Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/542018
UNDER THE DOME rushing Vagas Ferguson, retooling a defense that yielded the most rushing yards by an Irish team in 22 years, and playing a schedule that includes No. 9 Purdue and Michigan to open the season, trips to Michigan State and Arizona, plus the final two road games at two-time defending national champ Alabama and USC. 25 Years Ago: Aug. 22, 1990 The university holds a press conference to rebut a Sports Illustrated story by writer Rick Telander in which former Notre Dame player Steve Huffman reveals that "almost half" of the lettermen at Notre Dame used steroids, and at the behest of the coaching staff. Athletics director Dick Rosenthal and head coach Lou Holtz vehemently deny the accusations, while past and present players acknowledge there were "isolated" incidents, which led to several expulsions, but maintain the article was exaggerated. Said 1988-89 Fighting Irish captain and linebacker Ned Bolcar: "If I told you nobody ever tried it, I'd be a liar. And if you believed me, you'd be a fool. But no way did Notre Dame, Coach Holtz or anybody else suggest the use of steroids — or any drug for that matter." 20 Years Ago: Aug. 10-17, 1995 On the heels of a disappointing 6-5-1 season, 10th-year Fighting Irish head coach Lou Holtz has his team practice at Culver Military Academy, about 40 miles southwest of the Notre Dame campus, with no air conditioning, television or radio. It's the first time in memory Notre Dame practices off campus in August. "I definitely think we have a better chance to win because of the experience," Holtz said at the conclusion of the eight-day grind. — Lou Somogyi