased with the way Luke Petitgout played. I also thought Chris
Clevinger played his best football game maybe since he has been here at
Notre Dame. Chryplewicz played well. I thought that Ron Powlus did the
things that he had to do protecting the football, et cetera, and our backs
played well. We started Jamie Spencer. Jamie hurt his ankle and Jamie
Spencer had never really played in a big ball game when the game was in
doubt, but what little he played, I was really impressed with. So I am
anxious to have Jamie Spencer come back and get healthy
and get the ankle better. I think Jamie is ready to play at critical times in a
game. I really was most pleased with the way he responded in the
football game. When he got injured, Marc Edwards had to come in and play
much more than what we had anticipated and for not practicing, Marc
Edwards is the first football player I have seen that didn't practice much
that week and played very well on game day. I thought Farmer and Kinder
ran the ball well; played well, were involved with the game and we have
to get the ball to Kinder and Farmer far more than what we are doing at
the present time. Autry Denson was excellent. Autry carried
the ball 24 times for 160 yards or something like that and many of them were
critical runs. I thought our backs blocked well and played well.
What
can I say about Jim Sanson, except the young man has an awful lot of
courage. He stepped up. He kicked that field goal from the three, booted
right through and then the long one, it could have been good from the 45
or 50. What is amazing is we haven't hit many of those in practice. He
is very inconsistent in practice. I nicknamed him "Foul Ball" because he
kicks a lot of foul balls in practice, but you know, his dad is a coach
-- I think he is -- and his dad has given him some great leadership and
some great advice. The
most encouraging thing was when we got ready to kick it, boy, the
players, there wasn't any doubt in their mind that he would make it and
that that's a guy that they wanted in there. And that had to make that young man
feel very, very good -- the way they rallied around him. Jim never gets
nerved -- you can't get him rattled -- but it was a great place kick.
Other than that, I was disappointed in our punting game. I felt that our
kickoff was very good. Our coverage, once again, was very good. Our
kickoff return, we really didn't get a chance because they either had
the wind and kicked it out of the end zone or they pooched and we are
right back and we go through this every year. They kick off to us early
in the year and we run one back and then they start pooching it. But
other than the penalties on the kickoff return, I thought the kicking,
PAT, field goal, kickoff, kickoff return was neutralized. But our punt --
we got a bad snap. We allowed a guy to come through and that was
disappointing. We have really hurt ourselves with our punting game and
with our punt return. And we can't continue to do that. However, the
players really did compete well. There was never a negative thought on
that sideline by the players. There wasn't any doubt.
It was a great
environment. There was tremendous enthusiasm. The crowd was really loud.
There were so many turning points in that football game, you go back you
get nervous. We are down 14 to 3 and they are moving the football and we
take the kickoff and put on a beautiful drive down the field. I mean,
that was -- that drive was really critical because if we were 14 to 3
and we only go three downs-and-out or pick up a first down and punt. We
did have 27 first downs, which shocked me. But that drive was critical
and then, you know, it is mind boggling. We get the ball just before the
half - and this has happened over and over and you people witness as
much as I have - all we are trying to do is make sure they don't get the
ball again before the game ends and next thing you know we are in the
end zone and I don't know how it happens because we don't work on the
two mini drill very much, but that one was critical. The third quarter,
we did not play well on offense. When we got behind 24-17 and drove down
to the 35, I was disappointed. We had run a fake punt, which if it
didn't go, I could live with it. But we weren't to throw the ball out of
the end zone. The ball was to go up with a lot of height and come down
around about the 5, somewhere between the 3 and the 10 yard line; not 9
yards deep in the end zone, so we really didn't get a chance to see
whether it worked or not. I think it had a chance because they didn't
have anybody back deep. And the guy chasing him down, chasing Deke
Cooper down the field, couldn't tell it was a punt. And so if they
didn't have a safety man back, then you go down there and then two
things happen. Either you catch the ball because the guy blocking you
isn't sure going to try to catching it or else you get pass
interference. If Deke could have just gotten under control -- and so
that was disappointing. But now they get the ball on the 35 and Kory
Minor comes up with two big plays and LaRon Cobbins. Cory Minor throws
it for a 3-yard loss. We get the interception. And then we put on a nice
drive. We take the ball. We drive down and we get to about the 10 yard
line and we go to the 3. We put Marc Edwards down and the people
upstairs said, I think he is in the end zone. I said no, they didn't
give it to him. Well, my feeling is if they didn't give it to him, and
the guy thought he is in the end zone, the ball is going to be on the 6
inch line. We run a quarterback sneak; well it turns out we are on about
the one and a half. We get down to the 6 inch line and now you are in
the 6 inch line, everybody knows what we are going to do. That is no big
concern mine. My feeling is; we tell our football players, if you can't
get six inches, you don't deserve to win. We run the base play, but the
crowd is really loud and the ends are the ones that jumped off side and
I don't fault the ends. They can't hear. I couldn't hear. But now, you
know, that is all part of the game. That is all part of playing on the
road, but now we are on the 6 and things really look bad and
we run an option from the 6 yard line. We run the option from the 6 yard
line and for the second time in a row, our fullback went the wrong way
and I mean, might need to try to run it that way, but Autry Denson then
got in the end zone; very well blocked by Luke Petitgout; by Mike
Rosenthal and Peter Chryplewicz. Those people really did a tremendous
job. Powlus pitched the ball a little bit early, but a tremendous effort
by Autry Denson. So now you kick the extra point; there is 2:50 left to
go in the game, we kick the ball off in the end zone and there is still
time to score to win.
