Byline: Judd Zulgad; Staff Writer
As someone who spent almost every weekend at a college football game this year and the remainder of his time as a resident of South Bend., Ind., it would have been impossible for Bob Davie not to notice the success Tyrone Willingham's Notre Dame squad had this season.
But that doesn't mean it was always easy for Davie to watch as the school that fired him last December won its first eight games. Notre Dame finished 10-2 and earned a berth in the Gator Bowl.
'It was difficult early in the season,' said Davie, who has served as a college football analyst for ESPN this season and will work today's Music City Bowl alongside Mark Jones. 'Fortunately, I had games at the same time they were playing, so that helped. But their early success, beating Maryland and getting off to a quick start, that was a strange dynamic to deal with.
'I was happy because I know how hard those kids have worked, and I know what we went through last year. But I'm also human, and it was difficult. It's gotten a lot easier. I've moved beyond it. I have enough stuff on my plate that I don't spend a bunch of time thinking about it.'
Davie's main energies have been directed toward his broadcasting work. A coach for 25 years, Davie planned to continue in the high-pressure profession after he was fired following a 5-6 season in 2001. However, he had a daughter who was a senior in high school and decided against uprooting his family. Instead, he took the year off.
Calls from ESPN and Fox Sports Net officials followed to see if he was interested in broadcasting. Davie ended up signing a two-year contract with an option for a third with ESPN.
'I've enjoyed it a lot,' Davie said. 'It's been a lot more fulfilling than I anticipated it would be. You research, preparing for the game. I enjoy watching the tapes. I get to go out and talk to coaches and watch teams practice.'
Davie, 48, admitted it has felt unusual to interview some of the same coaches he has opposed.
'About the third game of the year, I was in Michigan sitting in Lloyd Carr's office on a Friday before they played Utah, and there was no question it was different,' Davie said. 'Going down to Purdue and sitting with Joe Tiller and watching them practice ... it has been different but enjoyable.'
Davie, who plans to move his family from South Bend to a warm weather area in the next few months, did not want to name the schools but said he has gotten a few calls to see if he is interested in coaching next season. He also has talked to ESPN about staying with the network.
Davie said if he does return to coaching next season, he feels the year of broadcasting will have benefitted him.
'I had never gotten to see other teams or players up close [in practice], and now I have had a chance to do that - seeing how other teams prepare and get ready for games,' he said. 'I'm a better coach right now after one year of doing this than I was a year ago.'
- Judd Zulgad is at jzulgad@startribune.com
