We Are a Long Way Away
Forwarded from reader Coops:
“Thesis: From 1987 to 1993 Lou Holtz won more big games than any coach in history in a similar period of time and more big games than many of the top coaches in history ever did. It is a remarkable and, I would guess, unequalled record of victories over top competition in the history of CFB.
In that seven-year period, Holtz beat fifteen teams that finished in the top ten in the final AP poll. In other words, he beat an average of two top ten finishing teams each year. For perspective, in those seven years of his career, Holtz beat more top ten teams than Joe Paterno has in forty years of coaching and more than the following hall of fame coaches did in their entire careers: Woody Hayes,Bo Schembechler, John McKay, Phil Fulmer, Darrell Royal, Bob Devaney, Bud Wilkinson, and many more.
In terms of rankings at time the game was played, in those seven years, Holtz beat nineteen teams ranked in the top ten at game time – nearly three a year – and twenty-eight in the top 25 – four a year. He played teams ranked in the top four at game time on thirteen occasions and went 10-3.
Holtz beat the number one-ranked team three times (Miami 88, Colo 90, FSU 93); played in 1 vs 2 match-ups three times and won them all (USC 88, Mich 89, FSU 93), and beat undefeated teams in bowl games three times (WV 89, Colo 90, TA&M 93).
In that seven-year period, Holtz beat BCS conference champions 16 times: five wins vs the Big Ten Champ, four versus the Pac Ten Champ, two vs the SEC Champ, two vs the ACC champ, 2 vs the SWC Champ and one vs the Big 8 Champ. For perspective, in those seven years, Holtz had more wins vs conference champs than the following coaches did in their entire careers: Woody Hayes, Darrell Royal, Mack Brown, John McKay, Bud Wilkinson, Steve Spurrier, Phil Fulmer, Bo Schembechler, Barry Switzer, Lloyd Carr, Bob Devaney, and had as many wins in those seven years as Bear Bryant did in his entire career.
In that seven-year period, Holtz played teams with records of 5-0 or better nine times and was 9-0 in those games. He played teams 9-0 or better five times and was 5-0 in those games.
Holtz was a quirky personality and made some enemies, so sometimes his achievements are not fully credited. What he did in those seven years was unprecedented in terms of quality victories. I doubt any other coach will match it given the consistent dumbing down of schedules.”
October 15th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Too bad you guys still suck. All Holtz can do now is give lousy pep talks and jinx people.
ND sucks a big one.
October 15th, 2007 at 11:04 am
A good argument. Cogent and deep.
October 15th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Hey Fock Lion,
Holtz doesn’t come down to McDonald’s to criticize the way you flip burgers, so show a Hall of Fame coach like Holtz the same courtesy.
October 15th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Lou Holtz was the greatest ND coach we had in the modern times. His record speaks for it self. I never feared playing anyone when he coached. In Lou we trusted. Wish he would come back to coach us again or at very least be hired as a special consultant like Walsh was for Stanford. Win lose or draw we fought hard for the FULL 60 minutes. Coach Weiss should practice his people skills when it concerns his team. Lou we loved ya. COME HOME!
October 15th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
IrishDodger,
Touche’
PLAC2D
October 16th, 2007 at 4:45 am
1. sure, we all love lou holtz and always will. however, neither he nor ara arrived at notre dame with the recruiting network having been allowed to do on the vine while bob davie sat in his office and admired himself in the mirror.
2. coach weis and corwin brown have hit the pavement all over the us and recreated that recruiting network. when the 2008 class arrives, notre dame will have 3 top 10 recruiting classes in a row, something that notre dame has not had for decades and the wins and national championships will start to pour in and make all of the naysayers look like the idiots that they are.
go irish!! beat usc
bob gilleran
October 16th, 2007 at 9:33 am
THE IRISH WILL RISE AGAIN INTHE VERY NEAR FUTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 16th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
Excellent review of Lou’s record against top ten comptition. In fact had ND beaten Miami in 1989 and BC in 1993, Lou would have had 2 additional undefeated seasons and most likely 2 more NC’s.
This would have required that he be given the credit that he richly deserves.
October 16th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Let us not kid ourselves, the only way the Irish will rise again is if they became a I-AA team.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:37 am
THE IRISH WILL RISE AGAIN A LOT QUICKER IF THEY LOWER ACADEMIC STANDARDS.THAT WAY PLAYERS LIKE REGGIE BUSH(HE FLUNKED ND’S ENTRANCE EXAM BY THE WAY) WOULD BE ABLE TO ATTEND NOTRE DAME,BUT SORRY-YOU MUST GO TO CLASS AND ACTUALLY PASS TO GET A DEGREE AT ND. NOT JUST SHOW UP AT THE SCHOOL AND WATCH THE GRASS GROW TO GET A GRADE.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:41 am
THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL NOTE-REGGIE BUSH LEFT EARLY AS DO MANY OTHERS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY ARE NOT GOING TO GRADUATE.CHECK GRADUATION RATES AND SEE WHO LEADS THE NATION OR IS IN THE TOP FIVE.NOT MIAMI OF FLORIDA OR USC OR FLORIDA STATE–THE LIST OF POWER FOOTBALL TEAMS IS ENDLESS BUT MOST OF THEM ARE IN THE TOP TWENTY.
October 22nd, 2007 at 11:49 am
Graduation rates are admirable. As long as they continue to remain high at ND, I fear the team will never return to glory. Please bring back Lou Holtz.