The bad punt was really critical. I think that
they got off a bad punt which is the first bad punt he made. We had
Bobby Brown open; overthrew him. That could have ended the game there,
but it just was back and forth; took a lot out of our players. It was
very hot. It was emotional. We are beat up pretty good. I haven't got
the injury report, but I don't think Chryplewicz can play. Mike Doughty
had back spasms very badly and we hope we can get those resolved. If we
can, he will be back. We definitely lost A'Jani Sanders and, in all
probability, we lost Peter Chryplewicz which are two tremendous blows to
us. But you know, we will go from here. Ohio State, you know, if you
tell me you are going to play somebody that is averaging 71 points a
game, I wouldn't be trying things -- should we full-court press him;
should we man-zone; should we play a box and one. I have never had
anybody averaging 71 points a game. Other teams are only averaging 3.5,
average more than that in hockey. So it is unbelievable but right now we
will go from here, but a win should help our confidence somewhat; yet at
the same time, it also illuminated some of the deficiencies we have as a
football.
Q. Coach, without going into all their personnel because you haven't
probably studied them close on Ohio State, but are you a little
surprised that they seemingly have replaced all those Heisman Trophy and
All-American players that got out of there last year?
COACH HOLTZ: I am not surprised defensively because they have 10
starters back on defense. They have Vrabel who is all-Big Ten. They have
a defensive back by the name of Shawn Springs who is as good a defensive
back as there is in the country. I think he is probably the best we have
played against last year. You know, their whole defense is backs, so
that does not surprise me. I am surprised with the productivity they
have on offense. I knew they had a great offensive line. Most of them
are back in Orlando Pace. They have maybe one of the top two tackles in
football. Now, Jack, if you will notice, I didn't say in college
football. People had said he had come out last year he would have been
one of the first five players picked. I knew their offensive line would
be very good. Pepe Pearson, I think it is, tailback, they have a huge
fullback. I knew they were would be good on offense. I don't know what
they are doing on offense, but I want to tell you, 71 points a game is
unbelievable and I don't care - I don't care who you are playing and I
don't care, that is impressive. I have not had a chance to see them on
film. I haven't seen them on TV. I have not seen any highlights but they
are obviously a notch above everybody else just based on statistics.
Q. How difficult of a coaching situation are you in this week coming
off such a big game at Texas and then having to face Ohio State?
COACH HOLTZ: Well, this is one of the more difficult things. Last year,
if you recall, we played very well against Texas and won the game and
went down and played Ohio State and we made some mistakes. Now, we did
not turn the football over at all yesterday. Texas only turned it over
one time. So we played a pretty flawless football game as far as
protecting the football. Then we went down to Ohio State last year and
made some mistakes. In the punting game, we fumbled a snap. We got hurt
with a lot of big plays. It is very difficult to come back particularly
when you lose a couple of people. You know, when you are scoring 70
points a game, they are going to come in here well rested. They are
going to come in here very enthused and you know, I have a lot of
respect for John Cooper as a football Coach. But we are going to go into
this game beat up and, you know, mentally very, very tired. But the
thing about it is, we know it is a big ballgame and I am anxious to see
how our football team will respond it to. But make no mistake about it,
it is very difficult to have a football team ready two weeks in a row.
Q. Coach Holtz, what did you get -- does a team get a certain amount
of confidence, though, when it goes to a place like Texas and wins like
you guys did? What has been your experience with teams in the past, do
you see a different kind of level of confidence on a team after
something like that?
