ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, November 25, 1996 TAG: 9611260050
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: COLLEGE FOOTBALL
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
Bob Davie was surrounded by cheering fans as he made his way into the room to be introduced as Notre Dame's new football coach. They were still there when he left an hour later, waiting to shake his hand and get his autograph.
The Bob Davie era has officially begun at Notre Dame.
``Obviously, it's a great day for me personally and it's a great day for my family,'' Davie said Sunday in South Bend, Ind. ``I promise to the Notre Dame family that I'm going to do everything in my power so that hopefully one day, people will look back on this and say it was a great day for Notre Dame football.''
Davie, Notre Dame's defensive coordinator the past three years, succeeds coach Lou Holtz in the glamour job of college football. Holtz announced Tuesday he was stepping down after 11 seasons as the Irish coach.
Davie signed a five-year contract and his hiring was announced at a campus news conference Sunday, one day after the 10th-ranked Irish defeated Rutgers 62-0 in Holtz's final home game.
It's the first head coaching job for Davie, 42, who's spent the past 20 years as a defensive assistant. He becomes the 26th coach at Notre Dame, and the first assistant to be hired as Irish coach since Terry Brennan succeeded Frank Leahy in 1954.
In other college football:
SHOWDOWN SET: Now it's Florida State's turn to chase No.1 Florida.
After seven weeks at No.3, the Seminoles (10-0) replaced Ohio State at No.2 in The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll, following the Buckeyes' 13-9 loss to Michigan.
Ohio State (10-1) tumbled four spots to No.6, while its Rose Bowl opponent, Arizona State (11-0), moved up to No.3 after completing a perfect regular season with a 56-14 win over Arizona. (Complete poll in Scoreboard. B4)
Florida State, a 48-10 winner over Maryland, won't have to wait long for a chance at Florida - the teams play on Saturday in Tallahassee in the 31st meeting between teams ranked 1-2.
Virginia Tech is 17th in this week's poll and Virginia is No.20. The Hokies and Cavaliers play Friday afternoon in Blacksburg to complete their regular seasons.
LENGTH: Short : 48 linesby CNB