2010 ND was the worst big time job in the country

[IrishFforida]

When you make a laundry list of all the things you don't want in a big-time blue blood coaching job. ND checked every box

1. A fanbase who expects ND to win every football game.
2. Figuring out how to recruit 50 states, not just your backyard.
3. Outdated football facilities
4. 15-year culture of mediocrity and ) 1 Hawaii Bowl win to cap a 7-6 season)
5. Following 4 disastrous hires (Davie, O'Leary, Willingham, and Weis)
6. A roster that featured Michael Floyd, Harrison Smith, and literally nothing else.
7. High academic standards

No traditional or more recent blue blood job in America has that many challenges (Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Clemson, Miami, FSU, UF, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, USC) In fact, the coach who follows Brian Kelly, will only have to deal with #1 & #7

No coach in ND history has faced a more uphill battle, than Brian Kelly. If he can win a National Championship, IMO he moves past Devine and Lou and tucks in nicely-behind Rockne, Leahy, and Ara. And no coach would be more deserving of being called a National Champion than Brian Kelly.

A little luck of the Irish, and a 3-game winning streak is all I want for Christmas.

 

[NIN Irish]

Somehow, someway, he's going to have to win a few games when it's not expected for the team to win.

 

[savvyandsassier]

I don't even care about all that stuff. I mean it's impressive of course, don't get me wrong. But just win ten games a year, and I'm satisfied. Meaning go 10-2, on average, and I guess beat USC over half the time, and we've definitely done that. And now we're doing even more than that, going 11-1 and making the playoff in rebuilding years...

But that's all I was visualizing, based on the kind of teams he had at UC. What we was doing there looked like he could easily bring it to ND, and maybe we could even a MNC if everything came together. And this of course was pre-Bama's total dominance, which now makes winning the MNC part harder.

And watching Cincy play on ESPN numerous times those three years, by the end BK was personally on TV a lot, being interviewed and shit, and it was very obvious, on top of the football success, that personally he would be an awesome fit for ND as well. We simply HAD to get this guy. Like I didn't even realize how great his personality was for ND, and I myself was totally charmed and won over by the dude.

And of course he has been great, and I assume that the powers that be at ND, not just Swarbrick, cannot believe how much they won the jackpot with this guy. So would BK have been fired if he had not improved considerably after going 4-8? Perhaps, probably... But don't believe any hater fans who try to portray that episode as if BK was retained out of pity, or simply because ND is so inept that they didn't know what else to do....

THEY DIDN'T WANT TO FIRE HIM. And BK did his part, and snapped out of it, and got his groove back, he made changes and implemented them expeditiously and you see where the program is today.

 

[Patrirish]

When you make a laundry list of all the things you don't want in a big-time blue blood coaching job. ND checked every box

1. A fanbase who expects ND to win every football game.
2. Figuring out how to recruit 50 states, not just your backyard.
3. Outdated football facilities
4. 15-year culture of mediocrity and ) 1 Hawaii Bowl win to cap a 7-6 season)
5. Following 4 disastrous hires (Davie, O'Leary, Willingham, and Weis)
6. A roster that featured Michael Floyd, Harrison Smith, and literally nothing else.
7. High academic standards

No traditional or more recent blue blood job in America has that many challenges (Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Clemson, Miami, FSU, UF, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, USC) In fact, the coach who follows Brian Kelly, will only have to deal with #1 & #7

No coach in ND history has faced a more uphill battle, than Brian Kelly. If he can win a National Championship, IMO he moves past Devine and Lou and tucks in nicely-behind Rockne, Leahy, and Ara. And no coach would be more deserving of being called a National Champion than Brian Kelly.

A little luck of the Irish, and a 3-game winning streak is all I want for Christmas.

# 5 on your list is the critical item.

The hires were beyond terrible, along with the Faust hiring which might have been the worst of all.

How and why they decided to make a high school coach the Head Coach at ND MYSTIFIES ME TO THIS DAY. It’s unprecedented ! It’s mind boggling.

it all starts with the coach !

Not so sure I agree on # 6

 

[savvyandsassier]

That really was three shitty coaches in a row. I can understand hiring Weis. And Willingham was sort of a fluke...

