Nov. 17, 1996

Lou Holtz Press Conference

JOHN HEISLER: Good morning. This is John Heisler here at Notre Dame. Coach Holtz is here. He'll make some opening comments, then we'll take some questions.

COACH HOLTZ: This press conference has been going for a couple years predominantly just to get my observations of what happened in the game. First of all, let me cover the injury situation. Marc Edwards will be out for the rest of the regular season at least. Whether we are fortunate enough to go to a bowl game or not, we'll find out. Cikai Champion will be out again this week. Randy Kinder dislocated his shoulder, we have to wait and see how long he'll be out. Pete Chryplewicz has a bad ankle. He was able to go back into the game, but I haven't talked to the doctor yet. You always worry about the swelling that may occur after that. Emmett Mosley had a concussion. We'll have to see. We do expect Mike Rosenthal back this week. If it goes well, it will be a welcome reception waiting for him. A'Jani Sanders should be at practice most of the week.

Looking back on the game, I expected it to be a much closer game obviously. Pittsburgh played so well against Boston College, played well against Virginia Tech, leading them 17-13 in Blacksburg in the fourth quarter.

I think the punt returns in the second quarter just broke the thing open. Our goal going into the game was to score on a punt return and a punt block. We had never done that in one game. We set that as a goal. Didn't accomplish the punt block. We could have had four returns. We were one block away from breaking the first one. I thought the team did an excellent job on it.

The other objective we had was it's only the second time in 11 years I've been here at Notre Dame we were minus on give away, take away on the turnover ratio. That was one of our objectives to end up on the plus side. Our objective was to have no turnovers and create three on defense. We had four on defense, lost one on offense, dropped a pitch and we lost one on the punt return or the fair catch. That puts us even. This is highly unusual to be even or even to be down at this late stage of the year.

Offensively we played very well. I want to tell you, Mike Doughty is really playing well at right tackle. Clevenger played awful well, Kaczenski did. Tim Ridder stepped in and has done a nice job. Jeremy Akers is really giving us a big lift. Chryplewicz is playing well. We got some good blocking from the receivers, particularly Raki Nelson. Shannon Stephens stepped up, had been out a couple weeks, made some big plays. One thing about Shannon, every time he's played he's made several big plays in the course of the football game. Liked to see Jarius Jackson, I thought he did a nice job. When he doesn't overstride, he throws the ball very, very well. Powlus did an excellent job I thought. We had more drops than what we'd like to have during the course of a football game.

Runningbacks played well. Jamie Spencer blocked well, ran well. Robert Farmer I think is coming along, and his confidence is growing. Autry Denson had his third consecutive 100-yard game.

Defensively I don't know when we've had better outside linebacker play than we're getting right now from Kory Minor and Bert Berry. Both of them are playing excellent football.

We created a lot of big plays on defense. We had ten lost yardage plays, five sacks. That's very, very disruptive to an offense obviously. Alton Maiden, once again, you watch him on film. You just don't appreciate the contribution Alton made to our front seven.

Linebackers playing well, Cobbins and Tatum. Of course Dansby and Corey Bennett playing very, very well. Dee Cooper comes up with a couple turnovers, again, made some big plays.

Schedule this week will basically be normal, normal as we can keep it. Meet with the players tomorrow at 3:15, watch a film, start practice, get ready for Rutgers, which had an open date. I haven't had a chance to look at them. Don't know anything at all about it. Our football players are falling into a rhythm. I felt, you know, the last three or four weeks, I felt good with this football team, the way they've responded, the way they've practiced, the coaches have done a tremendous job. You know, just see if we can keep doing it.

The greatest thing about this game is it's a different week, different team. I don't know which team I'll see on Monday. You look at Alabama, you know, goes down and beats LSU, then last night gets beat by Mississippi State. It's crazy. There's no other word to possibly describe it. No other questions?

Q. Lou, Pete Chryplewicz said yesterday after the game that you had told the team that you had a plan to be back next year. That is accurate?

