European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 4, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday january 1989 the stars and stripes Page 25 fiesta bowl Holtz s can t pass offence soars Rice averaged by James Luke Tempe Ariz. A Lou Holtz likes to Tell the Story of a Man who jumps off a 12-Story building reaches the seventh floor and says so far so  on monday that Man might just As Well As have been West Virginia coach Don Nehlen. Lulled into thinking notre Dame would try to Wear his mountaineers Down slowly with the same grueling option of sense that carried the Irish to the nation s no. 1 ranking in less than spectacular fashion Nehlen deployed two of his four linebackers close to the line to Stop Therun. Holtz the consummate con Man had quarterback Tony Rice mix in a handful of Well disguised passes instead. He hit wide open receivers at three critical junctures for notre Dame s 34-21 Victory and their eighth National championship. See Story on Page 21. In the process Rice rolled up career Best numbers seven completions in 11 attempts 213 Yards two touchdowns. The strategy however was not with out its Cost. Forced to make the play fakes that enabled the freshman tandem of tight end Derek Brown and flanker rocket is mail to Cross the wide open Middle of West Virigina s defensive zone with ease Rice absorbed a fair share of punishment most of it from linebackers Renaldo Turnbull and Robert Pickett. The first one to Brown Rice rolled to his left with the pocket then quickly planted and threw across his body to the 6-foot-7 Brown. That moved the Ball to the 23-Yard line and seven running plays later notre Dame s Anthony Johnson pushed it Over from the 1. Next facing a third-and-11 from his own 48, Rice found Brown on virtually the same play. Rodney Culver scored from the five on the next play. Ismail s catch May have been the Best Orange bowl Arnold ale 97 and Ned Bolcar celebrate after sacking major Harris 9. Of the three. Starting at the Mountain his own around the right Side forcing the ears 37? Rice took advantage of the a West Virignia outside line backing duo to cant Middle to Complete a 19-Yard pass stay honest. That accomplished he sent to Anthony Johnson. Ismail slanting Over the Middle and hit he then mixed in two option carries of him on the dead run. 30.4 Yards per pass completion by Steve Wilstein Tempe Ariz. A Tony Rice made a liar of Lou Holtz and a National Champion of notre Dame. The fighting Irish quarterback could t throw bean bags the coach said. He could t hit receivers on those Preci Sion routes Holtz likes and could t win with his . Sure Lou. Rice showed More than just a pair of cute legs in leading top ranked notre Dame to a 34-21 Victory Over no. 3 West Virginia in the fiesta bowl on monday though the quarterback was nimble enough to gain 75 Yards Rushing. It was his Long passes and deft touch on Shorter plays though that thrilled the 74,911 fans at Arizona state s Sun Devil stadium and left pro scouts tantalized about the Junior s potential. Notre Dame s offence was t complicated Rice runs right Rice runs left Rice passes but it was effective. Rice voted offensive player of the ame completed seven of 11 passes for 13 Yards 30.4 Yards per completion and two touchdowns including a Sweet 3-Yard jump pass in the end zone to Frank Jacobs in the fourth Quarter after a 57-yarder to Ricky Walters. The Best Rushing quarterback in notre Dame history Rice outran the entire West Virginia team in the first half As the Irish built a 23-6 Lead. He said hello to West Virginia with a 31-Yard run on and s opening series and said goodbye a Little later with a 29-Yard touchdown pass to Raghib Ismail. Mad hurricanes take out their frustrations on hapless Nebraska Miami s Cleveland Gary 43 flies Over the Nebraska defensive line. By Steven wine Miami a not haying a Chance at the National championship made Miami mad so the hurricanes took it out on Nebraska. It made us fight a Little harder Miami defensive end Mark Caesar said after the second ranked hurricanes beat Nebraska 23-3 in the Orange bowl monday night. I m proud of our selves. Even though notre Dame did win our team showed a lot of charac Ter by not giving up and not  no. 1 notre Dame s 34-21 Victory Over West Virginia in the fiesta bowl clinched the top spot. The hurricanes 11-1, lost to the fighting Irish 31-30 on oct. 15. It s a bitter Pill to Swallow being one Point away from our second straight National championship offensive guard Mike Sullivan said. I remember the feeling i had last year total ecstasy. I Hope they enjoy it and what they be accomplished because they be accomplished a  several hurricanes said the notre Dame game was not discussed before their game with Nebraska. Although the fiesta bowl concluded before Thev Orange bowl began the score was not announced Over the pub Lic address system until Midway through the game. Some Miami players said they did not hear the announcement and Learned of notre Dame s Victory after the Orange bowl ended. Que Sera Sera defensive end Bill Hawkins said. We re not Happy. We re a Little let Down. All i have to say is look out next year. We re not losing Many  defensive tackle Jimmie Jones said he was unconcerned about the fiesta bowl. I was worried about Nebraska Jones said. I was into that game. We wanted to let everybody know who the no. 1 team  running Back Leonard Conley who caught two touchdown passes from Steve Walsh said he was not disappointed that the hurricanes will Likely finish no. 2 when the final associated press poll is released tuesday. Numbers Don t really mean any thing Conley said. We know we have the better  Atn sports radio pro basketball new York at new Jersey 1 30 . Thursday