Opinion: The Fate of Davie
Christopher Bartoli
November 11, 1999

    Isn't it yet apparent after watching the past two weekends against Navy and
Tennessee that the program has not improved during Bob Davie's tenure and
that we are no closer to a top 10 team than when Davie started three years
ago?   Perhaps it is time for every ND fan to acknowledge that Davie may be
the problem and not the solution.  Perhaps it is time for everyone to
acknowledge that perhaps the program was not in such horrible shape when
Davie took over, as he has repeatedly suggested as a way to push the blame
off himself for a 7-6 record in 1997.  All I ask is that you compare three
programs at the time Davie took over in 1997 - ND, Georgia Tech and Purdue.
    Davie took over as head coach of a program with perhaps the richest
tradition in all of college football.  He inherited a veteran team that was
8-3 in 1996 that had narrow overtime losses to USC and Air Force.   Davie's
first game as head coach was against Georgia Tech.  It was a new season, a
new regime and the stadium had just been expanded.  In short, it was an
exciting time in ND football.  ND was a prohibitive favorite against Georgia
Tech going into the game (ie, ND's program was considered further along than
Georgia Tech's at the time).  However, ND escaped with a narrow victory.
Fast forward to the last season's bowl game against Georgia Tech when Tech
was favored and ended up defeating ND.  Fast forward again to the present
when Georgia Tech is ranked in the top 15 and played very competitively with
FSU, losing 42-35.  That is progression of a program over time.  Also
compare Purdue, which had not won more than 4 games in at least a decade,
had no recent bowl appearances and nearly no football tradition before
Tiller became coach.  In 1997, they were 8-4 with a bowl victory.  Last
season was also successful, as Purdue defeated Kansas State in a bowl game.
They have also won 2 out of 3 against ND since Tiller and Davie became head
coaches, although no one would ever accuse Purdue of having anywhere near
the talent of ND. 
    It is time for everyone to acknowledge that the ND
football program is stagnant, much in the same way that the basketball
program never improved during MacLeod's tenure.  Many people suggested that
the Tennessee game might be a ND magical moment and that it would probably
be ND's best performance of the year.  I was at the game and what I saw was
sloppy, undisciplined play (a trend that has continued all year) by a team
unprepared to play on the road in a hostile environment.  One of Davie's
favorite excuses is a lack of execution.  He has again used this as an
excuse against Tennessee.  I have always thought that this excuse is
completely bogus.  Poor preparation and a poor game plan by the head coach
results in poor execution.  Missed assignments, numerous and untimely
penalties all relate directly to poor preparation.  A well coached team
usually executes its game plan.  However, Davie never acknowledges that
perhaps he is part of the reason why the team fails to execute during
certain games. 
    Davie also suggested a talent gap between Tennessee and ND,
at least in the number of talented players on each team.  That may or may
not be true on paper, but I think Davie has enough talent that if his team
were properly prepared and coached, ND could have beaten Tennessee.  As has
been pointed out in various other articles - Grant Irons, Tony Driver,
Lamont Bryant, Jarious Jackson, Julius Jones, Raki Nelson, Deveron Harper,
Tony Fisher, Dan O'Leary, Jordan Black, Brad Williams, Deke Cooper, Ronnie
Nicks, Jabari Holloway, David Givens, Javin Hunter, Clifford Jefferson, as
well as several others were recruited by the likes of Nebraska, Ohio State,
Michigan, Texas, FSU, USC, Tennessee, Penn State, etc.  So, I don't think
the talent gap excuse is a valid one.  A few additional points on the talent
issue:  (1)  Davie has been head coach for three years and defensive
coordinator for a few years before that, so he has had primary
responsibility for recruiting the current players - if there is a talent
gap, it is his fault; and (2) Davie has in the past used a lack of talent to
justify certain losses during his tenure - did Lou Holtz ever use lack of
talent as an excuse?  Of course not - when he played teams with superior
talent on paper, like FSU in the early '90s and Miami in the late '80s,
Holtz came up with a game plan to neutralize the opponent's superior talent
and, ultimately, to win the game.  There are enough weapons and there is
enough talent on this year's team that with proper coaching, they should be
able to be competitive with any team in the country.  While I thought Holtz
needed to be replaced in 1997, do you think Holtz in his prime (late '80s,
early '90s) with this year's team would be 5-4?  Of course not - he probably
would have run the table prior to the Tennessee game (looking at the records
of our early season opponents, it is clear that they are solid teams, but
none of them are world-beaters), setting up a huge game against Tennessee
with a legitimate shot to win. 
