Neither person conclusively told Irish fans that this indeed was their time. But it reinforced just how frequently they are talking national championship in South Bend this college football season, if for no other reason that the alarm clock has gone off.

The statue of Frank Leahy across the street from his office on campus provides a daily reminder of the only time that matters this fall in South Bend. If that doesn't, all Davie needs to do is go to a coffee shop of flip on the TV news to hear how the great Irish coaches like Leahy won national titles in their third seasons.

Besides, it's 1999; time for Notre Dame fans everywhere to scratch that 11-year itch.

"You can't help but notice all that," Davie began. "That's the great thing about Notre Dame, there's always comparisons because of the traditions and the past."

Davie is referring to the one of the two new math equations being traded all over dormitories and banquet rooms since last spring: 66 + 77 + 88 + 99 = 1.

The other? 11 + 11 + 11 + 11 = 4.

Both formulas rely on the same premise: Notre Dame won a national title in 1988, 11 years after it won in 1977, 11 years after it won in 1966.

So of course 11 years since the last ring-fitting, now in 1999, optimists reason that the Irish will hoist their index fingers once again.

Not so fast, Davie warns anybody reserving hotel rooms in New Orleans for the Jan. 4 national championship Sugar Bowl.

"I think you also have to look at the reality of how young we are as a football team, the kind of schedule we have, and somewhere in between that and '66, '77 and '88 is reality," Davie said. "Sometimes, there's a lot of parallels, but when it comes down to running that trap or belly, there's much more thought process put into that."

How vintage Davie. All ball, all the time.

He is not Ara. Too subtle. He is not Dan. Too conventional. He is not Lou. Too approachable.

He is Bob, simply Bob, a hard-working man who does not have Parseghian's presence, Devine's eccentricities or Holtz's humor.

Some might say that Bob Davie has not changed the football program he took over in November 1996 as much as the program has changed him. If his defenses had become as guarded as he has, critics chide, then the Irish would never be outscored.

That is not the way Ara was, some historians grumble unfairly. Or Dan. Or Lou.

		The most important notes about Notre Dame is that the Irish are getting more speed and they have Jarious Jackson back at quarterback. The Irish will benefit from having a lot of young players get plenty of playing time the last two years because they didn't have a lot back when Bob Davie took over. Some of these players will respond and make big contributions. Tony Driver, for instance, moves from the secondary back to running back, his natural position. Kevin Rogers has come over from Syracuse to run the offense, so the Irish will be a mystery on offense to teams they face early on. They have so much speed and so much threat of the option that Notre Dame should have a big year. Their schedule is difficult because of the deal they did with NBC. Notre Dame is overscheduled, with Michigan, Purdue, Michigan State, Oklahoma, Arizona State, USC, Tennessee and Stanford. The Irish don't have a breather. I just see the schedule as too difficult for them to be a national championship team. Central Florida, now without Daunte Culpepper, may have the toughest schedule in the country. Here are the Golden Knights' first four games: Purdue, at Florida, at Georgia Tech and at Georgia. Louisiana Tech has Tim Rattay back at quarterback, but the Bulldogs lose receiver Troy Edwards and head coach Gary Crowton to NFL. They also open against Florida State and Texas A&M.

So it comes as no surprise, really, that Davie sought to distance himself from the hype that surrounds his third season at Notre Dame. That always has been his way.

Do not expect him to be fazed, for instance, by the fact that only two Notre Dame coaches in the much-discussed school history have more wins than Davie's 16 after two seasons.

Quick, name them. Holtz and Leahy? Rockne and Parseghian? No and no.

The answer is Terry Brennan and Dan Devine, who each won 17. Not that any of this trivia matters to Davie as much as how his rebuilt offensive line will react to its first third-down blitz.

"I don't think there's going to be a lot of people on either sideline Saturday afternoon at about 2:30 thinking a whole lot about (19)66, '77 or '88 -- unless they're wearing jerseys."

Irish fans better get used to seeing some new people wearing those jerseys beginning Saturday.

Notre Dame lost four starters on an offensive line as responsible for Jarious Jackson's emergence as anything. The Irish also graduated the all-time leading rusher, Autry Denson.

A pair of Tonys, Driver and Fisher, will begin the season sharing the tailback position. Tackles John Teasdale and Jordan Black and guards Jim Jones and Mike Gandy join veteran center John Merandi on the untested offensive front. New offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers' multiple scheme should keep defenses guessing, but only if Jackson isn't running for his life.

"I think I was more confident heading into last year," Jackson said the other day. More than once the fifth-year senior quarterback has commented publicly on his concerns over the men who protect him.

"Anything can happen in any game, whether it's against Kansas or a Division II school," Jackson said. "It's tough. You never know in college football. I just pray to God we don't start 0-3."

Defensively, the prayers are less urgent. Though an injury will hold tackle Tony Weaver out of the Kansas game, the Irish strength lies in its depth on the defensive interior. Davie switched to a 4-3 alignment that will showcase ends Grant Irons and Lamont Bryant, two guys with All-America potential. New linebackers Anthony Denman and Ronnie Nicks will have to grow up fast, while the secondary will miss starting cornerback Brock Williams. The university suspended Williams for the season over a disciplinary matter. With Michigan, Purdue and Tennessee awaiting the Irish on the road, no wonder Davie has left a page in his game plan for the mystique that builds the expectations so unusually high.

"There's some magic around here," Davie allowed. "(But) the only way you have a chance to benefit from that magic is if you've done the right things, you're good people and you've worked your rear end off. And I think that our football team has done that. . .

"Now, it'll take some magic."

David Haugh of the South Bend Tribune is a contributor to ESPN.com