(3 of 3)
Unfortunately, liberal arts won't be much use against the Aggies or the Razorbacks. Already the '89 schedule sends shivers. A blood-red banner in the coaches' room heralds the opener against Rice. From there the schedule gets much worse: Texas, Notre Dame. Away. Arkansas. "I'll be happy if we just stay competitive going into the fourth quarter," admits Single. But others worry whether the Mustangs can even get on the board.
Gregg, class of '59, has no illusions. On the green carpet he is a picture of patience, a subject not taught him by Vince Lombardi but one he must practice now. Scrimmage over, he gathers sweating hopefuls about him -- a gentle rebuke for the defense, praise for the runners and passers. "Don't ever be lax," he cautions. "Someone can always rise up and beat you. Anything can happen out there on Saturdays -- anything."
Trooping to the showers, the talk is of the weekend and not the battles ahead. "Just a couple of wins, and a lot of us will be happy," offers Trey Cowan, a tackle valued most for his critical mass: 310 lbs. Ziegler sees it another way: "We're S.M.U. We're expected to win. So we will." But if that doesn't happen, well, there are things almost as important as the stats. Like just being on the field at Notre Dame. "All that tradition," he says. "You can't help getting pumped up." The final score, he and others hint, will somehow take care of itself.