COACH HOLTZ: You think Pete Chryplewicz lies (laughter)?

Q. I just wanted your reaction to what he says.

COACH HOLTZ: You know, we can talk about this forever, but there isn't much I'm going to say. I think there's a time and there's a place for everything. The ideal time is not always the best time for everybody else, but there's a time and place for everything. There's a time and place to address certain questions, there's a time and a place who to address it to. Right now in the media is not the time. I'm sorry.

Q. Just a follow-up. Are you concerned about how -- there is some uncertainty in the air. Are you concerned about how that might affect how recruits are looking at the program right now?

COACH HOLTZ: Recruiting is probably further along at this stage of the year than any other time. I'm talking about it appears that we will have an exceptional recruiting class, it appears that way at the present time. I'm always concerned about what's in the best interest of Notre Dame. I don't think there's any doubt about that. I don't think my loyalty to Notre Dame can ever be questioned, at least I don't know of any action I've done that could generate that thought. We want to do what's in the best interest of Notre Dame.

Q. Lou, after a particularly difficult loss a couple of years ago you said you would get this thing fixed and it wouldn't take as long as we might think. Do you feel like it's fixed?

COACH HOLTZ: I think it's fixed with two exceptions. We need a great -- we need speed at wide receiver. We need one great wide receiver and we need one big play-maker in the secondary.

I think that next year when I look at the football team, I think it's a very, very good football team. I think Jamie Spencer has proven that he can step in and play fullback. Joey Goodspeed and Berry. I think Denson is a fine tailback. It appears that we're going to have an excellent year recruiting runningbacks. I would hope Ron Powlus would come back. I think Jarious Jackson will do fine. O'Leary and Gandy, Cerasani at tight end. Out of the offensive players playing right now, I think ten of them have eligibility remaining, ten of the offensive players, and that doesn't even include the backups.

I think, you know, our top eight players are back in the defensive secondary. There's Kory Minor. I think the program's solid. You look at next year, do you think it can be a good football team? Yeah. We have to get a great wide receiver. Can we beat anybody in the country today? Yeah, I think we're capable. The way we're playing right now, not trying to be fancy, anything else, utilizing our talent and the discipline this school instills in you, I think we're playing very well.

For the first time I feel we're into a rhythm and I do think -- I feel, you know, some of the great teams we've had here, that this team can play with anybody. I felt last year's team could play with anybody, but we were a little bit weaker last year. You know, we lost a difficult game to Florida State, which was the No. 2 team in the country last year in the bowl game. That was without six starters, I think, in that football game. When you lose a game like that, you have to look at it and say, "You know, there's just a thin line."

What we need is a great play-maker wide receiver. He may be on this football team right now, I don't know. Might be Shannon Stephens, might be Raki Nelson, might me Jay Johnson. I don't know, but we need a great play-maker at wide receiver. Don't get me wrong, Mosley, Cikai Champion have done a great job, Malcolm Johnson, et cetera. Just the guy that can electrify the crowd.

Q. Lou, one other question. Does Notre Dame admissions have anything to do with the considerations you're making right now?

COACH HOLTZ: In the last ten years I've been here at Notre Dame, I've talked to the admission's officer maybe twice in ten years. I have never gotten an athlete admitted that was initially turned down by the admission's officer. I don't have a problem with that. I think he does a nice job. His obligation is to make sure the people that get here can do the work academically.

Do I disagree with some of the decisions? Yes, because I know the person. I have no problem with that. That was made abundantly clear to me when I came here. To try to lower the admission's office or the admission standards for a football player would be totally unfair to every alum, every student here and to the faculty members.

I think you ought to look at this guy's character and integrity and recommendations, but I know those people. I can't say that. He's doing an excellent job. I never questioned it. People that think that I want a different academic standard would be completely wrong along that line. The University makes that decision, and that was made abundantly clear to me when I came here. I accept it.

