Notre Dame is playing aggressive defense against stinging allegations of drug abuse that tarnish the university's carefully cultivated image of clean football.
Coach Lou Holtz and athletic department officials have attacked, feinted, given up some ground, and fought fiercely for other territory.The hasty but well-coordinated response was triggered by a magazine article written by a former player who claimed steroid abuse was rampant among Irish football players.
Former Irish center Steve Huffman, who left the program three years ago, writes in the Aug. 27 issue of Sports Illustrated that Holtz must have known of, and by implication tolerated, the abuse of steroids.
"I did not come here to defend myself," Holtz said Wednesday as he began reading a lengthy statement denying Huffman's allegations.
He then grimly defended himself, presenting testimonials from former players and assistants, even offering to show a bank check he had refused for helping an anti-drug education program.
Team doctor James M. Moriarity feinted, saying in an early response that "no Notre Dame player has ever been found to test positive by the NCAA."
Athletic director Richard Rosenthal gave up that ground when he admitted the school's own testing program had discovered five players using steroids since 1987.
Holtz and Rosenthal joined in attacking Sports Illustrated for failing to offer Notre Dame's side of the story. And Holtz fought for territory he believed he owned as a opponent of performance-enhancing drugs.
"I think I've done everything I can to deter the use of drugs, both street drugs as well as steroids," he said.
Huffman claimed nearly half the players who lettered were using steroids and that two unidentified assistant coaches suggested that he take the muscle-building drug to get stronger.
"I totally deny unequivocally everything that was written," Holtz said. "I detest the insinuation that two of our coaches suggested that athletes take steroids. I, along with the university and the country, would like to know who they are."
Huffman did not name the coaches or any of the players who allegedly used steroids, which are banned by the NCAA.
Rosenthal said the five players who tested positive were disciplined. He declined to identify them or to say whether they were dismissed from the team or school.
"None of the five players who had positive tests were permitted to compete in games while steroids were in their system," Rosenthal said.
He said the university's testing program was bolstered in 1987, and concentrated on starting players. The five positives came from 466 tests conducted since then, he said.
Rosenthal said data gathered before 1987 no longer existed, but that the incidence of steroid abuse was no higher then. The testing program is administered by Notre Dame's medical center, not the athletic department.
Huffman, who left the team in 1987, said his allegations are in response to Holtz's book about the 1988 national championship season. In it, Holtz calls Huffman a quitter.
Holtz said he regretted not removing Huffman's name from the book.
"If this article allows him to find the peace that has eluded him over the years at my expense, I accept this," Holtz said. "I have no hard feelings toward Steve Huffman."
In his story, written with Rick Telander, Huffman said he never heard Holtz warn players away from steroids, and said the coach advised players only to be careful with the drug.
He also said he saw boxes of steroids, pills and injectable liquids in players' dormitory rooms.
Holtz said he gave each Notre Dame player a photocopy of the story and asked anyone who agreed with the allegations to leave him an unsigned note.
"I have received no such notes," he said.
Holtz and Rosenthal criticized Sports Illustrated for publishing the story without offering the university a chance to respond.