But hiring Bob Davie is to me the one that was most egregious. Truly a horrible hire, I don't know who was responsible for that, but that was a downright appalling hire with predictable results. I didn't really care at the time, I was too young to be that opinionated about it, but good lord, wtf were they thinking?

Bob Davis is presumably a very good DC with a good football mind, I'm not calling the dude a fraud. But you might as well attempt to rehabilitate Lou Holtz, if that's all you're going to do is hire one of his assistants. And Davie had nothing to do with ND, no connection, not even much of a connection to Holtz. He was just an ambitious coach. And apparently a hustler too, who smooth-talked his way into the job according to people in the know.

I mean how could you be in charge of such an august institution, and a football program of such stature, and allow yourself to be talked into promoting someone like Bob Davie, when the reason you were looking for a new coach is because you had lost faith in the previous coach - naturally to whom Davie was a top lieutenant - on account of Holtz was no longer felt to possess sufficient probity or whatnot for the job! You're ND for god's sake, turn the page, and find a new coach.

It's the exact same thing USC did in even more excruciating fashion with that oafish loser Clay Helton. They just fired their coach for being an alcoholic, and then for some godforsaken reason they hired his top assistant to permanently take over! Unbelievable....

And noteworthy that USC, post Pete Carroll, pretty much went through what ND went through post-Holtz. And so will be USC finally be fortunate enough to get their version of BK..... Hopefully not, hopefully they get someone mediocre. But Clay Helton had to go, that guy was a straight up disgrace!

 

[HDK]

# 5 on your list is the critical item.

The hires were beyond terrible, along with the Faust hiring which might have been the worst of all.

How and why they decided to make a high school coach the Head Coach at ND MYSTIFIES ME TO THIS DAY. It’s unprecedented ! It’s mind boggling.

it all starts with the coach !

Not so sure I agree on # 6

Kyle Rudolph, Manti T'eo, Dayne Crist (auto-correct had screwed that spelling up) , among others, might have something to say about #6.

 

[savvyandsassier]

Did you just say Dane Christ? That's your clapback to the OP?

Manti Teo of course was an oversight. But Dayne Christ.... Then again BK haters have never had any real ground to stand on. And you find yourself dredging up the name of Dayne Christ - DAYNE CHRIST.... - as some forgotten elite blue-chip recruit that BK had at his disposal, and so of course he sucks as a coach, just look what happened to Dayne Christ!

Speaking of Dayne Christ, no offense to the guy, but I believe he was too much of a hothouse flower for BK's tastes, too much of a young Ned Flanders. And they did not get along, and we were extremely fortunate to have someone as savvy and resilient as Tommy Rees on the roster to salvage things the first couple years. And then after Golson got suspended too...

And so if Tommy Rees actually became ND football coach, in three and a half years time, which I don't think he will.... But if he did, and he kept it in the family and replaced BK upon his well-earned retirment.... that would represent total defeat, complete and utter defeat for the BK haters. That Tommy Rees, in many ways the signature QB of the BK era, or at least the first half of BK's tenure, and a true whipping boy for ND's legions of toxic fans, actually succeeded the hated BK as head coach.

Seriously, that would be existential defeat for them. And all these thug fans want is to get their own way, that's abundantly clear at this point, they don't care about the welfare of ND football..... And that would be defeat on the level of the Romans burning Carthage to the ground never to rise again in the course of human history.

But I don't think he'll end up getting the job.....

 

[HDK]

Did you just say Dane Christ? That's your clapback to the OP?

Manti Teo of course was an oversight. But Dayne Christ.... Then again BK haters have never had any real ground to stand on. And you find yourself dredging up the name of Dayne Christ - DAYNE CHRIST.... - as some forgotten elite blue-chip recruit that BK had at his disposal, and so of course he sucks as a coach, just look what happened to Dayne Christ!

Speaking of Dayne Christ, no offense to the guy, but I believe he was too much of a hothouse flower for BK's tastes, too much of a young Ned Flanders. And they did not get along, and we were extremely fortunate to have someone as savvy and resilient as Tommy Rees on the roster to salvage things the first couple years. And then after Golson got suspended too...

