Last Stand

Beano Cook says he never meant the kid any harm.

“It’s a prediction,” Cook says. “We all have predictions.”

Except that “we all” didn’t make this one the first weekend in September 1994, on ESPN, the words rolling off Cook’s tongue and vibrating at warp speed through cable lines across time zones and into America’s memory bank.

“Ron Powlus will win the Heisman two times and be the greatest quarterback in the history of Notre Dame.”

Cook insists the comment wasn’t half-baked. He lives in Pittsburgh, had followed Powlus’ storied prep career at Berwick, Pa. High, had witnessed the fawning over him, the recruiting of him, had cozied up to a Notre Dame assistant coach in fall practice who suggested he was the second coming of Joe Montana.

“No,” Cook says when asked if he regrets saying what he said. “I regret maybe saying he’d win [the Heisman] twice. I don’t regret predicting it. I will predict that the Notre Dame quarterback in 2005 will win the Heisman. I don’t know the name yet.”

Meanwhile, back at Pressure-Cooker Central . . .

Powlus, 23 now, married now, graduated now, hardened now, sits Heisman-less in the Notre Dame football offices trying to deal with Cook’s albatross.

It is a rainy, Heisman-less Monday in August, the Heisman-less sky outside an oatmeal gray, a few days before the start of Powlus’ last-chance season in South Bend.

Has Powlus not turned out to be one of the best quarterbacks in Notre Dame history? Has he not passed for a school-record 43 touchdowns and more yards than Joe Montana, Joe Theismann, Terry Hanratty and Tom Clements? Did Powlus not throw a school-record four touchdowns against Northwestern in his first start, fueling Cook’s hysteria and reporters’ queries regarding whether he would turn pro after his freshman season?

Has Powlus not posted the lowest touchdown-interception ratio in school history?

Has he not distinguished himself in the community and did he not graduate in May with a degree in marketing? Did he not marry his junior-high sweetheart, Sara Ivanina, on June 21?

“The thing is, I didn’t live up to expectations,” Powlus says. “And no matter what I do, I can’t live up to expectations now, because I only have one year left and I was supposed to win two Heismans. That’s the way it is, no matter what I’ve done. I’ve done a lot, but it’s just not enough.”

The joke is not that Powlus has been at Notre Dame so long it seems as though he replaced John Lujack at quarterback, or how remarkably unaffected he seems after four years under The Golden Klieglights.

The joke is that Powlus is here at all, still wandering these hallowed halls, a remodeled quarterback ready to run out of the tunnel into a refurbished Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 6 when the Irish play host to Georgia Tech.

The joke is that Lou Holtz is gone and Powlus is still here instead of standing on a chair in some NFL training camp lunch room singing his alma mater.

Powlus had no intention of returning for a fifth season, no matter that the collarbone break that wiped out his freshman year had afforded him another year of eligibility.

“I think he and I did everything we could do together,” Powlus says of his time with Holtz.

Everything except win two Heismans and a national title.

Yet, the world according to Powlus changed on Monday, Nov. 18, 2:33 p.m., when Holtz emerged from Athletic Director Mike Wadsworth’s office having decided to resign after 100 victories and 11 seasons. The exact time is known because Holtz shouted it out loud as he exited.

Powlus says he was “very shocked,” at the decision. But shock wears off, and soon Powlus was weighing options. He was projected anywhere from a third- to sixth-round NFL pick and ready to take his chances when new Coach Bob Davie asked Powlus to consider a fifth-year, promising to change to a more pro-style offense that could improve Powlus’ NFL draft stock.

“I think there was a point Ron Powlus probably realized to play in the NFL, there were some changes that were going to have to be made,” Davie says.

The tricky part came at Powlus’ December news conference. How would explain that he was returning for a fifth season and not offend Holtz?

Powlus decided on a bold, seldom considered option: the truth.

“It wasn’t that blunt of a statement,” Powlus recalls. “I’m glad I was here with Coach Holtz, loved my time here, I certainly don’t want to offend the guy. He’s done a lot for me and I appreciate it. I was being very honest. I probably wouldn’t have come back. That’s the only way I can state it.”

Powlus wasn’t ready for the media backlash. He spent four years in South Bend hearing he was a square peg in an offense of round holes, people suggesting it was a mistake to want to play for Holtz, a coach with a option-attack fixation.

Even Mr. B. Cook, sweating out his two-Heisman prediction, questioned Holtz’ decision to use the slow-footed Powlus as part of his running game.

Powlus always played the good soldier, said the right things, did what Holtz said.

Notre Dame wasn’t exactly turning out lemons.

“I was getting recruited when Rick Mirer was getting drafted second in the draft,” Powlus says. “You look at history of quarterback at Notre Dame, and it’s not too bad.”

So, Powlus pours his heart out last December, and suddenly the press wonders how he could turn on Holtz.

Powlus said it wasn’t personal.

Yet, the two haven’t spoken since December. Powlus says he doesn’t know whether Holtz was hurt by his news conference statements.

The two said their goodbyes at the team’s football banquet.

“I talked to him briefly, he wished me well and I wished him well,” Powlus says. “We’re not bitter. I’m not bitter. I don’t have a problem with Coach Holtz, we had a great relationship. I think he recognized that as well. Our time together was done. It was time for me to move on, is what I felt. His announcement changed things around a bit.”

Holtz could not be reached for comment. His wife, Beth, recently underwent throat cancer surgery and a spokesperson in Holtz’ Orlando office said he would not likely be able to return an interview request.