COACH HOLTZ: Well, I think going down there and
playing in front of a large crowd and, you know, the noise factor and,
you know, every time Texas did something positive, which was quite
often, I mean, the crowd went absolutely fantastic. And we ran an option
one time and this was very critical in the football game. Perfectly
blocked and we had -- Ron Powlus came down and optioned the one guy
left. And we had a hat on everybody and we pitched the ball. I mean, Ron
Powlus has a 7 yard gain when he pitches the ball, and we missed a block
on one of the defensive backs. Had we made that block, Randy Kinder
might have been able to pick up another 25, but we missed a block. The
guy came up and hit Randy Kinder and I mean, we ended up losing about
three yards on it. I mean, it was an unbelievable hit. The crowd just
went crazy. Then when they showed the replay, they went twice as crazy
and then you know, we have to punt the football and they partially block
it and they drive down. I mean, it was a momentum thing. You are on the
road and the crowd gets loud, but what we learned at Vanderbilt and what
we learned at Texas, if anything, is this: That we know how we are going
to react when we are behind. Away from home, in a hostile environment,
and I say hostile, it should not be the word hostile, but it should be
intimidating environment, and yet our football players hung in there and
the sideline is just a very, very fun place to be with this football
team even when we are behind. And you know, the coaches are competing;
the players are competing, and so I think in that, that our players are
going to gain confidence in the fact that when things aren't going well,
is we know how this football team is going to react.
Q. I wonder if you get more out of scouting Ohio State from the
films that they had against you last year or if you will get more out of
scouting them against Rice and Pitt, two teams that really haven't been
able to deter them from doing anything and the fact obviously this year
you will see some different personnel?
COACH HOLTZ: Well, it is
different personnel and they might be emphasizing different things. I
haven't seen any highlights or anything else. Now, they had an
outstanding defensive coordinator last year. Did he go to Arizona State?
Q. Oklahoma.
COACH HOLTZ: He went to Oklahoma, okay. That is -- but
they also had an outstanding defensive staff and so they played very,
very well on defense. We will look at last year's game obviously. We
will look at this year's game also because, you know, when Jarious
Jackson is our quarterback and I want to say this publicly, Jarious
Jackson has had a tremendous week last week and Jarious Jackson is going
to be an excellent passer. He is going to be an excellent passer. Now
when Jarious Jackson is our quarterback or Eric Shappel, our offense
will be somewhat different. Our offense will be somewhat different than
what it is right now. So I think when is you are looking to evaluate
what people, you have to look at the personnel they have. I don't know
what they are doing defensively. I haven't seen them, but I do know they
have 10 starters back from last year's's defense, and you know, they
have done an excellent job against Pitt and Rice. But we will have to
look at last year's film, but we also look at this year's film. I am not
looking forward to looking to this year's film because I don't --
obviously they have done some outstanding things.
Q. I wonder if you could reflect back to at this time last year when
you were having your health problems and you had lost to North Western,
how much better is it this year and also having the game at Notre Dame
rather than in Columbus?
COACH HOLTZ: Well, I'd like to go down and play
them in Columbus again. I mean, that was an unbelievable environment
there. You had all the ex-athletes there lined up coming out and it was
a very, very exciting time. I don't think where you play really has a
whole lot of bearing on the football game. I really don't. We are glad
to be at home because it is just a little bit easier in the
surroundings, etcetera. But last year, we had lost to North Western and
we tried to bring the team back. After the opening game last year, the
only game we lost was to Ohio State in the regular season. We ended up
in the regular season 6th in the country. We played pretty well against
the Florida State team. But this year I feel about the same. Every game
is absolutely critical and we know Ohio State had a great football team
last year. I don't think that we can get into a scoring contest with
them, yet they had such great success in moving the football on us last
year it concerns you...
Q. How difficult was that on you personally?
COACH HOLTZ: Every year
is a little bit different. I am not trying to avoid the question. This
year the players have a little bit more confidence. We are probably more
disciplined; a little bit more mature in some areas, and our hopes and
our ambitions and the expectations of people are much higher this year
than last year. We were just trying to build our confidence and ourself
image at this time last year. Where, right now, you know, we are 3 and
0, but we have been behind in two of those wins in the fourth quarter.