And so if Tommy Rees actually became ND football coach, in three and a half years time, which I don't think he will.... But if he did, and he kept it in the family and replaced BK upon his well-earned retirment.... that would represent total defeat, complete and utter defeat for the BK haters. That Tommy Rees, in many ways the signature QB of the BK era, or at least the first half of BK's tenure, and a true whipping boy for ND's legions of toxic fans, actually succeeded the hated BK as head coach.

Seriously, that would be existential defeat for them. And all these thug fans want is to get their own way, that's abundantly clear at this point, they don't care about the welfare of ND football..... And that would be defeat on the level of the Romans burning Carthage to the ground never to rise again in the course of human history.

But I don't think he'll end up getting the job.....

You may recall that he suffered a season-ending knee injury his first season as starting quarterback under Kelly.

And speaking of hothouse flowers, you really should get some professional help.

 

[savvyandsassier]

You may recall that he suffered a season-ending knee injury his first season as starting quarterback under Kelly.

And speaking of hothouse flowers, you really should get some professional help.

Oh STFU. You're a lousy BK hater, and you don't like being called out. You poor, poor man....

I will admit I do make a bit of sport out of it. At least you don't deny it. And how could you? Douchebags like yourself are always trying to get your little digs in. Your little passive-aggressive insults, and you just can't stop yourself....

What's it like to be that pathetic, to being totally committed to being a wormy little BK hater, right in the throes, right in the midst one of the best runs in ND football history?

 

[Golson5]

Oh STFU. You're a lousy BK hater, and you don't like being called out. You poor, poor man....

I will admit I do make a bit of sport out of it. At least you don't deny it. And how could you? Douchebags like yourself are always trying to get your little digs in. Your little passive-aggressive insults, and you just can't stop yourself....

What's it like to be that pathetic, to being totally committed to being a wormy little BK hater, right in the throes, right in the midst one of the best runs in ND football history?

What a huge clown this chick is

 

[HDK]

Oh STFU. You're a lousy BK hater, and you don't like being called out. You poor, poor man....

I will admit I do make a bit of sport out of it. At least you don't deny it. And how could you? Douchebags like yourself are always trying to get your little digs in. Your little passive-aggressive insults, and you just can't stop yourself....

What's it like to be that pathetic, to being totally committed to being a wormy little BK hater, right in the throes, right in the midst one of the best runs in ND football history?

You really are a basket case. Now go change your tampon before you make a mess.

 

[NIN Irish]

Oh STFU. You're a lousy BK hater, and you don't like being called out. You poor, poor man....

I will admit I do make a bit of sport out of it. At least you don't deny it. And how could you? Douchebags like yourself are always trying to get your little digs in. Your little passive-aggressive insults, and you just can't stop yourself....

What's it like to be that pathetic, to being totally committed to being a wormy little BK hater, right in the throes, right in the midst one of the best runs in ND football history?

"right in the throes, right in the midst one of the best runs in ND football history?"

Without a championship? You know little about ND football history.

 

[BGI User 1596]

You really are a basket case. Now go change your tampon before you make a mess.

Ouch!

 

[savvyandsassier]

You really are a basket case. Now go change your tampon before you make a mess.

Alright, then... Sounds like you're about done. Got anything else to add, Einstein? Any more choice licks you want to get in, to me or to BK?

Going once, going twice....

 

[TheSodFather]

What a huge clown this chick is

The most hilarious thing is she was one of the biggest critics of the Kelly hire back in the day. Probably due to the incredibly unhealthy infatuation she had with Charlie Weis at the time.

Im glad to see she came around. BK definitely deserves her venti vanilla coffee frappuccino with skim milk defenses on this board. They bring a smile to my face every day also if I’m being honest.

 

[twalsh]

You may recall that he suffered a season-ending knee injury his first season as starting quarterback under Kelly.

Didn‘t that give us the Nate Montana era?

 

[HDK]

Didn‘t that give us the Nate Montana era?

