Beat-up Irish Limp Into Game With Michigan State
9/17/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 17, 1999
By JR ROSS
Associated Press Writer
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Fighting Irish are in a state of disarray.
They've lost their last two games when last-minute drives came up short. Their offense has been inconsistent. Players and coaches are still trying to get over their 1-2 start.
But Michigan State coach Nick Saban keeps reminding his players of one thing about their game at No. 24 Notre Dame on Saturday: It's still Notre Dame.
"Notre Dame has a special tradition, so that makes it a special place to go, and every player knows that," he said. "Notre Dame is a place that has as much national prestige as any school in the county, probably more. It's not an easy place to play."
But the Irish haven't exactly been living up to that reputation lately.
Notre Dame failed to score from inside the 1 on two straight plays in the final seconds against Purdue last week. The week before, a last-minute drive ended at the Michigan 10 when the Irish failed to get a first down to stop the clock and take one last shot at the end zone.
"The only thing that is going to make us feel better is to win. Only way to win is to eliminate mistakes and go play a complete football game," coach Bob Davie said.
Notre Dame hasn't come close to playing a complete game so far.
The Irish rushed for 363 yards in their opener against Kansas, but they gained only 96 yards on the ground against Michigan and 128 against Purdue.
Jackson threw three interceptions against the Jayhawks and passed for only 89 yards before throwing for career bests in yards (302) against Michigan and completions (22) against Purdue.
Running the option, a mainstay in the Notre Dame offense, has become an adventure every time Jackson pitches the ball. Against Michigan, Jackson had five errant pitches, and he had two more against Purdue.
"I don't feel I have to do more or anything else," Jackson said. "I feel we just need to cut back on the mistakes. We need to cut back on turnovers and mistakes. That's the main thing that's killing us. We're shooting ourselves in the foot. It's not any one team that's totally stopped this or stopped that. ... The majority of the time, it's ourselves stopping ourselves."
Still, tradition won't keep Michigan State's front seven from feeding on Notre Dame's inexperienced running game. The Spartans held Oregon and Eastern Michigan to a total of 57 yards rushing, and Davie has expressed doubts that his young line can match up with them physically.
On offense, Michigan State is averaging more than 200 yards a game rushing even without Sedrick Irvin, the tailback who burned Notre Dame in the Spartans' last two wins over the Irish. Quarterback Ryan Van Dyke and tailback Little John Flowers both have sprained ankles but are expected to play.
"I think our players should feel they can win every game that we play. I think the more you compete well and win against good football teams the more that confidence grows," Saban said.