Campus Life this month features a story about how Notre Dame's primitive end zone chalk marking are a traditional key to victory. The column is from the November 16, 1992 Observer, by News Editor David Kinney

Chalkings key to victory for ND football

Two years back, Notre Dame Stadium lost one of its trademarks to flashy white interlocking NDs in each end zone and, a year later, to giant golden-domed sesquicentennial logos.

In 1990, Notre Dame fell to poor Standord and Penn State teams at home. One year ago, the Irish were a victim of a a 24-point comeback against Tennessee, their only viable opponent to play in the Stadium.

And in the first three home games this year, the team tied the overrated Michigan Wolverines and allowed Stanford to eclipse a 16-point deficit en route to a 33-16 loss.

Two years ago, Notre Dame lost its heart, its ability to dominate opponents by wearing them down with a potent running attack. Two years ago, Notre Dame Stadium was stripped of its primitive end zone chalkings. Now, the diagonal white stripes are back, and so is Notre Dame's heart.

It's difficult to argue that Notre Dame hadn't lost a step in the past two seasons. The fire seemed to be gone, the desire to win and the guts to defend Rockne's house  were not there anymore. For fans, reacting to losses was easier, even at home.

It's difficult to argue that Notre Dame hadn't lost a step in the past two seasons. The fire seemed to be gone, the desire to win and the guts to defend Rockne's house  were not there anymore. For fans, reacting to losses was easier, even at home.

With the end zones returned to there primitive state this October, Notre Dame has won three straight.

Was it the chalkings?

t's tough to argue against them. Since1987, Notre Dame has never lost a home game with primitive end zone chalkings. They represent the essence of what football in South Bend had come to be: no flash, no glitter, no dancing, just hard-hitting defense stopping the run and bullish offense intent on running the ball.

It is an open stadium with grass and cold-weather contests. It is a black quarterback named Tony Rice and a firey nose guard call Chris Zorich.

Notre Dame was the opposite of those dancing, undisciplined convict 'Canes in Miami, the sole force of good defending an age-old sport that was being infiltrated by flash, domes, artificial turf and an unbridled passing game.

It was in those days that Lou Holtz knew that miracles do happen, and that they seem to happen here more than anywhere else. But the miracles seemed to stop coming with the loss of the chalkings.

After beating Miami in 1990, Notre Dame failed to win a big game against a quality opponent at home until this weekend.

Indeed, the victory over Penn State was among the most satisfying in several years, after disappointing losses to Penn State in 1990, Tennessee in 1991 an a tie against Michigan this year.

More impressive was that it was won on guts and spirit. Quarterback Rick Mirer showed the same determination that beat Michigan two years ago. And in a defensive battle, Notre Dame proved time and again that it was up to the task.

But in the end, it was the primitive end zone chalkings that made the difference.