“But they weren’t killin’ machines like Lang! He’ll moidah you to death in three rounds!”

Rocky: I've had ten title defenses.
Mickey: That was easy. They was handpicked.
Rocky: You mean they was setups?
Mickey: No, they was good fighters. But they wasn't killers. This guy'll knock you to tomorrow. (Emphasis added.)

Not sure the ND opponents in question were "good fighters."

(Note: Verb tense usage intentional. It's been awhile since I saw Rocky III, but I believe that's how they spoke in that scene.)

Had dinner with a former SEC head coach about 8-9 years ago. He was talking about 1st-time head coaches that come from the defensive side of the ball and was saying how they tend to struggle early and often in their tenure with game situations and decisions, more so than 1st-timers that come from the offensive side of the ball.

His stance was that the offensive guys had experience at least with 2-minute drill, using timeouts, going for it on 4th down, sending in packages/players on and off the field, and perhaps one or two other nuances I have since forgotten. Basically, initiating the action with their decisions. On the other side of the coin, the defensive guys as DCs are more reactive to the action on the field instead of initiating it.

... for exactly that reason. Perhaps a guy like Cutcliffe who can just be there - in his ear to help him manage the game when things are going a thousand miles an hour.

It would help immensely.