Actually, Crist got injured in the Tulsa game, leading to the Tommy Rees era. Nate got his moment of glory against Michigan when Crist got his head dinged and missed half the game. I believe the only other two QBs on the roster that day were Rees and Montana, both of whom played, but not particularly well.

 

[savvyandsassier]

I'm guessing that's why BK abandoned the hurry up. Because Tommy Rees wasn't going to be running it, as a heavy-legged true frosh, and so at some point BK just junked it.

I really don't know what he was thinking, but I was very disappointed. Maybe that's why we struggled initially, as BK was readjusting his offense to be effective, without the hugely extra element of the hurry up a la Chip Kelly/Oregon, which was most definitely a highly potent and awesome offense back in the day. But I suppose a very demanding one.

I don't remember if Cincy ran it all the time every game. But they certainly used it a lot of the time, and he definitely brought it with him to ND, and then about halfway through his first season we dropped it.

 

[ftnfan62]

Somehow, someway, he's going to have to win a few games when it's not expected for the team to win.

he has done that many times (Clemson, LSU a few times, OK, Stanford when they had a top 5 team, etc. ). it’s really about a close game in the CFP or a win. That’s the hurdle. Bama last year we moved the ball. Missed a FG, tossed a pic, had a TD called back but we moved it and held them to their lowest points. That game could have easily been a one score or OT game. Just need all those to happen this year to get a win or a close game. That gets that monkey off his back and then the big game. Lou had one 1 in 10 years and people talk about him as a god. All he needs is one to be a god and get a statue. I can’t imagine living in a time when the HC racked up 3 or 4. Must have been fun to be a fan during the Lahey or Rockne years.

 

[NotreDame du Lac]

Fact is, when we lose BK, we are F’d.

 

[HDK]

he has done that many times (Clemson, LSU a few times, OK, Stanford when they had a top 5 team, etc. ). it’s really about a close game in the CFP or a win. That’s the hurdle. Bama last year we moved the ball. Missed a FG, tossed a pic, had a TD called back but we moved it and held them to their lowest points. That game could have easily been a one score or OT game. Just need all those to happen this year to get a win or a close game. That gets that monkey off his back and then the big game. Lou had one 1 in 10 years and people talk about him as a god. All he needs is one to be a god and get a statue. I can’t imagine living in a time when the HC racked up 3 or 4. Must have been fun to be a fan during the Lahey or Rockne years.

It's funny you mention this. Like many of us, I record all the games. I was cleaning up my DVD the other day and came across the ACC championship game against Clemson. We had a decent opening drive but settled for a long field goal. We bent on defense but got the ball back on an interception and drove to their 5, where we missed a field goal. On our next possession, we turned it over on downs at their 30 after Book and Davis couldn't connect on a pass that would have given us a first down at their 10. After about 18 minutes, we trailed 7-3 but were in a position to be up as little as 9-3 or as much as 17-3.

But then, Clemson's defense really clamped down, and Book was running for his life the rest of the game. Their offense solved our defense and pretty much moved the ball at will.

My takeaway remains the same it has been for going on a decade now. 1. While our players are getting better -- and we are getting more of them -- our big-time opponents have deeper, more talented teams. 2. Kelly is very good as a coach in setting the overall picture, of having a team generally well prepared and even-keeled to handle the rigors of the entire season. But he still comes up short -- and by he, I mean the whole coaching staff -- in preparing new wrinkles and surprises in these big games. I don't think we will ever see Kelly and his staff come up with something like the mirror defense that Ara did against Texas to upset them in the Cotton Bowl or the way Holtz took over the defense against Florida that year in the Sugar Bowl and had as many as 9 defenders dropping into zone coverage to upset the rhythm of Florida's passing attack. Or, to give an opponent credit, the way Tom Coughlin had his offense use its tight end against the lone Achilles heel of our defense -- our slow linebackers -- to control the ball in that '93 game. We seem to do the same things that got us to the dance over and over and not have anything new to give us an edge in these big games.

 

[Golson5]

Fact is, when we lose BK, we are F’d.

Nah

 

[HDK]

Nah

I agree that while we are not necessarily f'ed, it will take a strong hire to maintain the momentum that he has slowly -- and I mean slowly -- built up over the past decade.

