The talent issue discussed so often does not worry me. It should not worry the Irish nation. And it should not be the main talking points for the fools that show up on ESPN or whichever media outlet you might be reading, hearing or watching.
In 1988, against a team more talented, more experienced at winning and supposedly better coached, Lou Holtz, his staff, players and "the spirit of Notre Dame" came out of nowhere to beat #1 Miami 31-30.
In 1991, Notre Dame had a disappointing season in what turned out to be a year of rebuilding that included [only] three losses. They entered the 1992 Sugar (Cherrios) Bowl as huge underdogs. The less-talented Irish would face off against the high-powered offense guided by Steve Spurrier. Florida's skilled position players stood above and beyond the Irish, especially the much-maligned Irish secondary. #18 Notre Dame beat #3 Florida by 39-28.
The 1993 Irish are the poster child for a bunch of no-talent no-bodies to sneak up on the college football world and prove that talent is overrated and coaching is underrated. The “Team of the Century” started the 1993 season with a blowout win over Kansas in the Kickoff Classic and looked destined to go undefeated on their way to Bowden’s first national title. And in a game that came out of nowhere to be the “Game of the Century,” in the week leading up, it was built up to be Talent vs. Mystique. We all know what happened.
Talent is overrated. Coaching is underrated. In my opinion, Lou Holtz is the most under appreciated coach in the history of Notre Dame football. Like Rockne, Leahy, Parseghian, and Devine before him, Lou Holtz “got” Notre Dame. Lou won two national titles (I don’t give a -deleted- what archives say), and arguably deserved three after a one-loss Irish team crushed #1 Colorado in the 1990 Orange Bowl.
Lou overcame the talent concerns that constantly made his teams underdogs against the Miami’s, Michigan’s, Florida’s and Florida State’s of the college football world. Against USC, Lou was 9-1-1. Against Michigan, Lou was 5-3-1. Those are ND’s biggest rivals, and he was a combined 14-4-2.
Against the top 10 during his tenure at Notre Dame, Lou was 24-15-1. That means of his 30 losses while at Notre Dame, HALF of them came against the TOP 10!!! That is an incredible statistic. Under Holtz, Notre Dame routinely beat teams who were more talented. He also lost half of his total losses while at Notre Dame against these teams.
Only 11% of Lou’s 132 games were losses against teams ND could have been expected to beat, or at least have more talent.
Lou and his staff had his teams prepared. They played smartly, with passion, spirit and believed in the Notre Dame mystique.
Notre Dame does not need the best talent in the country. Today’s Oklahoma is 1988’s Miami. Today’s USC is 1993’s Florida State. Today’s Auburn, last year’s LSU and others are the 1991 Florida Gators. These are teams with superior talent than most schools. Jimmie Johnson, Bobby Bowden, Tom Osborne, Steve Spurrier were all great coaches. So the argument about having the talent and coaching combination that Okalahoma has with Stoops and USC has with Carroll is a moot point.
Notre Dame can reach a BCS title game. Notre Dame can beat Oklahoma. Notre Dame can beat USC. They can do so without lowering standards. They can do so without scheduling Appalachian State Tech Junior Community College. Notre Dame has a mystique that other schools don’t. The Irish just haven’t had a leader that has believed in that spirit, that mystique like Rockne-Holtz did. The Irish haven’t had a leader that can put it players in a position to win by being smarter, tougher, more passionate.
Charlie Weis is that man. Notre Dame will be back and it won’t be with startling much better talent than the Irish have now, or have had since Holtz left.
Charlie Weis will make Notre Dame believe in the spirit and mystique of Notre Dame. That is our talent. THAT is Notre Dame’s underrated TALENT.
THAT IS the SPIRIT and MYSTIQUE of Notre Dame.
