Tag: Lou Holtz

Notre Dame Football: Remembering National Champion George Williams

Williams played a key role in Pat Terrell’s game-winning deflection against Miami in the famed Catholics vs. Convicts game of 1988 and after doing some reading, it’s obvious he was absolutely adored by his teammates.

I’m not one to jump behind caskets and act like someone meant a ton more to me than they ever did.  When someone dies I look up to I acknowledge them, the situation and try to carry on.

Some effect greatly.  I never was a huge Kobe Bryant fan aside from collecting his basketball cards as a pre-teen, but for a variety of reasons that death hit me like a ton of bricks.  Maybe it was because he was only a few years older than me, maybe it’s because he was one of the last athletes from my youth that appeared bigger than life and invincible or maybe it’s because I’m a new father of a young daughter and thinking about all the details of his passing was just flat out difficult to imagine.

Former Notre Dame defensive tackle and key member of the national championship team in 1988, George Williams, died this past weekend at just 50 years old after suffering from hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

I’m not going to pretend to know a ton about him or act like he was one of my favorite players because that wouldn’t be sincere.  I was familiar with the name, could tell you his position but I couldn’t share for a second how great of a player he was or how great of a person he was because I simply just have no memories as I was just two when Notre Dame won it all in 1988.

Williams played a key role in Pat Terrell’s game-winning deflection against Miami in the famed Catholics vs. Convicts game of 1988 and after doing some reading, it’s obvious he was absolutely adored by his teammates.

Tim Prister of Irish Illustrated does a great job breaking down games, recruiting and so much more but has a knowledge of Notre Dame football history that few can touch.  He wrote a worth-while piece about Williams on Wednesday morning that is worth reading in full when you have a few minutes as he gets quotes from some of the biggest names attached to that ’88 squad.

Here’s some of what Prister got from one of Williams’s former teammates, Reggie Brooks:

“As a player, absolutely tenacious,” Brooks said. “I was on the scout team and I was trying to run away from him most of the time. It was tough sledding watching the o-line trying to block him.

“He was one of the fiercest nose tackles I played against. So quick and explosive for a big guy. Extremely agile. He was coming for you.”

After college Williams spent part of 1992 with the Cleveland Browns.

George Williams was just 50 years old and is survived by his wife and two children.

Notre Dame Football: A Lou Holtz Stat in Honor of his 83rd Birthday

Instead of giving some biography on how Lou Holtz stunk as coach of the New York Jets or how he had the famous out-clause to Notre Dame while head coach at Minnesota, we’ve heard those time and time again and although enjoyable, I’d offer nothing new.

So instead, let’s look at a crazy stat from his time as head coach at Notre Dame, a post he held from 1986-1996.

Legendary football coach and the man that helped lead Notre Dame to their last championship in football is celebrating a birthday today as Lou Holtz turns 83.

Instead of giving some biography on how Lou Holtz stunk as coach of the New York Jets or how he had the famous out-clause to Notre Dame while head coach at Minnesota, we’ve heard those time and time again and although enjoyable, I’d offer nothing new.

So instead, let’s look at a crazy stat from his time as head coach at Notre Dame, a post he held from 1986-1996.

In 11 years as Notre Dame head coach, Lou Holtz and the Fighting Irish played 54 games against AP Top 25 opponents, an average of just under five per season (4.9).  In those games the Irish went 33-19-2 in such games, with nine occuring in bowl appearances of which Holtz and Notre Dame were 5-4.

Holtz departed Notre Dame after that 1996 season and in the 23 seasons since the Fighting Irish have won a total of 36 games against AP Top 25 teams since, going 36-45 in 81 such games since.

By comparison to Bob Davie, Tyrone Willingham and Charlie Weis before him most Notre Dame fans have been pretty aware of the steps the program has taken to winning 10 games in three straight seasons.

However, even Kelly has won just 20 games against ranked teams in ten years while he’s dropped exactly 20 as well.  His .500 percentage in such games feels tiny when put next to Holtz’s 33-19-2 (.629).

Even Kelly’s last three years that have seen the program take such a great stride see Notre Dame 9-6 against ranked foes, good for a mark of 60%.  As great as that relatively seems, it’s still short of Holtz’s .629 percentage overall, but especially in his best three year run from ’88 to ’90 in which Holtz and the Irish went 15-3 against ranked teams, good for a mark just north of 83%.

A great number to celebrate Lou on his 83rd.

Happy birthday, coach!

Notre Dame Football: 31st Anniversary of Last National Championship – 3 Thoughts

I really hope it doesn’t take 31 more years for Notre Dame to win another national title.  Like I said earlier I was far too young to have any memory of the 1988 team besides what I’ve read online or watched on YouTube.

January 2, 1988.