 

[twalsh]

It's funny you mention this. Like many of us, I record all the games. I was cleaning up my DVD the other day and came across the ACC championship game against Clemson. We had a decent opening drive but settled for a long field goal.

Inside the 30 on our first three possessions, and a total of 3 points. That was our downfall.

 

[HDK]

Inside the 30 on our first three possessions, and a total of 3 points. That was our downfall.

I'm not going to go so far as to say we would have won that game because a full-strength Clemson was simply better than us, but it would have been nice to be in the game going into the fourth quarter.

 

[NDDadx3]

he has done that many times (Clemson, LSU a few times, OK, Stanford when they had a top 5 team, etc. ). it’s really about a close game in the CFP or a win. That’s the hurdle. Bama last year we moved the ball. Missed a FG, tossed a pic, had a TD called back but we moved it and held them to their lowest points. That game could have easily been a one score or OT game. Just need all those to happen this year to get a win or a close game. That gets that monkey off his back and then the big game. Lou had one 1 in 10 years and people talk about him as a god. All he needs is one to be a god and get a statue. I can’t imagine living in a time when the HC racked up 3 or 4. Must have been fun to be a fan during the Lahey or Rockne years.

From 1988-1993 Lou Holtz was 12-3 vs the Top 5 … that is as elite as it gets during a 6 year stretch when ND was playing top teams like Michigan, USC, Miami, Tennessee, Florida State and finished 1st or 2nd three times … he was a coaching god during that time.

 

[NotreDame du Lac]

I agree that while we are not necessarily f'ed, it will take a strong hire to maintain the momentum that he has slowly -- and I mean slowly -- built up over the past decade.

It’s quite rare for a program not to fall apart when a good coach leaves. Look at all the once great programs going through the coaching carousel. Remember, Holtz was the last successful coach before BK. The chances are very low that we will land the right coach. It’s always exciting when someone new gets hired and it doesn’t take long for that excitement to turn into pissed off fans calling for the coach to be fired. Our chances of landing another coach off the bat that will match BKs success are probably less than 5% and that’s looking at the entire nation and Historical precedent. Most likely scenario is we go through 10-20 years talking about the glory days under BK. That is not something anyone wants to hear, but it just is a straight up fact if you look at everything. It will take a lot of luck and a lot of money to maintain this program. It will have to be the right coach at the right time and Brian Kelly is going to have to retire at the exact right time and we are going to have to pay $10 million a year or it just is not going to happen. If it happened today, I see no coach in the country that I would be confident in at this point that would come to ND. The only one I would consider and it would have to be if he maintained the level of success that he currently has had for another year or two would be a Luke fickell. But he’s still a gamble. What Brian Kelly has built at Notre Dame is only matched really by a handful of other coaches in the country. We are in the same conversation as Oklahoma, Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, and Clemson. I don’t see any other coach in the country that would get us into that same company right now besides BK. Do you have to do it year in and year out and those coaches and Brian Kelly seem to be able to know how to do that. And remember we are doing that in a rebuilding year. There is no proven coach anywhere in the country that I would have any level of confidence in to be able to match Brian Kelly’s success that would have any reason to come to Notre Dame because they are already at a top-five program. Every other coach is a major gamble with less than a 1% chance of being one of those top five coaches like we have. If this isn’t resonating with you look at Texas, Michigan, Stanford, Florida state, Florida, Miami, USC, Nebraska, I could go on for days of the ones great programs that are now going through decades of disaster. So my point is keep Brian Kelly as long as he will possibly stay and I would say keep him until he is determined to retire or just loses a passion for coaching. As long as he has us in the playoffs conversation every year the discussion of who’s the next coach is ridiculous and one that is kind of uncomfortable really. I’m kind of with you on the fact that it can be interesting and exciting, but I do know that always comes with the caveat as it really is never a good thing to lose a good coach. The only two that are doing it with any success right now are Riley and day. Perhaps that blueprint is the right direction for us, I’m not sure. I don’t know who on staff right now could handle it. Not Freeman. Maybe Rees. But that’s a 1/100 shot. I’m sure Jack Jack has noticed the blueprint. The good news is if he wants to he has plenty of time to groom someone and if I’m Jack that’s exactly what I’m hoping for.

