Inside The Legends: 2009 Notre Dame Japan Bowl

Film by Ted Mandell
Not Rated, 48 minutes

Guest speakers and Notre Dame football personalities will be in attendance.

A rare, behind-the-scenes look at how the fiery hall-of-fame coach molds and motivates the group of former players, many of whom haven't touched a football in years, to take on the challenge of playing the Japanese National Team in Tokyo.

The Notre Dame Football Legends held Japan to a solitary field goal and pounded 309 rushing yards to win the Notre Dame Japan Bowl 19-3 in front of 21,080 enthusiastic fans in the Tokyo Dome.

MVP Jay Vickers rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown and his contribution included a 77-yard second quarter dash down the right sideline that led to the Legend's first touchdown. Head coach Lou Holtz's game plan rarely called for the Legends to throw, relying on the running game to wear down the opposition. Only Ambrose Wooden completed a pass, which went for seven yards to Vickers, while five others fell incomplete.

"It was all about meeting the challenges that were thrown at us and the players responded well," said Holtz. "It was a wonderful experience. When you look at what we had to work with and the skill players who were out, we were very short in some areas, but we found a way to do it."