🏈 Laughing at Lou—Holtz's advice to Saban, "Get players to pay attention to clutter."

[TerryP]

SOUTH BEND, Indiana -- Former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz offered some unsolicited advice to Nick Saban today during a teleconference with national media members. If the Alabama coach is looking for ways to motivate his players, Holtz said he should direct them to the national coverage leading up to the BCS National Championship game because "you never see anything about Alabama."

"If I was coaching Alabama, I would be a little bit upset," said Holtz, now a college football analyst for ESPN. "Here we are, defending national champs, we've won two of the last three national championships and you never hear about them. The only thing you hear about is Notre Dame, how there's only one team playing this game.

"I turn on TV and I see nothing but specials on Notre Dame. You never see anything about Alabama. I just think Alabama is going to sit there and they're going to say, 'We get no respect.'"

Earlier in the call, Holtz acknowledged the fact that Alabama is a heavy favorite against Notre Dame, but he doesn't agree with that notion.

"I think they match up very, very well in this football game," Holtz said. "I think Brian Kelly is smart, he'll be able to do some different things that surprises Alabama a little bit, but I think it will still be a great game."

Asked to pick an area where Alabama should focus its preparations for Notre Dame, Holtz said goal-line offense. The Fighting Irish have surrendered just eight touchdowns inside the red zone, only two of which have come on the ground.

"I would not allow them to bring both corners off the side and stop the iso," Holtz said. "They always bring the corners hard off the corner and they've been able to stop everybody on fourth-and-1. Southern Cal was the first team to fake the iso, the guy's wide open but he stumbled a little bit and he didn't make a particularly good throw.

"Getting down there inside the 10-yard line and not scoring a touchdown is like reaching a par-5 in golf in two and then six-putting. You have to be able to score on Notre Dame. If you do, you have a chance."

From Notre Dame's perspective, Holtz said the Fighting Irish defense can't allow the Alabama running game to do what it did in the SEC Championship against Georgia, when it amassed 350 yards.

"You have to establish the run because (AJ) McCarron is better at play-action passing than at any other time," Holtz said. "If he can establish the run, then that makes the play-action passing (better) able to go downfield.

"The one thing about Notre Dame is they do not give up the big play."

Holtz said college football is better off when programs such as Alabama and Notre Dame are at the top of their respective games.

"I don't think you could ever pick a better matchup between two great programs than Alabama and Notre Dame," he said. "It just brings back so many great memories. I think it's good for ESPN when Notre Dame is on top and it's good for Lou Holtz."

Gribble is supposed to share more of Holtz' words of wisdom as the game draws closer.

 

[srbbamaman]

"Getting down there inside the 10-yard line and not scoring a touchdown is like reaching a par-5 in golf in two and then six-putting. You have to be able to score on Notre Dame. If you do, you have a chance."

I sure am glad that we have a "chance".

 

[Irish#1]

You have to love Lou. He never runs out of funny things to say and like I've said before, don't take any of it personally. He's a Domer and is going to be buried on the campus when his time comes.

 

[BAMAFSTBACK]

"Get players to pay attention to clutter."

My thoughts exactly when I read that piece.

 

[PhillyGirl]

Gotta agree with the guy when he says ND is getting all the love. As we know, Bama is the 10 point favorite, despite being ranked #2. I mentioned this earlier, but everywhere I go, I see ND stuff. Granted, I am not in Alabama, but I find it odd that New Jersey/Pennsylvania/Delaware are suddenly ND-ed out for the game lol. We are Penn State country!

I feel like everyone outside the Southeast (hell, outside of most of Alabama) is gonna be raring for a ND win. SEC fatigue is at an all-time high this year, arguably higher than last year, because it seemed so certain after the A&M loss that Bama was out of the running. But we're back, and the collective groans were rampant after the KSU and Oregon losses and even more so after the win vs. Georgia. Even though ND has not been as successful in recent years, I really think Bama has more to prove here to the college football community at large.

A big hurdle for Alabama, in my opinion, is momentum/control. In some games (Ole Miss, LSU, Texas A&M, SEC Championship), I noticed that they took a bit to get into the swing of things and get moving. Once they do, they are like a well-oiled machine. When they're on, they are ON. They have to establish themselves early, and not slow down at any costs. And it's not just offense, obviously; of course ND is going to come into this game intending to win it, so the D has to keep them OFF the field at all costs.

I just hope our boys give it their complete all, and use the lack of coverage and love as motivation to kick some Irish butt!!! RTR

 

[ElephantStomp]

I am certain that Saban is already in their ear about these things. I saw last night on ESPN that they had a show called "Notre Dame Coaches Roundtable" I made it about 5 minutes into the show. Kelly was really gracious about how tough of a challenge it is going to be against Alabama, but the other two Holtz and some other coach about made me hurl.

 

[TidePride50]

Laughing at Lou—Holtz's advice to Saban, "Get players to pay attention to clutter."

I'm glad they are only talking up ND. Flying under the radar is the best strategy until kickoff.

 

[RollTideinGA]

... He's a Domer and is going to be buried on the campus when his time comes.

