Irish prepare for spring practice with high expectations
By ANDREW SOUKUP
Associate Sports Editor
Bob Davie is certainly in a better mood now than one year ago.
At the start of spring practice last season, rumors circulated concerning the future of the Irish football coach's job. Davie was fresh on a 5-7 season — Notre Dame's worst in nearly two decades.
But this time around, the euphoria of earning their first-ever Bowl Championship Series bid still hasn't worn off and Davie wants to keep the good dynamics in place.
"As we start right now, we're farther along, in my opinion, than we've been since I've been head coach at Notre Dame," Davie said. "I feel more comfortable right now with the things that are in place than I have at any time."
The spring football season is set to begin on Tuesday. The team will practice three days a week for five weeks, culminating in the annual Blue-Gold game on April 28.
Davie knows what he wants to do during the spring — keep the things in place that led the Irish to a 9-3 record last season.
His first priority is to maintain the strong team chemistry and find new leaders to step up and lead the Irish.
"The chemistry has been an absolute positive. What we need to do is make sure that that continues to be a positive," he said.
A crucial part of maintaining that chemistry begins with the senior leadership, especially the captains. In the past, the captains have been named during the summer. However, Davie said that he might announce the captains in time for the Blue-Gold game.
"I think it's a little bit different than last year," he said. "I think maybe this year we're a little farther along."
Davie knows that the Irish need more than strong team dynamics to duplicate the success of last year's team.
"We have to follow that plan that allowed us to win nine games," he said. "I'm talking about special teams. We won all year because we didn't turn the ball over. We won because we could run the ball. We didn't give up big plays on defense."
The spring football season will be an excellent chance for Terrance Howard to earn more playing time at tailback. With Julius Jones and Tony Fisher both out for spring practice, the door is wide open for Howard to earn the starting spot in the fall.
"Terrance Howard is someone who has a chance to be our starting tailback," Davie said. "He's going to get a lot of work."
One of the biggest questions surrounding the Irish is the quarterback situation. Although Davie said that Matt LoVecchio, who went 7-1 as a freshman last season, would enter the spring as the starting quarterback, he also said that the possibility was open for either Carlyle Holliday or Jared Clark to earn the starting position.
"They're going to have to be a lot better to overtake the experience factor that he has," Davie said. "But it's a long season, and all three of them have long careers here, so that can change. It all depends on performance."
Davie also announced that the coaching staff was considering sophomore-to-be Vontez Duff as a kick returner. Duff, the fastest member of the Irish squad, will also play cornerback.
It's clear the Davie is excited heading into spring practice season. He has a team with considerable big-game experience and a talented nucleus of players.
"I think it will be our most talented team," he said.
But Davie knows what the bottom line is. And he's not going to shy away from it.
"The expectations don't change," he said. "We're expected to win."
All Sports Stories for Monday, March 26, 2001
