European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 20, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday August 20, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 23 College football preview Holtz Rice key Irish title defense b Jim litre South Bend ind. A before Ever Selling foot on Noire Dame s pastoral Campus. Lou Holt understood that shaking Down the Thunder was More than a full time Job. One National championship certainly does t do it. The Point was never driven Home More clearly though than during an incident this Spring thai s when the unassuming 52-year-old redhead coming off his unbeaten championship season walked into a local radio station to tape a promotion Al and for a Charity with one of his legendary predecessors Ara Parseghian in Tow. Thanks for coming. Coach Faust inc station s program director greeted Holly. Holtz. Rarely at a loss for words said nothing. Hut on departing a half hour later he sought out their Host thanked him and motioned towards Parseghian. By the Way Holt said his impish Grin widening have you had a Chance to meet Frank Leahy so it goes at notre Dame. Though South Bend is traditionally the Center of the College football universe it remains paradoxically one of the few places where Holtz one of the most visible men in the nation As he tries to conjure a repeat performance could be mistaken for Gerry Faust whose departure in defeat three seasons earlier cleared the path for Holtz. And where Parseghian now a successful local Busi Nessman but once the coach of a National Champion Irish squad could be passed off As Leahy the late great notre Dame Leader who claimed five such titles before turning author to Tell his Story in shake Down the  indeed even As Holtz set out in Earnest last week to become the first team to repeat As National championship since the 1979 Alabama Crimson tide he received a much less humorous reminder of the unique status football enjoys at uncompromising notre Dame. That s when Holtz announced that the University s office of student affairs which operates independently of the athletic department had suspended All american linebacker Michael Stoner Cakir for his senior year and refused to allow running Back Tony Brooks to re enter school for disciplinary reasons. The dismissals stemmed from separate traffic Acci dents last february in which Stone breaker was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and Brooks with leaving the scene of an Accident after a hit and run sideswipe that involved no injuries. Serious As the infractions were the dismissals would have been treated As heretical at any other football factory in the  i Down Holtz asked reporters then answered his own question. Yes. Do 1 feel remorse yes. Am bitter at this University no. This University has done so Many great things and turned around so Many great people. I know they have a philosophy Here in How they operate. I Trust that  to make wednesday s news worse a third Mem Ber of last year s unbeaten fighting Irish squad George Williams the left tackle on the dominating three Man defensive front was ruled academically ineligible. On top of that Holtz said fullback Braxto Banks will miss the upcoming season because of a knee that failed to respond adequately after surgery. Before last week s events notre Dame resumed 16 starters from last year s 12-0 season capped by the fiesta bowl Victory Over unbeaten and then no. 3 West Virgina and most of the questions Holtz faced about repeating entered on notre Dame s Tough schedule. Last season the Irish played an unprecedented seven games at Home this year s schedule has five of the Irish s first six on the Road. It begins aug. 31 with Virginia in the Kickoff classic ends nov. 25 at perennial Power Miami and sandwiched in Between Are away games at Likely top 10 contenders Michigan and Penn  the latest round of trouble shifted the questions from the schedule As Many wondered whether uncompromising notre Dame had not become its own worst  is some trepidation at the present time Holtz admitted. As we approach the season behave 14 positions on the second team who have never played a Down. We have a tradition. Notredame has a Way of rising to the occasion but we do have probably More question Marks at this stage Thane did a year  equal parts a con Man and conjurer Holtz also has More answers than he did a year ago. The biggest is at quarterback where senior Tony Rice 70 of 138passcs for 1,176 Yards eight touchdowns and seven interceptions showed enough improvement As passer to open up offensive possibilities the Irish the Irish ill count on the Rushing and increased passing of senior Quinn Rice. Lou Holtz till capped his 1188 Nal Ioil championship year by Ninnin the Piil Bear Brjan c Otic i of the year a from the football writers association of America.  ? Lim Nril would t have even considered last season. Rice Long ago established his credentials As a gifted runner and capable Pilot for Holtz s Wishbone. But by winning head to head passing duels last year against Miami s Steve Walsh uses Rodney Pelc and West Virginia s major Harris he appears to have convinced Holtz there is less need for the bread and butter running game. Of course the development of Sophomore receivers Raghib rocket Ismail l2 catches for 331 Yards 2 ads and Derek Brown 12 for 150, 3 ads and a Veteran offensive line including four returnees and anchored by Tim Grunhard at guard might influence Holtz As Well. He already envisioned Hii passing game Strong enough to switch Ricky waiters a team leading 15 catches for 286,2 ads Back from flanker last season to the tailback spot he occupied in 1987, with Brooks departure Walters could be even More important. Anthony Johnson now figures to get most of the work at fullback and although his num Bers were Only adequate 69 carries for 282 Yards 5 Ashe has sure hands and tremendous Power near the goal line. The void created by the departure of Brooks and Banks figures to be filled by Sophomore Rodney Culver 30 for 195,3 ads. Last year defense was the Irish Strong suit of the 26 touchdowns notre Dame allowed during the regular season it answered 15 with scores of its own on the next Possession. Frankly said Holtz even before Stone breaker and Williams got tossed from the team i look Over the defense and wonder where the big plays arc going to come from. Last year it was Frank slams. Who s going to get it done this Lime around the most Likely candidate is Junior All american Chris Zorich 70 tackles. 3.5 sack the product of Chicago s Tough Southeast Side ghetto whose move from Reserve linebacker to nose tackle was rightly regarded As one of Holl s most  tackle Jeff aim 50 tackles a Cam leading 3 interceptions returns on the right Side while Bryan Flannory and Bob Dahl try to match Williams production 44 tackles. 4.5 sacks on the  Arnold ale will Likely claim one of the defensive end positions that slams and Flash Gordon handled so capable last year with Andre Jones John Foley and Scott Kowalkowski vying for playing time. Senior Ned Bolcar 57 tackles will have to fill Stonebreaker s formidable absence while Donn Cirini Steps into the second  experienced talented secondary May also enable the Irish to cover up weaknesses elsewhere on the defense. Stan Smagala 39 tackles and Todd Lyght 36 tackles will draw most of the Man to Man coverage at the Corners with pal Terrell 38 tackle plus a breakup of the 2-Point conversion against Miami last season and d Juan Francisco 35 tackles fill the deep  kicking game returns Junior punter Jim sex ton 38.9-Yard average and Junior place kicker Billy Hackett 5 of 7 pats 3 of 4 Field goals As a backup to Reggie to. And the return game arguably the nation s Best Misback intact. Ismail led the ranks in Kickoff returns with a 36.1 average while wallers ranked fourth in punt re turns at 13.3. Both resumed two for , a Holtz trademark is just As evident As it was last year and several other 119112 signature Quali ties intelligence character feisty Ness Are cer Tain to materialize As the season  one element Holtz cannot shape however is the one he acknowledges As perhaps the most significant. Luck Holtz said without any deliberation. Michigan missed a Field goal at the end of our first game Miami went for a two Point conversion and we knocked it Down Pitt fumbled twice inside our 5-Yard line. If we play a Little better maybe we won t wind up relying on Luck so  during the off season Holtz did t so much savor his first National title As he tried to hide from it. The championship simply meant one More Check Mark on the now Well publicized list of goals he set for himself after losing a Job several years ago. Me also put Check Marks this year next to an audience with the Pope Riding in a submarine and flying an air plane. This is a Man who will not be crushed by a failure to reach the Summit again but one who fully expects to get  you do something you experience it a thou Sand limes. I Don t Fly anywhere any More without thinking Back to the time i jumped out of an air plane and All the exhilaration that went with it. It s the kind lesson i m trying to get across to these kids