In their last test before the Sugar Bowl, the Irish narrowly defeat an upstart Hawaii team 48-42
By Chris Fillio
1991 Scholastic Football Review
For many of the thousands of Irish fans who travelled across the Pacific Ocean to witness Notre Dame escape Aloha Stadium with a narrow 48-42 victory, there are probably many fond memories of the tropical island paradise.
For Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz, however, “Happiness is a poor memory!’
So went his initial recollections of a game which saw the Irish sprint out a halftime lead of 28-10 only to subsequently surrender 32 second half points in barely averting a 20 minute collapse eerily reminiscent of the 35-34 loss to Tennessee just a month prior.
Despite the pre-game spread, which favored Notre Dame over the Rainbows by as much as 24 points on some lines, closer analysis of the situation might warrant a reevaluation of the two teams. At game time, the Irish were lacking six starters, including defensive stopper Demetrius DuBose and the kicking game’s total package, placekicker and punter Craig Hentrich. In addition, the Rainbows hail from the Western Athletic Conference – the wacky WAC – a conference known for its 90 point games decided by a last-second field goal, where pass plays and options are many and defensive battles are few and far between.
The Rainbows were averaging just under 27 points per game while surrendering almost 31, including allowing 100 points combined in earlier losses to Iowa and San Diego State. Perhaps less noteworthy, the series history between the two schools was deadlocked at 0-0. But the visitors from South Bend were the proverbial wounded tigers. Still smarting from not one but two losses, in succession against Tennessee and Penn State, the Irish coaching staff was intent on not letting the squad feel this game would be just another day at the beach.
With so many questions on defense throughout the season having gone unanswered, Holtz had concentrated much of his energies from previous weeks working with the defensive unit in hopes of instilling within them a “defensive attitude.” He felt it had paid off-to an extent.
“For twenty minutes we were sharp, we were alert, doing what we needed,” said Holtz.”But then we starting falling soft on the fullback and that’s where we faltered – down and inside – and that’s where things started breaking down.”
Yet, in light of the absence of defensive stalwarts Germaine Holden, Pete Bercich, Greg Davis, Eric Jones, Demetrius DuBose and Anthony Peterson, Holtz felt encouraged by the defense’s first half performance.
On the offensive side of the ball, there were indeed some bright spots for the Irish. Quarterback Rick Mirer passed comfortably all night, hitting 12-of-19 attempts for 218 yards, without any interceptions. Senior running back Rodney Culver rushed for 118 yards in 13 attempts, while split end Tony Smith was on the receiving end of nine catches for 140 yards, also a career best.
On special teams, the play of the day went to Notre Dame’s Clint “Cosmic” Johnson, who answered a third-quarter Hawaii field goal by fielding the ensuing kickoff at the Notre Dame seven-yard line and sprinting with it 93 yards for the score, the first such return of his young career.
“The kicker was the only one left in my way,” said the speedy sophomore. “I was thinking, ‘I can’t let a kicker get me.’ I put a move on him and got past him. I took it to the house.”
The kicking of Johnson’s special teams complement, sophomore Rob Leonard, was encouraging, as he connected solidly on his first six PAT attempts before the Rainbow’s right tackle Maa Tanuvasa managed to get a hand on the last one of the evening.
The Irish had the usual offensive fireworks with 499 total yards. But Hawaii countered with 473 yards of their own coming in a myriad of ways: the traditional forward pass and straight up the gut run, but as well as some surprises including a reverse, a botched fumblerooski play and onside kicks.
Notre Dame sprinted out to an early 21-0 lead. Seniors Culver and Tony Brooks both had first quarter scores on the ground, and Mirer had one of own on an 11-yard scramble.
For the host Rainbows, that 24-point Las Vegas spread seemed to be quickly becoming an underestimate as Irish cornerback Tom Carter victimized starting quarterback Ivin Jasper twice with interceptions.
But then Jasper’s replacement, Michael Carter, started to heat things up for Hawaii, running the option attack with ease. Carter racked up 133 yards on the ground in 23 attempts with two touchdowns while adding 70 yards an a touchdown connection through the air on 6-of-13 passing.
In the second quarter, Carter directed the Rainbows 89 yards to close to 21-7, culminating with a 4-yard pass to running back Eddie Kealoha. After Brooks scored for the second time of the night, All-American placekicker Jason Elam hit from 31 yards out as time expired in the first half to make it 28-10.
In the second half, Carter once again marched the Hawaii offense down the field, this time 59 yards to bring the score to 28-17. Meanwhile, the Irish stuck to their bread-and-butter, the 281 yards on the ground being par for the course for the running attack. Sophomore fullback Jerome Bettis opened the second half scoring with a 4-yard run to make it 35-17, making him Notre Dame’s all-time single-season leader in touchdowns with his seventeenth of the year.
After Elam again connected for the Rainbows, this time from 41 yards out, it may have appeared as if the Irish defensive woes would be of little consequence for the rest of the contest. Johnson made his return, to make it 42-20 in favor of the Irish.
It was perhaps about at this time that many of the fans in more easterly time zones put a “W” in the win column and shuffled off to bed. Slumbering, much like the Irish defense, and much like the defensive unit, shocked when waking to hear of a slim 48-42 Irish victory.
“Hey, we scored 50 points on offense,” said Mirer. “That’s all I can do.”
Six minutes into the fourth quarter, quarterback Carter did what he’d been doing all night, as Hawaii drove 46 yards to make it 42-26. The magician Carter also dashed in for the conversion. It was on the touchdown play, as Carter swung around to his left and then sprinted 11 yards ahead, that Irish free safety Willie Clark met him head-on with a thunderous hit at the 1-yard line. While Clark may have gotten the better of the tackle, the feisty Carter-managed to lunge forward for the score, yet had to leave the game due to injury.
The Irish were perhaps relieved that the multi-faceted Carter then gave way to Jasper, who threw two interceptions before being pulled by Hawaii head coach Bob Wagner in the first half.
“I said ‘This is crunch time”‘ said Jasper. “I can’t complain about not playing and then not do the job. I went in confident.”
When Jasper vindicated himself in directing the Rainbows 69 yards, pockets of Hawaii fans taunted the Notre Dame sideline with chants of “Tennessee! Tennessee!” The memory got worse, when with 1:38 left in the game Kealoha hauled in a seven-yard pass from Jasper to make it 48-42.
“I feel we could have been … been more intense,” said a relieved Tony Brooks after the game. “We gave up some big plays … But what do they say? A win is a win.”
Running out the final minute, the Irish escaped a stunning effort by the Rainbows and flew home from paradise with few smiling faces.