Spartan Nation Goes International? Rival Notre Dame Ready to Kick Off in Japan With Lou Holtz at the Helm

Tokyo Dome

Tokyo, Japan

In workouts in Tokyo prior to the Notre Dame Japan Bowl, Lou Holtz told his team of “Irish Legends” as they are called that

“Nobody will beat us playing pitch and catch”.  Yes Lou Holtz who won 100 games at Notre Dame in eleven seasons is

back coaching the Fighting Irish for the first time since he mysteriously stepped down as the head coach in the prime

of his career just six victories shy of breaking Knute Rockne’s school record of 105 career wins.

 

Earlier this year Charlie Weis called Holtz at his home in Florida saying that “we have been invited to send a team of alumni to

play the Japan National Team in a celebration of the 75th anniversary of American Football in Japan and we want you to

be the coach.”  Holtz said “when Notre Dame calls you have to answer” and he adjusted his schedule to take on coaching the Irish

Legends with an All Star coaching staff that includes Heisman trophy winner Tim Brown, DT Chris Zorich, and RB Reggie Brooks.

 

After a two day mini-camp in South Bend, and three days of workouts in Tokyo many of the Irish Legends are limping. 42 year old QB

Tony Rice pulled a calf muscle, Reggie Brooks tried a few runs and quickly limped off the field, back up QB Gary Godsey pulled a groin

muscle and while the mind of most of the 52 former Irish players is willing it is questionable how far their bodies will carry them. With

their two QB’s unable to practice, former CB Ambrose Wooden took most of the practice snaps under center.

 

 

Against the Irish Legends Team Japan will send a small and quick team of X-League All Stars who will look to get the ball in the

hands of a talented WR corps led by former NFL Europe WR/KR Noriaki Kinoshita.  Team Japan is coached by Kiyoyuki Mori

who has won 90% of his X-League games and will run a pass happy version of the West Coast offense.  When asked what is needed to make

football more popular in Japan, Mori quickly responded “to be recognized as being competitive with quality American teams!”   His

Team Japan has been practicing for one month and has already had a convincing victory over one of Japan’s top college teams. Holtz

said  “Team Japan is on a par with a good MAC or Conference USA team”. 

 

This will be the first NCAA D1 affiliated team to play in Japan since Michigan State and Wisconsin played at the Tokyo Dome

in December 1993 in the Coca-Cola Bowl.