European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 13, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Saturday november 13, 1993 sports the stars and stripes Page 29 of our lives by Malcolm Moran the new York times South Bend ind. The Adox of notre Dame football is that the intense followers of an institution with enormous resources a deeply rooted tradition and nationally recognized Success can consistently consider themselves underdogs in big games. Today for once that premise docs not sound so silly r. Notre Dame is attempting to restrict a top ranked Florida state team that has averaged ,44 Points and 561 Yards per game. Working with a potentially decisive Lack of Speed at inside linebacker a an area where Short gains become big ones a the fighting Irish understand Battle for no. 1 that their margin of error is shrinking fast. Quot one Little mess up against another team and they May move the chains Quot said Pete Bercich the senior linebacker with the Marine length hair and questionable Speed. A but if you mess up against this team Light up the that is the reality the Irish will face today at notre Dame stadium. A your Guys have to understand limitations Quot said Rick Minter the defensive coordinator a and stay within those they have done their Best to re create Florida states fast break offence at practice operating without huddles and doing extra running to prepare for the faster Pace. But How do you simulate Charlie Ward a player who could soon become a heis a you who i a runaway Reisman trophy Winner How do you Cope with four wide receivers equally capable of becoming game Breakers or a running game that has been a successful As it has been unnoticed a we average 275 Rushing Yards a game a said Lou Holtz the coach of the Irish a and we re a running football team. They be been averaging 255 and they re Holtz was off by 10 Yards a the seminoles have rushed for 245 per game. But the coach had made his Point. The Irish have been left with mixed. A Kevin Mcdougal appears to wave off a Media horde at practice thursday. Messages this week. They have been told that a precise execution within their system will create positive results. A if we do things that Are fundamentally right a Bercich said a you done to need an abundance of Speed. They also understand that this Job will require an Effort Well beyond the Norm. A if we just play the game of our lives it May take that a Minter said. A we just need to play the game of our there were no hints that Gimmicky would be a sort of the Effort to limit Ward. When asked if a defensive player might be assigned to him Holtz said a if they a let us play with 12, wed be glad Holtz joked that the problem with blitzing Ward is that his linebackers might be too slow for anyone to notice what they re doing. Minter smiled when he heard that. A maybe that second wave will get him a he said. Bryant Youhg a defensive tackle spoke of the importance of pass rushers staying within clearly defined lanes. A we can to be too aggressive with Charlie Ward a he said containment should become More important than Mere aggressiveness particularly when a broken play reaches the Point when Ward chooses from among the equally dangerous options of running of throwing. When Minter Speaks of dealing with the run he Means All the variations one is the Basic Handoff to a tailback or fullback. Another is a decision by. Ward to turn what had been a pass into an improvisation. A a it a sort of like he a throwing it to himself and catching it a Minter said. A a he a the Best receiver they the third is the Advance of a receiver after a Short gain. Wards completion percentage of 69.7 is in Minter a Analy Sis the work of a talented quarterback within a Low risk game plan. A a lot of it is him Minter said of Florida states Success in the passing game. A but a lot of it is he a not asked to throw a lot of High risk the risk to the defense is often established after the Ball is delivered when receivers such As Kez Mccorvey and Tamarack Vanover taking a Quick East in full stride turn a Short gain into in trouble. A those should be held to minimal gains a Minter said. A if you turn a 5-Yard pass into a 40-Yard touchdown that a no different than a bomb thrown Over your head a control of Ball gnaws at Bowden South Bend ind. Up nobody denies that top ranked Florida state can score quickly but they can to do it without the bail. That is coach Bobby Bowdens biggest fear going into today s game against no. 2 notre Dame. A a in a most concerned that they get the football and simply will not give it Back Bowden said who is More aware than most of notre Dame coach Lou Holtzm a Ball control style. A that would be very unfair of Lou but that a the Way he plays. If we can to get the Ball then we got quarterback Kevin Mcdougal and the option attack Are clicking this year for 440 Yards a game. A Lou a he can to get away from the option a said Bowden who has known Holtz for 34 years. A the will use Power football when he can and has that kind of material. Power football with the option attack a that s Lou the running game and a big offensive line also has caught Seminole linebacker Derrick Brooks attention. A a we re probably out manned up front a Brooks said. A they done to run angles which allow us to use our Speed they come right at you. A a it a scary. They put up More than 200 Yards a game Rushing. Well have to do the Best we can to Stop the run and give our offence Chance to put some numbers on Board a he a option offence Isnit All that has Bowden worried. He says the circumstances Are a setup for the Irish coach. The Irish Are a 614-Point underdog had a Day off last saturday and play at Home. A this is Louis element. No. 1, hell be the underdog a he eats that up a Bowden said. A a he a had another week of practice a he eats that up. He a playing in his own backyard. He ought to be feeling pretty Good right one thing Bowden is not worried about is the notre Dame mystique. He said his players hardly know what it is. A i know about Rockne and the Gipper and the magic of notre Dame. The kids done to know that a Bowden said. A i done to even know whether to try to Tell them about might Cost an Arm and a leg South Bend ind. A tickets to the notre Dame Florida state game Are a prize Possession these Days but Dick Martin gave his away. All he asked in return was that the recipient sign up to be an Organ donor. Martin of Bristol was in his doctors office when he heard the nurses talking about How David Walsh of Springfield pa., had sent $1,400 Cash by federa express to a South Bend Man who claimed to have 14 tickets to the game. Walsh 56, never got the tickets. Marlin Felt so bad for Walsh that he got his number from directory assistance and called to offer him his two tickets. A i have the Opportunity to go All the time a he said. A i figured it meant a lot to him. I just hated the idea of someone getting scammed out of his tickets for the game Between the no. 1 seminoles and the no. 2 fighting Irish have been Selling for More than $1,000 apiece but Martin did no task for Money. He did though ask Walsh to Promise that on his next Drivers License application he sign up to be an Organ donor. Walsh agreed Martin said. Martin said he made the request because he expects he will need a kidney transplant someday. Walsh who grew up an avid notre Dame fan and his 11 friends who wanted to go to the game Are a working stiffs who save All year to make one trip to notre Dame said his wife Dottie. A a it a something they be done for 15 years a she said. Walsh decided to risk it and Send the Cash because he was getting desperate for the tickets mrs. Walsh said. Martin downplayed his gift though he admits he would have loved to have gone to the game. A a it a not that big a Deal a he said. A my daughter might be mad. She wanted to monday wednesday 15-17 november 25% off All hardcovers except already discounted bestsellers amp Sale items. 80% off selected titles Only at the Fliege Horst Bookstore wok stars and stripes bookstores1
