On the other side

Mattison returns to Michigan leading Fighting Irish's struggling defense

By Nicholas J. Cotsonika
Daily Sports Editor

Somewhere across the field today, in a blur of bodies and gold helmets, will stand a man surrounded by intense emotion. Greg Mattison, who left the defensive coordinator position at Michigan late last season to take the same job at Notre Dame, will be looked upon by his former teammates and recruits as he coaches the enemy.

His decision infuriated many of his players at first, and he did not coach the Wolverines in the Outback Bowl, though the Fighting Irish's season had ended. Now, neither Mattison nor Michigan players and coaches want to talk about any situation regarding Mattison's return for today's game, whether that situation is real or imagined.

"The game won't be about me at all," Mattison said three weeks ago. "It will be about two good teams and two good defenses."

SARA STILLMAN/Daily Michigan outside linebacker Clint Copenhaver intercepted a pass against Colorado two weeks ago at Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines' defense, with a powerful secondary led by All-America cornerback Charles Woodson, is best in the nation against the pass.

Only Mattison's defense - at least so far - isn't good at all, having lost five starters from its front seven. It can't stop the run. It can't stop the pass. It can't stop much of anything. Last week, against Michigan State, the Spartans scored on their first two possessions, and two rushers - Marc Renaud (112) and Sedrick Irvin (106) - had 100-yard games.

The Irish's performance has been a great departure from Mattison's expectations (which, however, were far different from those of outside observers).

"As a whole, the defense has gotten a little bit more serious or a little bit more urgency," Mattison told the South Bend Tribune before the season. "There's confidence there. They look at each other, and they can tell."

Michigan defensive coordinator Jim Herrmann has had greater success meeting expectations, taking a unit Mattison made one of the Big Ten's best and improving it. The Wolverines surrendered just six points and no touchdowns in their first two games, allowing an opponent inside their 20-yard line once.

But Mattison knew he was leaving something good behind. And that was fine with him. He wasn't a traditional Michigan man anyway.

Notre Dame is his seventh coaching stop in 23 years and was an opportunity he couldn't pass up. His old friend from his days at Texas A&M, Bob Davie, is the head coach, and Notre Dame rewards its personnel in ways Michigan does not.

"It was tough," Mattison told the Detroit Free Press. "Michigan's a great school. Lloyd is a great coach, and I have so many, many good friends on that staff. A lot of those players I recruited.

"But it was really something where I made the decision based on what was best for my family. To have my daughter (Lisa) - who's gonna be a junior next year in high school - have a chance to go to Notre Dame for free, I said to myself, sometimes you have to look at that.

"I mean, I couldn't afford to send her here. When you're a parent, it comes to a point where you want to take care of your children like you want to. That was the biggest decision, and I've really been happy. It was just the combination of everything. It seemed like a good fit. So I did it."

09-26-97