Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com JANUARY 2017 17 UNDER THE DOME 25 Years Ago: Jan. 1, 1992 Ranked No. 18 with a 9-3 record and a reeling defense, nine-point underdog Notre Dame stuns head coach Steve Spurrier's 10-1 and No. 3-ranked Florida Gators with a 39-28 victory in the Sugar Bowl. Although the Irish were 8-1 at one point, they finish the regular season with losses to Tennessee (35-34) and at Penn State (35-13) before winning a 48-42 shootout at Hawai'i. The 112 points allowed in those final three games are the second-most ever by the Irish in a three-game stretch, and the Gators' "Fun & Gun" offense is projected to score at least 40 points versus Notre Dame. Head coach Lou Holtz takes over the Irish defense in place of coordinator Gary Darnell and installs a Muhammad Ali-like "rope-a-dope" scheme that often drops eight and even nine players into coverage. Florida racks up 511 yards of total offense — but is repeatedly ineffective in the red zone and is forced into kicking five field goals. Trailing 16-7 at halftime, the Irish rushed for only 34 yards but remained committed to wearing down the smaller Florida defensive front seven. In the second half, Notre Dame rushes for 245 yards, with sophomore fullback Jerome Bettis (16 carries for 150 yards) scoring from four, 49 and 39 yards in the fourth quarter. "We got worn down defensively," Spurrier said. "They just said, 'We're gonna run the ball down their throats' — and they did." 15 Years Ago: Jan. 1, 2002 Lionel Tyrone Willingham, 48, is in- troduced as Notre Dame's new head football coach, the first African-Amer- ican to hold the position. In seven seasons at Stanford from 1995-2001, Willingham was 44-36-1, including a 3-2 mark against Notre Dame. Highlights included winning the Pac-10 title in 1999 for the Car- dinal's first trip to the Rose Bowl in 28 years, and a 9-3 record his final season. Notre Dame athletics director Kevin White noted how Willingham's 35-33-1 record prior to his 9-3 out- put in 2001 mirrored that of former Northwestern head coach Ara Par- seghian's 36-35-1 mark from 1956-63 before joining the Fighting Irish. The New Year announcement ends a tumultuous previous month in which head coach Bob Davie was fired Dec. 2 after a 5-6 finish in his fifth sea- son. Successor George O'Leary sub- mits his resignation Dec. 13 — four days after hiring — because of false information on his résumé, which leads to incessant mocking nationally on how unappealing the Notre Dame job has become. After the O'Leary fiasco, White recalled approaching Willingham the second time in the interview with this exchange: "Tyrone will be the first to tell you … 'Kevin, you hired the wrong guy. You need to hire me. And Kevin — you know you need to hire me." 5 Years Ago: Jan. 1-31 Following a second straight 8-5 season, third-year head coach Brian Kelly makes his first staff changes at Notre Dame. The moves include shifting Chuck Martin from defensive backs coach to offensive coordinator/quar- terbacks, thereby bringing in Iowa State's Bob Elliott and Wisconsin's Kerry Cooks to teach the safeties and cornerbacks, respectively. On offense, Kelly hires Harry Hiestand from Tennessee to mentor the line. He also assigns tight ends coach Mike Denbrock to instruct the receivers, former receivers coach Tony Alford is shifted back to his wheelhouse of handling running backs, and intern Scott Booker is promoted to coach the tight ends and coordinate special teams. — Lou Somogyi Anniversaries In Notre Dame Football History: January NOTRE DAME Great Gift Ideas! *Please add sales tax if shipping to: IN (7%), MI (6%), and NC (7.5%) Wall Calendars Ship Within Cont. U.S. Only BLUE AND GOLD ILLUSTRATED PO BOX 2331 • DURHAM, NC 27702 800-421-7751 www.BlueGoldOnline.com 2017 Vintage Football Calendar Item #6451 • 11"x14" Vintage FB Calendar $ 18 95 FREE S&H This unique series of frame-ready prints fea- ture archival-quality reproductions of home and away game souvenir programs that were sold at the stadiums during the early 1900s to the 1960s. Each year has different images. Collect the 2017 edition before they sell out! ON SALE! (Reg. $21.95) The Greatest Team DVD Item #6213 The Greatest Team DVD $ 26 99 FREE S&H SPECIAL OFFER! Get this DVD for only $13.95 w/ paid subscription renewal! The most incredible story in college foot- ball history — this film features excit- ing game footage and rare interview clips from the ND 1 9 4 6 a n d 1 9 4 7 national champion- ship teams. Expert commentary by Ara Parseghian, Lou Somogyi and other legend- ary writers, coaches and players. On New Year's Day 2002, Tyrone Willingham was intro- duced as Notre Dame's new head coach, becoming the first African-American to hold the position. PHOTO COURTESY NOTRE DAME MEDIA RELATIONS