He's more than a domer, he's a Razorback and a Gamecock. If all three of those teams were undefeated and ranked in the top 3 he'd make a case how they could all win against each other. Heck he might even declare them all a three way split National Champions. And his head would explode if they played one another and he had to pick. He might say it would end in a tie. Hell if those three teams were 0-11 playing the New England Patriots he'd still pick one of his former schools to win. He's the epitome of a HOMER.

 

[RollTideinGA]

I'm glad they are only talking up ND. Flying under the radar is the best strategy until kickoff.

The #2 team has won 7 of the last 10 BCSCG's.

 

[PhillyGirl]

The #2 team has won 7 of the last 10 BCSCG's.

Hardly anyone thought we'd win last year. And we SHUT THEM OUT. Can't wait to settle this on the field ..

 

[TerryP]

He's more than a domer, he's a Razorback and a Gamecock. If all three of those teams were undefeated and ranked in the top 3 he'd make a case how they could all win against each other. Heck he might even declare them all a three way split National Champions. And his head would explode if they played one another and he had to pick. He might say it would end in a tie. Hell if those three teams were 0-11 playing the New England Patriots he'd still pick one of his former schools to win. He's the epitome of a HOMER.

He coaches several places but he's always been a Notre Dame guy.

When he was at UofSC he was invited to give one of his motivational speeches to a group here in town. Understand, still employed as head coach at UofSC and he shows up for the speech decked out in Notre Dame gear.

My degree of respect for him dropped a few points that day. It wasn't widely covered and it certainly should have been. I kid you not when I say it came down to editorial decisions of the local sports staff on whether this should be mentioned, or just let slide. They chose the later.

I really don't care if he chooses to pick former teams he's coached when he does his schtick on ESPN. Fact is, I've seen him pick against Arkansas and UofSC. He certainly has picked ND to win each game this season and we see where we are now.

By titling this thread "Laughing at Lou" it wasn't my intention to disrespect what he does. He filling the role he was hired to play. It's no different from Corso doing the same thing Beano did when College Gameday first aired.

 

[cjaytch]

He coaches several places but he's always been a Notre Dame guy.

When he was at UofSC he was invited to give one of his motivational speeches to a group here in town. Understand, still employed as head coach at UofSC and he shows up for the speech decked out in Notre Dame gear.

My degree of respect for him dropped a few points that day. It wasn't widely covered and it certainly should have been. I kid you not when I say it came down to editorial decisions of the local sports staff on whether this should be mentioned, or just let slide. They chose the later.

I really don't care if he chooses to pick former teams he's coached when he does his schtick on ESPN. Fact is, I've seen him pick against Arkansas and UofSC. He certainly has picked ND to win each game this season and we see where we are now.

By titling this thread "Laughing at Lou" it wasn't my intention to disrespect what he does. He filling the role he was hired to play. It's no different from Corso doing the same thing Beano did when College Gameday first aired.

I still think Ole Lou holds a grudge against Bama for Bear putting a 24-9 whipping on his Hogs to win a NC and for Perkins making him the only ND coach to lose to Bama.

 

[RollllTide!]

Lou Holtz is a one sided entertainment junkie. I remember his motivational speeches he made for a company I worked for. All about him and how he coached. He is all about Neuter Damn. He will have his catheter installed and his depends on before the game just so he won't p himself if ND wins. Count on one thing. BAMA will be ready for this game because they don't care about ESPN and know that the only way any one there will shut up about ND is to shut them up on the field. (Mark May and Herb Street is the only sane ones in that crowd)

Even though we win the game, the reward will be short lived because they have Ohio State to promote next year.

 

[bamaraider]

No disrespect to #1 Irish, but some of their fans are starting to get very lippy. I tried talking to one (who I never knew was an Irish fan until he colored his desk in Irish gear this year), I gave him a quick "Roll Tide" and a smile...The obnoxiousness flowed out, how McCarron struggles against top 10 teams this year, you have no threat outside of Cooper, and Yeldon+Lacey are in for a world of hurt when Te'o puts them on their arses, Riddick is the best RB you will see this year....Good guy outside of sports though..

A good test is too read some of their forums and too see how long you can last before you rage.

 

[0LDSCH00L]

Lou is the only ESPN "Talking Head" that is able to completely get away with being a total unapologetic Homer...

Any team that Lou Holtz has ever coached or even been involved with is the greatest team since the Four Horsemen played at Notre Dame with is not true either!

He make me want to throw up in my mouth every time he speaks!

 

[Swamptick]

Im sorry. I am so busy wiping Louspit off my face that it has become hard to enjoy this thread.

 

[TerryP]

Maybe I'm the only one here—if not I know I'm one of only a few—that doesn't mind Lou being a homer when he's on the air.

I don't care if he's a fan of a team. I don't care if any of the ESPN (or any other major network) personalities allow their fandom to come through when they are discussing games.

That said, I'll admit I've seen a few take it too far. But, it doesn't make me dislike their commentary. It just allows me to understand where it's coming from.

Case in point.

Stu Scott is one of the biggest UNC fans out there. When he covers college basketball on Sportscenter you can't miss his fandom. That's no big deal to me.

I will listen to his opinion on Pro Football and take it seriously. He's one of the few commentators that actually put in the work, got himself in good enough shape, to make it through a mini-camp with the Jets when Herm Edwards was there.