I would guess there have been well over 10,000 posts (potentially far more) about how hard it is to recruit at Notre Dame and the reasons for the extended spell since our last national championship. There are a fairly significant number who seem to believe that ND simply can't compete with the football factories given the academic rigor at ND and the expectations placed on football players in the classroom. I agree 100% that ND student athletes are held to a higher standard and that we are not shopping for players in the same aisle as the SEC schools, much of the Big 10, Big 12 and PAC 12. That being said, it seems to me that has always sort of been the case. I recognize that people will point to the Prop 48 years in the 80s when Holtz and Vinnie Cerrato were allegedly able to get in kids that "would not normally" have gotten in, but that seems to beg the question, what about all of those other years. Did our standards really change and where are they now?
The natural question for me was, if we assume that by and large the standards have been about the same with some moves up and down through the decades, and given where we may be now (would really have liked Marquise Stepp in Blue and Gold on Saturday) is it the case we are turning kids away, or is it potentially that there are more shoppers in our aisle (i.e. - more schools like ND seeking the same student athletes).
There is no clear answer, and I think there are a lot of variables in play here, but one that people don't seem to talk about that could be extremely significant, is that during ND's dry spell (93-present), two schools (maybe 3) that were academic powerhouses, but football wastelands, previously have emerged to pull talent from the pool where ND dominated (excellent football players who want a top flight education). The emergence of Northwestern and Stanford over the last 25 years, and Duke since Cutcliffe, has coincided with ND's challenges. For Northwestern, wikipedia actually lists 1972-1991 as "Years of Futility" rather than list the coaches. For Stanford, Bill Walsh returned in 92, and while they had a few turds in there after him, Harbaugh definitely changed the attitude there. Shaw is trying to maintain it, but... maybe that sun is setting. Fitzgerald's schtick seems to be getting a little tired as well.
In essence, while many of us look inward to the program and administration when asking why we have not won our next national championship, part of the answer may be out of our control. We need the cycle to complete and have Northwestern and Stanford return to their crappy mean and stop attracting football players that formerly would only consider ND. Just something to ponder.
The natural question for me was, if we assume that by and large the standards have been about the same with some moves up and down through the decades, and given where we may be now (would really have liked Marquise Stepp in Blue and Gold on Saturday) is it the case we are turning kids away, or is it potentially that there are more shoppers in our aisle (i.e. - more schools like ND seeking the same student athletes).
There is no clear answer, and I think there are a lot of variables in play here, but one that people don't seem to talk about that could be extremely significant, is that during ND's dry spell (93-present), two schools (maybe 3) that were academic powerhouses, but football wastelands, previously have emerged to pull talent from the pool where ND dominated (excellent football players who want a top flight education). The emergence of Northwestern and Stanford over the last 25 years, and Duke since Cutcliffe, has coincided with ND's challenges. For Northwestern, wikipedia actually lists 1972-1991 as "Years of Futility" rather than list the coaches. For Stanford, Bill Walsh returned in 92, and while they had a few turds in there after him, Harbaugh definitely changed the attitude there. Shaw is trying to maintain it, but... maybe that sun is setting. Fitzgerald's schtick seems to be getting a little tired as well.
In essence, while many of us look inward to the program and administration when asking why we have not won our next national championship, part of the answer may be out of our control. We need the cycle to complete and have Northwestern and Stanford return to their crappy mean and stop attracting football players that formerly would only consider ND. Just something to ponder.