4 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 10, 1993 He can play the game, but can he talk the game? Notre Dame quarterback McDougal has to prove he can be a leader for the Fighting Irish offense * By GEORGE DOHRMANN THE NOTRE DAME OBSERVER Kevin McDougal was unsureofhim- self for thefirst time this fat. With Notre Dame trailing Northwestern, 12-7, the senior quarterback stepped into the huddle wondering what his teammates must be thinking. He had fumbled the snap on the opening play of the second half, which Jed to a go-ahead touchdown by the Wildcats:Whatever confidence they had in him was dwindling. 1 told Kevin not to look over his shoulder, just to play the game, and if he makes mistakes shake them off.' - Lou Holtz Notre Dame head coach The slim Irish lead was a memory. The fans were getting hostile, and head coach Lou Holtz was question- Ing his decision to stick with McDougal. Junior Paul Failla waited on the sidelines. He had pushed McDougal all fall, but according to coaches McDougal held a slightedge. That lead was also a memory. "Not vocal, notastrong leader," was always theknockonhim. ButMcDougal knew it had to be different this time. He had to say something. Something to get the offense going and the confidence back. "It's time to go now," All-American offensive lineman Aaron Taylor said the minute McDougal entered the huddle. "That's enough," McDougal thought. "It's time to go? That's enough." He put his head down, won- dering. Quickly his eyes drew back to his teammates. "I'll meet you at the goal line." Seven plays and 63 yards later, McDougal and the Irish had their go- ahead touchdown and possibly their starting quarterback. Never before had the senior quarterback led the team on such a scoring drive and it was the first time the offense gave McDougal credit for leading them there. "I've never been a vocal guy. I try and lead by example," the 6'2", 194- pound Florida native said. "But at that moment, after fumbling the drive ear- lier, it felt like the right thing to say." Players and fans have been search- ing for the right thing to say about the Notre Dame quarterback situation this fall. A strong spring pushed McDougal fault. "I have always thought of myself as the starting quarterback," McDougal said at the practice fol- lowing the Powlus injury. "I have confidence in myself." Whether or not Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz has that confidence in McDougal is questionable. He drilled both Failla and McDougal in the prac- tices after Powlus' injury, working closer with the two than he had in the past. "Coach Holtz expects a lot of his playersandespecially his quarterbacks," McDougal said. "He isjust trying to get some things straight. I think he has a lot of confidence in me. I just have to keep getting better." Make that a lot better, if last week's 27-12 win over is any indication of McDougal's output for the rest of the season. Against the Wildcats last Saturday he completed six of eight passes for 135 yards and no interceptions. It was an adequate performance by NotreDame's run-oriented offense but the Irish couldn't maintain possession and seemed out of sync. "We have a lot of work to do on offense," Holtz said. "Right now we are not a good offensive football team, and I don't know if we can be." Holtz does have some faith in McDougal's abilities. He could have gone to Failla when the Irish offense was sputtering but instead he stuck with his starter. "I told Kevin not to look over his shoulder,justtoplay the game, and ifhe makes mistakes shake them off," Holtz siad. The softspoken McDougal must also gain the confidence he once had with his fellow Irish. One of the more popular players on the team, "Lead" is the word in question with McDougal. He has the abilities. Coaches compare him to former Irish signal- caller Tony Rice, but say McDougal is a better passer. But what Rice lacked in ability his teammates made up for, be- cause when Rice entered the huddle, everyone listened and everyone per- 01 'Coach Holtz expects a lot of his players and especially his quarterbacks. He is just trying to get some things straight. I think he has a lot of confidence in me. I just have to keep getting better.' -Kevin McDougal Notre Dame quarterback McDougal U U r { J J { " f ' 1 r1 I T ' 1 J .f ®r/, " -0 SEPTEMBER SPECIAlS- ahead of Failla coming into fall drills, but 1992fHigh School Playerof theYear Ron Powlus stunned the coaching staff by coming in and pushing for the start- ing job. After the secondscrimmage Powlus had pulled