Q. Thanks.

COACH HOLTZ: I'll tell you this, they've done a pretty good job with the academics here.

Q. We've been hearing conflicting reports as far as your thoughts on coming close and/or breaking Knute Rockne's all-time record at Notre Dame. Give us your take on that. I've heard out of respect for Notre Dame and college football, you don't want to break his record. Is that true and can you give us your feelings on that?

COACH HOLTZ: That's absolutely true. I really do not have a desire to break Knute Rockne's record. I had enough games to break it. I mean, it wasn't like they said, "Okay, you can't coach anymore." Would that be the sole figure when I leave here? Well, you leave -- no. I think there are more important considerations than that. But would I be happy about breaking it? No, no, not at all. I've always felt that. I've never really changed on that.

You may win more games, but you'll never break Knute Rockne's record. What he did for football in general, for the country in general, for Notre Dame in particular, is unbelievable. When I looked at his schedule, I wonder if they had division one, two and three then. What he's done is fantastic. I would feel remorse if I were to break it.

Q. Lou, there seems to be a truth to the biblical life-span of people, and history suggests there's also a life-span for Notre Dame coaches. Have you considered that and where are you on that scale? (Laughter)

COACH HOLTZ: Well, I'm going to write a book someday and it's going to be titled, You Know the Rest of The Story. I hope I remember this question because that definitely has a place in it.

No, I think I talked to Ara Parseghian this summer. Ara, I just have the greatest respect for Ara. My goal is to be able to hit the ball as well as he does. With two artificial hips, he doesn't sway like I do. Makes it easier. He made a comment he didn't think anybody could ever coach here 11 years, but that I proved him wrong. He thought that I handled it very, very well. He was amazed at that. I just have a strong faith in God, that's all. I don't want to get religious. One of the things I love about the University of Notre Dame is being able to express my faith, say something to the team, pray with the team, without the ACLU contacting the president and threatening to fire you on Monday unless you recant.

My religion is a very important part of my life, number one priority. I think that's enabled me to handle this.

I don't think how old you are is important at all. I think it's how much time you have left to live. I notice some changes in me in 11 years. I look older probably. I notice I need a further head start when they call them up, when we run out to start the game. I used to be able to break from the huddle, now I have to get on the 10, last year the 5, next year it will be on the 15. But other than that, I don't -- I still have as much burning desire to coach and be on the field as much as I ever have. I think the players sense that.

Q. Lou, you said yesterday we all knew at some point that you would resign. But shy of saying what the decision is, can you talk about what has brought you to this point, this particular season, thinking this seriously about your future?

COACH HOLTZ: I think you always have to look at your future. It's not just my future. You know, there are a lot of other people involved in this as well.

I'm embarrassed that everybody is even talking about it. I really don't care to say anything else about it. I think this is something that the game, myself, my family looks at, Notre Dame.

I want to say this. Notre Dame, does not need Lou Holtz. People who think that are ridiculous. Lou Holtz needs Notre Dame; Notre Dame doesn't need me. This has been a great school. There's far more to this school than the football coach. You have to be part of this to understand that football is just a very, very small factor about it. People that make this a big deal, I don't see it that way, I really, truly don't.

Q. (Inaudible)

COACH HOLTZ: Coaches coach, players play, administrators administrate, reporters report, and there shouldn't be an overlap. You have a role. My job is not as an administrator. It's not my job to say what the University ought to do on admissions or anything else. If somebody were to ask me my opinion, I would certainly voice it, but that's not my responsibility.

Q. (Inaudible)

COACH HOLTZ: You mention the subject. I have somebody that comes to mind except a second wife. I have nobody in that line. You ask anything else, my opinion on something, I think we ought to go -- what we ought to do in Boston, yeah, I tell you. I tell you what I think we ought to do in Zaire, but nobody's going to listen to it, but I have an opinion.

Q. (Inaudible)

COACH HOLTZ: I really don't know. I really don't know.

Q. (Inaudible)

COACH HOLTZ: I'm sorry. I can't hear you.