    I find it laughable that Davie gives plenty
of excuses, yet never points the finger inward for the lack of success at
ND.   By the way, a lot of people have stated that Mickey Marotti has had a
profound impact on ND's strength and conditioning program and that the
players are stronger and better athletes than prior to his joining the
coaching staff.  I agree that the team might be better conditioned (ie, more
stamina late in the games) and that might have had some impact on ND's come
from behind wins against USC and Oklahoma. It is the overall strength of the
players that I question.  I have yet to see a game this year where ND
dominated the line of scrimmage on offense or defense.  Isn't that the true
mark of a good conditioning program?  In fact, against Tennessee, I think
our offensive and defensive lines were manhandled.  The way ND had a chance
in a hostile environment like Tennessee against a fast and talented team was
to grind out long drives on the ground and physically beat up Tennessee.
However, ND has yet to do that all year, so it didn't surprise me that they
failed to do this against Tennessee.   The point is that if the strength and
conditioning program was truly improved, then we would be seeing the results
on the field, most noticeably on the offensive and defensive lines.  Strong,
dominant lines are evidence of an improved conditioning program.  Like
Davie, I don't think Marotti has done the job expected of him.  On a related
note, ND has not had a dominant offensive line since Davie began as head
coach.  Considering that ND's forte during the Holtz years was a dominant,
punishing offensive line, don't you think the lack of offensive line
dominance says something about the coaching staff or ND's conditioning
system? 
    ND now sits at 5-4 in Davie's third season.  ND has struggled
mightily against some very mediocre opponents, like USC and Navy, and has
only dominated ASU all season.  There is not one facet of play that ND
excels at.  ND is not a great running team or passing team.  The defense,
while it usually keeps the team in games, is not a dominant, attack style
defense.  The defense doesn't cause a lot of turnovers or make a lot of big
plays.  Every single aspect of special teams is atrocious. ND never runs
back punts or kickoffs anymore, although more than 30 punts, kicks and
interceptions were run back during Holtz's years.  The punting has been
inconsistent.  Kickoff and punt coverage has been the poorest I can
remember.  Field goal and extra point kicking is horrible.  All of these
things relate to execution, which I believe relates directly to the head
coach. 
    With all of the talent on ND's team, the fact that they are not
playing as well as they should in all facets of the game reflects on the
head coach.  Did you ever notice that teams with good special teams are
usually well-coached teams (see Virginia Tech)?  I think the state of ND's
special teams, which was a focal point of Davie's in the preseason, says all
you need to know about Davie as a head coach.  In addition, the fact that ND
has yet to play a solid game from beginning to end and the fact the ND
typically plays to the level of its opponents says a lot about Davie's
ability to prepare and motivate a team.  Unlike the programs at Purdue and
Georgia Tech, no noticeable progress has been made in ND's program since
1997.   Throughout his tenure, Davie has offered numerous excuses:  (1) lack
of talent in 1997 and 1998, (2) difficult schedule (which, by the way, is no
more difficult than Holtz's teams played in 1988 and 1989, when they lost
only 1 game combined), (3) youth and (4) lack of execution, yet Davie has
not provided solutions and, incredibly, does not acknowledge his own
culpability for a 21-13 overall record.  By the way, prior to the Tennessee
game, some of my former college roommates from ND and I were watching the
ND/FSU game in 1993.  I found it interesting that in an interview prior to
that game, Holtz said that ND would win the game if they played well.  He
also said in the next sentence that he thought ND would play very well.
Prior to the Tennessee game, I read some quotes where Davie said that if ND
played well, it would have a CHANCE to win.  He never said ND would win if
it played well, just that they would have a chance to win.  I also read some
quotes in the South Bend Tribune prior to the Tennessee game by Davie where
he stated that even if ND was going to be 5-4 following the game, they would
still have to go play Pitt the following week.  What kind of message does
that send to you team when you acknowledge the possibility of losing prior
to the game? 
    Davie's other ridiculous quote, which was prior to the Navy
game, was telling his players to just find a way to beat Navy.  I think the
ND players don't expect greatness of themselves because the coach doesn't
expect greatness.  While on the surface, it appears that Davie is doing the
same thing Holtz used to do, there are subtle, yet very significant
differences.  If you recall, in big games against difficult opponents
(usually when ND was the underdog), Holtz always played up the other team as
a ploy, but never badmouthed his own team.  He never would say during those
times that his teams lacked talent.  Instead, prior to every big game, Holtz
always said he thought his team would play very well.  I think he did that
to show his team that he had confidence in their ability despite their
underdog status.  Davie continually badmouths his own team, citing lack of
talent, poor execution, etc. 
    Among other things, all of which involve
Davie, I think part of ND's problems this year is that the head coach
doesn't appear to have confidence in the players.  As an example, some
reliable sources that stated that the coaching staff was nervous the night
before the game against Michigan.  The players apparently were loose and
ready to go, but then lost confidence after watching Davie and staff fret
about Michigan.  What kind of message does worrying prior to a big game send
to your team?  The common thread for all of the problems that have been
addressed in this letter is Davie.  The program is stagnant and the head
coach has a lot to do with that.  It is time for all Notre Dame fans to
acknowledge that fact and begin the process of removing Davie.  Otherwise,
get ready for many more 4 to 6 loss seasons.