The only other serious coaching candidates considered were Wannstedt and Gary Barnett. Barnett was probably a good choice at the time: He'd coached quite well for awhile at a nationally relevant program (Colorado under McCartney) and had taken Northwestern to the Rose Bowl (beating us in the process to get there). And his philosophy would have fit great - heavy running scheme, major focus on recruiting linemen. But other than these 2, no top coaches were seriously considered. Holtz spoke highly of him and we took a flier.
Replies to: "Quite a few were. A terrible coaching search and Holtz's endorsement got us there."
- Has a FR (RS) ND QB ever started the opening game of the season on the road against a top 10 team? [NT]
- Hensou - 2:03pm 8/21/25
(23) [View All]
- The N is too small to be meaningful. [NT] - BaronVonZemo - 10:14pm 8/21/25
- It almost happened in 2001. - jakers - 4:09pm 8/21/25
- That was the sea of red game, right? - Chris94 - 3:40pm 8/22/25
- The sea of Red game with Nebraska was in 2000. [NT] - Irish_Demon - 3:51pm 8/22/25
- I was at the A&M game, it was brutally hot. - PaND - 9:34am 8/22/25
- Amazingly, he did not know this. - jakers - 11:17am 8/22/25
- I’m still surprised at how over his skis he was as a head coach [NT]
- WestCoastIrishFan - 1:50pm 8/22/25
- Quite a few were. A terrible coaching search and Holtz's endorsement got us there. - jakers - 3:11pm 8/22/25
- I’m still surprised at how over his skis he was as a head coach [NT]
- WestCoastIrishFan - 1:50pm 8/22/25
- Amazingly, he did not know this. - jakers - 11:17am 8/22/25
- That was the sea of red game, right? - Chris94 - 3:40pm 8/22/25
- Rick Mirer started and beat #4 Michigan (at home though) in 1990. - AlbanyIRISH - 2:18pm 8/21/25
- Was that the first true “night game” at ND? - NDblues - 8:12pm 8/21/25
- No, it was against Michigan, but in 1982 [NT]
- Irish_Demon - 10:51pm 8/21/25
- Thanks for the clarification. - NDblues - 12:55pm 8/22/25
- Yes, I was there as a student. Musco Lighting Co. Nigel remembers also [NT]
- BaronVonZemo - 11:44pm 8/21/25
- Same here [NT]
- WoodstockIrish - 8:01am 8/22/25
- They were just lights on a crane. Lol. But it was the bees knees. [NT]
- BaronVonZemo - 10:16am 8/22/25
- Those were the days!! [NT]
- WoodstockIrish - 11:11am 8/22/25
- I recall the white paper hats they gave students for that game. [NT] - BaronVonZemo - 7:40pm 8/22/25
- Those were the days!! [NT]
- WoodstockIrish - 11:11am 8/22/25
- They were just lights on a crane. Lol. But it was the bees knees. [NT]
- BaronVonZemo - 10:16am 8/22/25
- Same here [NT]
- WoodstockIrish - 8:01am 8/22/25
- They brought in portable lights for games years before that. - NedoftheHill - 9:12pm 8/21/25
- Yup - Musco Lighting Company - Nigel Tufnel - 10:52pm 8/21/25
- Lights were permantly installed with the stadium expansion for the 1997 season - Irish_Demon - 10:50pm 8/21/25
- No, it was against Michigan, but in 1982 [NT]
- Irish_Demon - 10:51pm 8/21/25
- Hell of a game - ndunabomber - 4:47pm 8/21/25
- My first game as student. He was on cover of SI after that, the golden child [NT] [LINK] [IMAGE] - ndphysics - 3:46pm 8/21/25
- Plus there was a fluke play that really helped us. I still expect us to handle Miami. [NT] - THEISMANCARR - 2:44pm 8/21/25
- Was that the first true “night game” at ND? - NDblues - 8:12pm 8/21/25