 

[Ara64]

Do you know how many 10 win seasons ND had in it's entire history---14 up to BK. 6 out of the last 7 seasons BK's teams has won 10 or more games per season. 7 of his last 10 seasons ND has won 10 or more games per season. I might remind you that from 1994 until 2010 ND had only 2 - 10 win seasons. It's time for the fans to set back and enjoy the ride. It's not going to last forever.

 

[NDDadx3]

Do you know how many 10 win seasons ND had in it's entire history---14 up to BK. 6 out of the last 7 seasons BK's teams has won 10 or more games per season. 7 of his last 10 seasons ND has won 10 or more games per season. I might remind you that from 1994 until 2010 ND had only 2 - 10 win seasons. It's time for the fans to set back and enjoy the ride. It's not going to last forever.

You are right … and … ND played 11 games (or fewer) most of those years and didn’t have as many “almost” automatic wins baked into the schedule. Kelly has a very respectable record vs P5 (he’s ranked in top 10) but he has been very pedestrian vs ranked teams (.500 and something like 23-23).
I am a Kelly fan what he’s done in terms of raising the performance and consistency is amazing … he’s got one more step to climb.

 

[Ara64]

“Twice in the last 57 years ND played an unbeatable team and guess who won 24-23 and the National Championship and in 1988 31-30. In college football there is no such animal as the unbeatable team; any team could lose to another team. Miami in 1988 was labeled an unbeatable team. Talent and a touch of luck can bring down any team.”

‘93 against FSU had that same feel, ara.

From 1988-1993 Lou Holtz was 12-3 vs the Top 5 … that is as elite as it gets during a 6 year stretch when ND was playing top teams like Michigan, USC, Miami, Tennessee, Florida State and finished 1st or 2nd three times … he was a coaching god during that time.

Did God go on break in 1990 and 91 when he lose 6 games? He had 4 spectacular years but he also lose 30 games during his time at ND. He was wonderful for ND but to stand on the Mount with Rockne, Leahy, and Parseghian? NO-ND hasn't seen that Coach yet. Maybe the next Coach won't be afraid of the challenge like Urban Meyer in 2005?

 

[NDDadx3]

Did God go on break in 1990 and 91 when he lose 6 games? He had 4 spectacular years but he also lose 30 games during his time at ND. He was wonderful for ND but to stand on the Mount with Rockne, Leahy, and Parseghian? NO-ND hasn't seen that Coach yet. Maybe the next Coach won't be afraid of the challenge like Urban Meyer in 2005?

ND may never again see a 6 year stretch like that one - in 1990, Lou lost 10-9 to Colorado on a phantom clip call and 24-21 to PSU when Rocket got hurt mid game … and had 2 wins vs top 5 and several more against top 25 … no one wanted to play those ND teams … what Kelly is doing is great but not at all at the level of what Holtz did for those 6 years, not even close. Holtz was VERY close to 3 championships in 6 years … in which case he is the peer of Rockne and Leahy and Parseghian … but there are no awards for close. But don’t kid yourself, ND is not back to that level.

 

[Ara64]

ND may never again see a 6 year stretch like that one - in 1990, Lou lost 10-9 to Colorado on a phantom clip call and 24-21 to PSU when Rocket got hurt mid game … and had 2 wins vs top 5 and several more against top 25 … no one wanted to play those ND teams … what Kelly is doing is great but not at all at the level of what Holtz did for those 6 years, not even close. Holtz was VERY close to 3 championships in 6 years … in which case he is the peer of Rockne and Leahy and Parseghian … but there are no awards for close. But don’t kid yourself, ND is not back to that level.

I am amazed BK brought ND this far from the brink of death. I thought they finally killed ND Football. Charlie tried and showed people that you could bring talent to ND if you worked hard. I tip my hat to him in respect. The important question in my mind is what happens when Father Jenkins retires some day? We'll have to wait and see.