ahead of Failla and McDougal, but two weeks before the start of the season a broken collarbone sidelined him for two months and McDougal earned the position by de- I- A PRINTING HIGH QUALITY LOW PRICES 1002 PONTIAC TR. 994-1367 McDougal was the choice of his team- mates when Failla was up for the starting job this spring, but Powlus awed teammates with his poise and skill. After the injury the faith the team once had in McDougal shifted. They were now settling for a lesser quarterback. "I have confidence in Kevin and Paul but he (Powlus) was just special coming in," said Holtz. "I feel terrible for the team to lose him." To McDougal it doesn't matter how he got the job, but he is the starting quarterback and that is what counts. "I know what I am capable of," McDougal said. "I feel I can lead this team to the national title." formed. "We really have a problem trying to ascertain who is the leader of this foot- ball team," Holtz said. Against Michigan this Saturday, McDougal will start, but Holtz has said thatFailla will probably play in the first half. All McDougal hopes for is the chance, because no matter what they say, he's sure he'll get the job done. "In the scoring drive against North- western we had the will to go down and score and we did," added McDougal. "You could see our confidence building with every play. We showed what we were capable of." But is McDougal capable of leading Notre Dame? Champion reverse weave sweatshirts (with MICHIGAN screenprint) ..$35 009 Bay a blank Cham ion t et 3 i EE Will tee letters 4 0 FOOTBALL Continued from page 1 fiedby the facttheNotreDame'sdefen- sive front fourof Brian Hamilton, Bryant Young, OliverGibson andJim Flanigan averages 275 pounds and is the best unit on the entire team. "Notre Dame probably has the big- gest front line (on defense) in the coun- try,"Michigan coach Gary Moeller said. "Wehavetobemoreconsistentin block- ing those big guys." "It's going to be very difficult to run against them," Collins said. "We have a 0' young offensive line and it's going to be tough to contain them." With this said, much of the offensive load will rest on Collins' right arm. While making an impressive debut last week as the Wolverines' No.1 quarter- back, the pressure of playing Notre Dame will beamore difficult test for the junior. "You need to keep on playing with the same intensity at the end of the game as you did at the start of it," Collins said. "The added pressure makes you go out at a higher level. I try to stay consistent and not get too high." If Collins thinks that he's underpres- UNIVERSITY SPIRIT" 1205 S. UNIVERSITY, ANN ARBOR, MI 48104 (313)761-2100 sure, he should trade places with Notre Dame quarterback Kevin McDougal. Playing the position for the Irish faithful is hard enough. Replacing a talent like Mirer makes it all the worse. The senior went 6-for-8 for in his first-everstartforNotreDame, but threw for only 125 yards. With junior Paul Failla looking over his shoulder, McDougal is trying his best to deal with the situation. "I'm trying to let being quarterback at Notre Dame not get to me because it can getoutofhand," McDougal said. "I try to keep it low key. Ijust have to learn how to handle it." Regardless of who you are or what team you play for, tomorrow's game in and of itself will create enough pressure to last at least another year. "I'm nervous like every other coach would be," Moeller said. "I think it's going to be a whale of a ball game. "It's Notre Dame. I think it's special for everybody." But it's a must win for Michigan. U a I ~ZZ~j~ Department of Recreational Sports INTRAMURAL SPORTS PROGRAM SOCCER Entries Taken: Tuesday 9/14 (Instant Scheduling) 11:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. IMSB Main Lobby Play Begins: Thursday 9/16 For Additional Information Contact IMSB 763-3562 University of Wisconsin-Platteville "If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost. That is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them." -Henry David Thoreau . t k' ." r _ _ _ JAM gtiivt!;- Learn Your Way Around The World * Study abroad in London, England or Seville, Spain, for a summer, for a semester or for a full academic year " Courses in liberal arts and international business " Fluency in a foreign language n=t required " Home-stays with meals " Field trips * Financial aid applies (except for summer session) Program Costs: Northside Community Church 929 Barton Drive between Plymouth Road and Pontiac Trail five minutes from North Campus IhDnnn. Cate a ~ Canrrr inraw G r ~I I I w w