Powlus says there is nothing left to resolve with his former coach, although he would like to clarify one thing.

“The statement I made that I wouldn’t come back here if he was here, I don’t know how it was around the country, but I know locally it was blown way out of proportion,” Powlus says. “The local media, some of them said I should have lied, that I should have never said that. The headlines were awful: “Powlus hates Holtz.” They were terrible. The only thing I’d like to talk to him about, I hope he understands where I’m coming from. I think he does, I don’t know how he couldn’t.”

*

For Powlus, cashing in his fifth year has been like getting a transfer to the same school.

“Like coming in as a freshman again,” Powlus says. “You’re coming in and have to learn a whole new system. It’s like cleaning everybody out. Forget everything you know. Everything’s going to be new.”

People say they haven’t seen Powlus so energized in years. New coach, new offense, new expanded stadium, new locker rooms, new coaches’ offices.

The only old thing at Notre Dame is Ron Powlus.

“The buildings on campus haven’t changed, but that’s about it,” he says.

The option?

Powlus won’t be running the option anymore.

Davie hired former Purdue Coach Jim Colletto to install an offense to better suit Powlus’ skills as a pro-style thrower. While Notre Dame will still run the ball--the Irish hold some truths to be self-evident--the passing game will be more West Coast than Midwest, with an emphasis on quick drops and timing patterns.

Davie hired Mike Sanford away from USC to be quarterbacks’ coach. Sanford has been working on Powlus’ footwork and throwing mechanics. Powlus, who is 6 foot 3, has trimmed down to near 215 pounds.

Hoping to rekindle a spark, Davie reviewed some of Powlus’ high school film at Berwick, where Powlus threw for 7,339 yards and 62 touchdowns in three seasons.

“The thing I was really impressed with was his style of play,” Davie says. “He was a little more reckless . . . just his attitude toward the game. He seemed to play the game with more of a fiery style. That’s something I talked to Ron about.”

The good/bad news for Powlus is that it’s all on his back now. The offense is being geared around him. Holtz is gone. The broken collarbone that denied Powlus his freshman year is ancient history, as is the broken left arm in the 10th game of his junior season against Navy that knocked him out of the Orange Bowl.

As is last year’s overtime loss to USC that dropped Notre Dame to 8-3 and out of the bowl picture.

Notre Dame has sufficient talent. Tailback Autry Denson, who rushed for 1,179 yards last season, is back. So is leading receiver Malcolm Johnson, and four of five starting offensive linemen.

Powlus has never had a Rocket Ismail-Tim Brown game-breaker to lean on--blame that on recruiting--but this is as good as it’s going to get. The defense should be good, if not great.

So what if Powlus goes 8-3 again? Isn’t there more pressure now?

“Well, I’m under center, so I guess so,” Powlus says. “That’s the way it seems to go around here.”

In the same breath, Powlus says the reason he came to Notre Dame was because of the pressure.

“If you don’t want to be in the limelight, if you don’t want everyone to worry about what you’re doing, if you don’t want to be over-analyzed each day, you might not be able to handle it,” he said. “I love it. Everybody here loves it. that’s why we’re here.”

What’s missing from Powlus’ Notre Dame portfolio is a defining moment. Even the great Irish quarterbacks who didn’t win Heismans left their mark. Montana had his “Chicken Soup,” miracle in the 1979 Cotton Bowl, recovering from hypothermia to rally Notre Dame to victory over Houston.

Clements has his pass to Robin Weber in the 1973 Sugar Bowl against Alabama to clinch the national title.

Powlus has no Heismans, no bowl victories, no national titles, no “Chicken Soup” moments.

But he has another year.

Was it a mistake to come to Notre Dame? Would Powlus have not been more NFL-polished had he gone to Washington, or Florida?

Powlus is sticking to his story, that he fell in love with Notre Dame on his recruiting trip and the rest was history.

“Yeah, I just do love this place,” he says. “But I don’t think of it as a compromise. I certainly don’t think I should have been somewhere else. I’m glad I came here. I’ve enjoyed my time here, I wouldn’t change my decision for anything. I have another year to make everything as good as I can.”

What does Beano Cook know, anyway?

“I’m the same guy that said Jim Brown would have an average career,” Cook says of the former Cleveland Brown Hall of Fame running back.

Powlus for the Heisman?

Cook is sticking with his story too.

Or at least half of it.

“If I’d just said he’d win one, I’d be OK,” Cook says. “I think he has a chance this year.”

* College Football ‘97, Day 4

Bob Davie. New Notre Dame coach takes over the hottest seat in college football, and says he’s prepared for all the entails.C10

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Pulling Rank

Where Ron Powlus ranks among Notre Dame quarterbacks:

PASSING YARDS

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Player Years Yards Steve Beuerlein 1983-86 6,527 Rick Mirer 1989-92 5,997 Ron Powlus 1994- 5,524 Joe Theismann 1968-70 4,411 Terry Hanratty 1966-68 4,152 Joe Montana 1975-78 4,121

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TOUCHDOWN PASSES

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Player Years TDs Ron Powlus 1994- 43 Rick Mirer 1989-92 41 Joe Theismann 1968-70 31 Angelo Bertelli 1941-43 28 Steve Beuerlein 1983-86 27 Terry Hanratty 1966-68 27

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COMPLETION PERCENTAGE

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Player Years Pct. Kevin McDougal 1990-93 62.2 Joe Theismann 1968-70 57.0 Ron Powlus 1994- 56.0 Steve Beuerlein 1983-86 55.6 Tom Clements 1972-74 54.1

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