I was still a month from turning two so I have no real-life memory of the day, the Fiesta Bowl or celebrating a national championship.  What I do know are a few things:

One:

My first takeaway has always been when learning about the 1988 team that as ridiculous as it sounds, the Fiesta Bowl win over West Virginia that clinched the title feels like it was at most the third biggest game of the ’88 season, perhaps even the fourth.  Miami in the Catholics vs. Convicts battle immediately comes to mind, then for me my head goes to the No. 1 vs No. 2 regular season finale at USC.  And finally, Reggie Ho’s heroics against Michigan in September I think of before the Fiesta Bowl comes to mind.

Two:

Who could have ever guessed that would be the one and only title Lou Holtz would win in South Bend?  The program was on the rise and entering an incredible run from 88-93 that saw them go a combined 64-9-1, suffering just one loss in each of ’89, ’92 and ’93.

Yet each year the failed to win the national championship, even as ridiculous it remains to me Florida State was given the nod in ’93 but the program’s greatest heights in the modern-era, or at least since color-TV became the norm saw one championship and a bunch of close calls.

NBC has more exclusive television deals for their football team since that January night than they do national championships.  Which leads me to…

Three:

I really hope it doesn’t take 31 more years for Notre Dame to win another national title.  Like I said earlier I was far too young to have any memory of the 1988 team besides what I’ve read online or watched on YouTube.

I’ll be 64 years old in 31 years if I make it that long.  Please don’t have me still waiting by then, Brian Kelly and company.

In the meantime enjoy some highlights from that memorable night, at least for those that are old enough to remember it.

 

 

Notre Dame Football Well Represented on ESPN’s Top 150 Coaches List

Knute Rockne was the highest former Fighting Irish coach to make the list, coming in at three. He trails only Paul Bryant and Nick Saban on the list.

In honor of 150 years of College Football, ESPN and other publications have been releasing their lists of greatest all-time everything this year.

Earlier we went over the 150 greatest games list and the incredible games Notre Dame contributed to that list both good and bad.

Today ESPN released their rankings of the 150 greatest coaches in college football history.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Notre Dame is again well represented.

First up – “Rock”

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How Do You Build the All-Time Greatest Notre Dame Receiver?

I’ve only been contributing to the Irish Wire for a short time, but in that time, I feel like I’ve used it as a forum to serve as President of Chase Claypool’s fan club. And guess what? I’m ok with that! But during the course of our frequent …

I’ve only been contributing to the Irish Wire for a short time, but in that time, I feel like I’ve used it as a forum to serve as President of Chase Claypool’s fan club. And guess what? I’m ok with that!

But during the course of our frequent exchange of e-mails and direct messages, Irish Wire Grand Poobah Nick Shepkowski brought up the idea for the following: How would you build your perfect Notre Dame wide receiver?  He says it was because of something Golden Tate tweeted in regards to Claypool earlier this week.

Me, being the sucker for any article idea with historical context, started mapping out my ultimate pass-catcher. A few rules before we get started on my list. First, each player can only be used once for the various characteristics. Of course some of these guys could be on there for various things, but we’re trying to spread the love. Next, my own historical reference dates back to right around 1990. Sorry Tim Brown, Tom Gatewood and Jack Snow fans. Finally, this is my list. I’m not going to pretend like I know everything. I welcome the debate. Now, on with the construction.

We start with my most important trait for a wide receiver. 

First up: Best Hands

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Notre Dame Should Take Extra Step when Throwing it Back

Don’t ask me why I remember this so vividly because I don’t honestly remember. Nor do I remember what year it was that they went away but I assume when the stadium was opened post-renovations in 1997.

When No. 15 Notre Dame hosts Boston College on Saturday afternoon they’ll do so as a significant favorite in a series the Irish haven’t lost in since 2008.

They’ll also be wearing throwback uniforms made to honor the 1988 national championship team when they do so.

Unfortunately I don’t think anyone will be showing off their bare midriff quite like Chris Zorich used to, but I wouldn’t object if someone chose to.

Instead the playing field at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday should give a nod to not just the 1988 team but the entire Lou Holtz era.

No, they shouldn’t cut the capacity down to under 60,000, even if it’d mean a new sellout streak beginning, but a small, formerly unique characteristic should return Saturday afternoon.

I’m talking about the font of the yard-line markers that used to be one-of-a-kind to Notre Dame Stadium.

There are probably plenty of people reading this who are so young that they have absolutely no clue what I’m talking about. Heck, some that are old enough to remember probably don’t, either. If you’re in that boat, watch the video below and take notice of the yard line markers when you can.

Don’t ask me why I remember this so vividly because I don’t honestly remember. Nor do I remember what year it was that they went away but I assume when the stadium was opened post-renovations in 1997.

It’s an odd request from me I’m sure and I probably sound very old-school in making if. I however I promise I’m not always: I swear I love the video board and am all for the field turf as well as the “ND” on the 50 yard-line.

I just want Saturday for the actual yard-markings to get painted back to how they used to look.

And then left that way forever.