But Texas does have a good football team and, you know, they have the
same problems we have this year. Texas this week has to go on the road
to play Virginia and that is not going to be an easy thing because when
you play two games tough back-to-back, as you and I both know, it is
very difficult. Ohio State is going to have the same thing. You know,
they got Penn State the week after. That is their first Big-10 game and
if John Cooper is as smart as I think he is, he probably should work on
Penn State this week. That is what Woody would have done.
Q. Coach, there was so much hype here last year before the Notre
Dame game for months. Can you give us an idea whether you and your
players have been hearing much about Ohio State this year up in South
Bend?
COACH HOLTZ: The same hype that you had at Ohio State last year we
had at Texas this year. I mean, it was the same thing; talked about it
for months and meant an awful lot. But no, nobody said anything to me
about it and don't get me wrong we have great respect for Ohio State and
they are one of the top 5 teams in the country and one of the 5 top
programs in the country of all time and I am from Ohio and I understand
that. But here you better be focused. That is all everybody talked about
down at Vanderbilt. Stadium was sold out - sold 29,000 seats and
tickets. Last year they sold 11. With us you just focus on it, the game
you have got to play that particular week. And don't get me wrong,
tremendous respect for Ohio State, as I say, but I hadn't thought about
Ohio State because we were worried about Vanderbilt in the opening game
and we are worried about Purdue and Texas; now greatly concerned about
Ohio State. And I look and say, gee, Washington lost one game by 2
points to Arizona State and then turn around Arizona State is now
undefeated and beat Nebraska 22 to nothing. You look at Air Force, they
are playing great defense. We know how well they move the football. And
then we have Navy, they are r3 and 0. And so what I am saying to you is,
yeah, you are aware of what is somebody doing down the road you have to
play, but you don't know anything, you don't know how they are doing it
or how good they look on film. You just look at it and say, wow, then
you see BC almost beats Michigan at Ann Harbor 20 to 14 they lose or you
had 14 to 7. But you just try to stay focused on the task at hand that
week. That is one thing you have to do here at the University of Notre
Dame. Maybe you have to do it at other places, I don't know, but you
better take care of business here that week at Notre Dame.
Q. Share with us what was going through your mind...
COACH HOLTZ: I am sort of in a state of shock walking across the field
and a guy comes running up and grabs me and when a man comes up and hugs
you, your first reaction, you know, and it is Bob Davie -- all our
coaches have been a great asset, but Bob agreed I have so much respect
for our coaches in general and the respect you have for Bob. We talk a
lot on the phone, you know. I have a button I can press where I am
talking to the offense or talking to the defense, etcetera, and you
know, one stage of the game when we are talking and we just shared some
things and his faith and belief, he never doubted for a minute we would
win the football game no matter what the situation. He came running up
and hugged me, said I told you we would win it, Coach. He said, I had
told you. I was happy for him. That game meant a lot to him. He gave a
great pep-talk. I talked to the team, but I am not real emotional with
the team. As I say, a guy gave me a great pep-talk and I ran down in the
opening kickoff and I got hit in the throat and couldn't remember a word
he said, and it was just gone. I always talk to our team and then this
year, I have had it where a different coach talks to them before the
game for a couple of minutes. Bob, gee, Bob gave them unbelievable
pep-talk. Kids were so fired up, I had some other things I was going to
say. There wasn't anything I could say. They didn't want to hear me.
They wanted to go and play. But it was a great win. It really was and I
thought that our defense did a tremendous job; particularly the second
half.
Q. First time I think you ran the option, Powlus kept it, I don't
know if that was option or not was that important or not...
COACH HOLTZ: When we run an option and I guess we probably ran five the
whole game which is more than we have run with him at any time. Usually
we will run two or three, but they played a lot of man-coverage. We run
an option, it is basically not designed for him to keep the ball. I
promise you, they won't play Jarious Jackson the same way they play Ron
Powlus, but when they do have you pick the ball and it is pretty well
blocked and we will probably end up with a first down and I thought he
tucked it up in there and ran very well with it and got about 7 yards.
It was critical. He has no reservation at all about doing whatever he
has to do in order to win.
Q. Showed Texas that he wouldn't carry the ball rather than just for
getting the option...
COACH HOLTZ: I don't think there is
any doubt that you know, he will move the to change some. You are not
going to score from 30 yards out. But it does cause somebody to be
assigned to him. See, all an option is this: An option is where the
quarterback, in essence, is blocking the end. For example, if the end
has to take the quarterback and he pitches the ball, then he has
neutralized the end and then that gives you an extra player for
different blocking schemes, etcetera. And we ran it about five times and
it was successful, I think, ran it six times, it was successful four.
