After he stopped the bleeding of a team once near despair, Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz found it easier to look forward Thursday.
Holtz and his Irish squad still face an uncertain future as quarterback Rick Mirer heads for Mexico and a delayed holiday before deciding whether to turn pro.
But for Holtz, the picture looked far brighter than it did after consecutive losses to Tennessee and Penn State and a sloppy performance to end the regular season at Hawaii.
”After having a night to incubate on it, I didn`t realize how important this victory was to us,” Holtz said the day after his Irish stunned Florida 39-28 in the Sugar Bowl.
Holtz said the victory by his underdog team should help recruiting and give next year`s squad members a lift as they head into an important winter conditioning program.
If Mirer returns and if the Irish can find a pass rush, they will have an ideal chance to compete for the national championship next season.
On the other hand, Holtz said earlier in the week that Mirer`s departure would be ”catostrophic” and continued to lobby him to stay.
”I do know the pros are very high on him-how high, I don`t know,” Holtz said Thursday. ”It`s my personal opinion as you make a commitment to a school, particularly a quarterback, then you ought to honor that commitment.” Not only will the youngsters on defense have had another year to mature, but next season`s schedule is a tad easier. The Irish drop Indiana, Air Force and Tennessee and replace those teams with Northwestern, Brigham Young and Boston College.
Mirer is seeking some fun in the sun before having to wrestle with the pros and cons of leaving. He said he expects to have a decision within two weeks.
Two defensive starters, outside linebacker Devon McDonald and tackle Troy Ridgley, each have another year of eligibility remaining and also will decide whether to return in the coming days.
McDonald played sound football but he was slowed by knee surgery and hasn`t become the dominant pass rusher Holtz and others expected him to be.
Uncertainty also surrounds the coaching staff.
Holtz is interviewing for a defensive coordinator, and among those mentioned is John Palermo. Palermo was an assistant line coach for Holtz at Notre Dame, left in 1990 for the head coachng position at Austin Peay and this past season was assistant head coach at Wisconsin under head coach Barry Alvarez, former defensive coordinator under Holtz.
Peter Vaas, the Irish quarterbacks coach who played a major role in play selection this season, is interviewing for a head coaching job at Holy Cross College.
The win was the most emotional for the Irish since the 1988 national championship season and some players said the atmosphere in the locker room was even more exuberant than after beating West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl to clinch the national crown for the Irish.
”We played our hearts out,” said linebacker Demetrius DuBose. ”It`s the biggest win I`ve been associated with at Notre Dame.”