 

[HDK]

ND may never again see a 6 year stretch like that one - in 1990, Lou lost 10-9 to Colorado on a phantom clip call and 24-21 to PSU when Rocket got hurt mid game … and had 2 wins vs top 5 and several more against top 25 … no one wanted to play those ND teams … what Kelly is doing is great but not at all at the level of what Holtz did for those 6 years, not even close. Holtz was VERY close to 3 championships in 6 years … in which case he is the peer of Rockne and Leahy and Parseghian … but there are no awards for close. But don’t kid yourself, ND is not back to that level.

Holtz always had his teams prepared for big games; but they would get tripped up by a middle-of-the-pack team every so often. He also had top recruiting classes year after year -- they were always rated #1 or #2 -- until his last few seasons. When recruiting fell off, his teams did too. You will recall that at the end of his run, his teams began to resemble those thick-ankled Stanford teams the OP is always railing about.

 

[NDDadx3]

I am amazed BK brought ND this far from the brink of death. I thought they finally killed ND Football. Charlie tried and shoed people that you could bring talent to ND if you worked hard. I tip my hat to him in respect. The important question in my mind is what happens when Father Jenkins retires some day? We'll have to wait and see.

If you haven’t already, read the book Resurrection about Ara’s first year.

 

[Ara64]

If you haven’t already, read the book Resurrection about Ara’s first year.

I lived it. It was my first year as a new ND fan. I turned 10 that January. I dumped UK for ND. The best deal of my young life.

 

[savvyandsassier]

he has done that many times (Clemson, LSU a few times, OK, Stanford when they had a top 5 team, etc. ). it’s really about a close game in the CFP or a win. That’s the hurdle. Bama last year we moved the ball. Missed a FG, tossed a pic, had a TD called back but we moved it and held them to their lowest points. That game could have easily been a one score or OT game. Just need all those to happen this year to get a win or a close game. That gets that monkey off his back and then the big game. Lou had one 1 in 10 years and people talk about him as a god. All he needs is one to be a god and get a statue. I can’t imagine living in a time when the HC racked up 3 or 4. Must have been fun to be a fan during the Lahey or Rockne years.

Yeah. And so far we've been in the playoff twice, and lost to Clemson, and to Bama. Each of those teams being particularly unbeatable and dominant. Big deal.

The truth is everything is fine, the program is great, we're not doing anything wrong. We're doing everything right. We just didn't beat Clemson and didn't beat Bama. That's it.....

Everything else we're doing is world class. It would be cool to win a MNC, obviously. And maybe with Buchner we can. Hell maybe we will this year. Sometimes it happens when you least expect it....

 

[NDDadx3]

Yeah. And so far we've been in the playoff twice, and lost to Clemson, and to Bama. Each of those teams being particularly unbeatable and dominant. Big deal.

The truth is everything is fine, the program is great, we're not doing anything wrong. We're doing everything right. We just didn't beat Clemson and didn't beat Bama. That's it.....

Everything else we're doing is world class. It would be cool to win a MNC, obviously. And maybe with Buchner we can. Hell maybe we will this year. Sometimes it happens when you least expect it....

I’d go so far as to say if we swapped QBs with Clemson in 2018 we win … we were that close … we have a very good QB and they had an elite one. We matched up well enough everywhere else

 

[Ara64]

I haven't watched the NFL in about 10 years. How is Lawrence doing there? He was an outstanding player back then. Even Harbaugh could win with him.

 

[stu4don]

I was thinking Kelly is 5-5 in post season games...

Three of those loses were to very very good teams and all of them ended their seasons undefeated.

2012 Alabama may have been the best college team of the last ten years (O-line was amazing!)
2018 Clemson team was very good. (They drilled us but beat Bama by more.) Undefeated.
2020 Alabama team beat OSU by more than they beat us. (They scored 50 points against seven teams, including three ranked opponents: Texas A&M, Florida in the SEC Championship Game, and Ohio State in the title game. Maybe better than 2012.)

So - yes, we're not there yet. But recent recruiting has been better.

 

[stu4don]

And two of their QBs were starting in the NFL six months later!