Q. (Inaudible)

COACH HOLTZ: Not yet, but I'm sure we will. I'm sure we will. I found that Father Bill is a rather prominent person to the future of this University. If you look at everything that goes with this University and you look at the responsibilities Father Bill has, they're rather awesome. The athletic department is just one phase of Father Bill's responsibilities. Whatever his schedule will accommodate.

People think, you know, it's just athletics. The aesthetic beauty of this campus, the academic standards, the way they've been raised, the building, it's rather fantastic. That wasn't done by luck. There's been great leadership. Started with Father Hesburgh and Father Joyce, but Father Malloy and Father Beauchamp have certainly added to that. I have to accommodate his schedule, whenever it is.

Q. (Inaudible).

COACH HOLTZ: I'll bet you.

Q. (Inaudible)

COACH HOLTZ: I'd love to play golf, but I haven't held a golf club but one time since the end of July. That's the only time -- three times I hit a whiffle ball in my office, but that doesn't count. If I was a better golfer, I might get excited about it.

I always want to go play golf. About the third hole I say, "Why in the world would I want to do this, punish myself like this?"

I think I'm just an individual that's got to be productive, I think. I think -- and that's very difficult for me to be productive. But I'm just the type of individual, I don't think I could just go and prop up my feet. I don't think I could do that. I don't think that's me.

Q. (Inaudible)

COACH HOLTZ: I want to say this. I think we all go through and think about our future, obligations, the wives and children, universities, players and coaches. But I can tell you this, never once have I thought about what else once.

There's nothing that excites me, whether it being go play golf, do this, do that, go into business, start my business, anything else. I've never given a single thought to anything other than Notre Dame, nothing. And I can sit here and say that unequivocally.

Q. (Inaudible)

COACH HOLTZ: I just need to sit down with Father Bill and with Mr. Wadsworth. The thing where y'all are missing the boat is that it's not that big of a deal. And I say that to you sincerely. I think it's also a private thought that my family and the University need to share.

There are a lot of people involved in this decision. It's not that big a deal. I mean, it's not just Lou Holtz. You make it sound like it's just Lou. It's not Lou Holtz. Lou Holtz is inconsequential in the whole overall big picture. As I said, when I was 1-4, nobody was talking about anything. And as I also said, there ain't a person here naive enough to think I was going to coach here till the University went bankrupt. The University, the players, et cetera. That's something that needs to be discussed on a private matter. When something is resolved, obviously you'll be the first to know, after the rest of the world.

Q. Are you still looking to talk about things, make up your mind one way or the other?

A. This is not about I have a list of demands and they have a list of demands, this is wrong. I have always prided myself on the fact to be a team man. It's my job to please the administration, not the administration's job to please me. It's not my job to please the players or the coaches, it's their job to please me. That's the way it goes.

This isn't a case where they got to make a concession or anything else for me. That's the last thing. If you think that's even part of it, you're completely wrong on it. This is the situation. I understood Notre Dame when I came here. That was made abundantly clear. Father Joyce, Father Hesburgh, I'll always be indebted to them for giving me this opportunity. It was made abundantly clear the way this University was run and the role that you would play. The football coach is not a prominent player in the big picture.

Q. (Inaudible)

COACH HOLTZ: I don't think the surgery really changed me as much as just daily living. I think I'm a much better person for having been at Notre Dame because of the type of atmosphere that you're surrounded with. I can leave here five after 11:00 and go to confession at 11:15. I can go to 7:15 mass or 6:30. I can walk by the grotto.

There's just religion here. I mean, you look up at the Lady on the Dome. I don't see a football helmet on her. I don't see football. I look at the dome or look at a crucifix or anything else along that line.

I just try to be as honest as I can. I feel I'm not a priest and I'm not an individual whose life is to convert other people. I think my obligation is to try to live my life as best I can and be abundantly honest as I can. That gets me in trouble many times.

Thank you.