One of the many problems, in my opinion, with Davie's coaching "philosophy" is that he was constantly locked in close, tight games even with inferior opponents. He'd always play for field position, trying desperately not to turn the ball over and then punt it away hoping for a mistake by the other team or a kick return when he got the ball back.

The result of this approach was that he rarely had a chance to get his starters out of the game so back-ups never had a chance to develop in game situations. If they were forced into the game by a starter's injury, or when they moved into the starting position in a future year, they had precious little game experience. Davie's philosophy was also extremely successful in communicating to the players that he lacked confidence in them. Davie was sort of like the Little League coach who screams at his pitcher: "Don't walk him!" If you're always playing tight, always playing to avoid mistakes, you won't develop.

If we take 21-point victories as sort of the Mendoza line of games that were sufficiently unclose to take the pressure off by at least late in the game, let's look at the enormous difference between Holtz and Davie. Here are the 21+ point victories starting with Holtz in 1986:

1986: Purdue, Air Force, S.M.U.
1987: M.S.U. @ Purdue, Navy, Alabama
1988: Purdue, Stanford, Air Force, Rice
1989: Virginia (Kick-off Classic), Purdue, Pitt., Navy, S.M.U.
1990: Purdue, Air Force, @ Navy
1991: Indiana, M.S.U., Purdue, Navy
1992: @ Northwestern, @ M.S.U., Purdue, @ Pitt., B.Y.U., @ Navy, B.C.
1993: M.S.U., Stanford, Pitt., B.Y.U., @ Navy
1994: Northwestern, Navy
1995: Vanderbilt, Texas, U.S.C., Air Force
1996: Purdue, Washington, @ Navy, @ B.C., Pitt., Rutgers

Now Davie:

1997: @ Pitt, B.C.
1998: Baylor, Navy
1999: Kansas, A.S.U.
2000: @ Navy, Rutgers
2001: None

Holtz had 47 such victories in 11 years (4.3 per year), Davie had 8 in 5 years (1.6 per year). Thus, Holtz produced 21+ point victories at almost three times the rate that Davie did. Even Holtz's one losing season (1986) produced more blowout wins (3) than Davie ever generated (even his two 9-win teams only had 2).Although Holtz had a couple of whipping boys (Navy and Purdue each appear 8 times), his list also includes some teams that were often good over this stretch: Alabama, Texas, Washington, U.S.C., B.Y.U, Air Force, M.S.U., B.C. and Stanford.

The only one of these schools that appears on Davie's list is Boston College, but Davie was only 3-2 versus B.C. and lost 2 of the last 3. Even when Davie had a winning record against a team (such has his 3-2 record against Purdue) it usually involved thin margins (the three victories against Purdue were by 1, 2 and 6 points). And Holtz blew out teams like M.S.U. (3 times) that dominated Davie (0-5 versus M.S.U.).

Blowouts are good.