Some big plays.
Q. (inaudible)
COACH HOLTZ: I agree with you. It was a dumb call.
Stupid call. Nobody in there right mind should call that. It is like the
quarterback went in the ballgame and had a play called 23, quarterback
didn't think that we would go and so he automatic -- he ran the 19 play
and 19 scored and came off the field and the coach said, why did you
check the 19. He said, I looked over there and the one cornerback was
wearing 10 and the other quarterback wearing 9. He said one cornerback
and the other was wearing 8 and I put 10 and 8 together and added them
up together so I ran 19. The coach said 10 and 8 are 18. The guy said,
you are right, if I was as smart as you we would have lost. It is the
same thing here. It was a stupid call, except I felt it was the best
call and we give us the best chance to win and if we executed it - if we
executed it - I felt we would score on it. Now Autry Denson did have to
dive into the end zone, but he got to about the 1 untouched. Had the
fullback gone the right way, he would not have had to dive in the end
zone. But I just felt it was the best call. I really did. I just -- you
know, a lot of times you have to go by what you feel in the gut and I
have got to say this: You look at film, and you try to anticipate what
somebody is going to give you and those calls are made by your
preparation during the week. Where you say, okay, if we have to do this,
what would be the run we would run; what would be the pass we would run.
And try to put yourself in that situation. But I think that just shows
you never know what a crazy person is going to do.
Q. (inaudible)
COACH HOLTZ: Peter was limping a little bit in the
game and yet he made an unbelievable block on 2 point -- or on the
touchdown. Hurt his ankle. It was swollen quite badly yesterday. When he
had a bad ankle when he was a freshman, he wished a while. One of those
he finished the game; just puffed up, really going to prevent a little
bit of hardship for us, but we will just have to see.
Q. (inaudible)
COACH HOLTZ: Well, when we scored I was saying I am
really glad we have overtime now because your decision is easy - kick
it. I am not sure we would have went for two because there is still 250
and we had three timeouts. If we kicked it off into the end zone, they
are going to be on the 20 and that means if the score is tied, then they
are go be forced to try to score as well. And if we can play good
defense and they throw an incomplete pass or two, the clock is going to
stop and if we get them in third down they run the ball, we can use our
timeout. So we -- if we went down and played defense we would still get
the ball back. And so I think I probably would have kicked it because it
was 250 left and 250 is a lot of time if you feel you can kick the ball
out of the end zone. If you go for 2 and you make it, now, you got to
play defense, but they are going to anything goes, they are going to
throw it over the middle; they are going to throw it in a million
different places. If you go for 2 and you don't make it, now, what they
are going to do is they are really going to milk the clock and it is
going to put tremendous pressure on you. Now you are going to run onside
kick and if you don't get the onside kick to that, then they will get
the ball deep in your territory like on the 50, 45. Whereas if you kick
it and you kick enough and they start on their 20 and it is a tied game,
worse it is going to do is go into overtime if we play defense. But I
have got to say this: When we got ready to line up at that field goal, I
wasn't real excited about going into overtime because then the momentum
would have been going towards Texas. Then I was wondering if we win the
toss and we take defense first and Texas gets the opportunity to defend
one end of the field or to play it on one of the end of the field, what
would take? They would probably take it against the wind because the
wind would not affect their kicker from the 25 yard line. If they went
three downs and didn't make it, he still has plenty of leg. And so, I
was a little bit worried about that and so a lot of things go through
your mind. But I can't tell you, that young man just flat hit that ball.
I mean, whoom, it was no foul ball on that one. That was a solid hit.
But the great thing was the confidence that everybody had in them before
he even went out there.
Q. Were you surprised that Texas ran the ball from the 20...
COACH HOLTZ: I felt this: With the score tied, they ran a
sweep, I want to say, to our right for about three yards; then I forget
what the second play was. The third play was they tried to run the
tightend on a hide and they had hit that a couple of times on third
down. We jumped it pretty good. It was overthrown. They ran the ball
second down also?
Q. No, they got a first down on the 31.
COACH HOLTZ: Yeah.
Q. Then they ran it three times (inaudible)
COACH HOLTZ: They threw
it on third down because we were going to -- they did run it after
second down because I thought about using a timeout then to stop the
clock, but I decided we would use it after third down if they ran it
again. But you know, we got the ball in real good field position twice
and unfortunately last two times we got the ball -- we got the ball on
their 35; then we got it on our 40 for the last drive. Anything else?
Okay.
