Hope and Reality!

[rgc7]

This has certinly been a disappointing season. We entered into it with a great deal of hope, and now we see the reality. Note Dame will most likely never come back to really being a consitent contender
for NC,s.
Notre Dame used to be "everyones" dream school especially among the Catholic , Sub Alum,
who made great sacrifices to send their children to ND .
We live in a compltely different World and Country today and the strong ties that People had back in the Glory Days, " God , Country, ND have bcome slack and much weaker,
ND is slowly becoming just another University where students go for a quality education. The football legend has lost much of its luster, and it is becoming more and more dificult to bring in top recruits who know nothing about ,or even care about legends !
That is the reality ! However, Hope springs eternal , so we keep hoping for the Next
Coach to come in and get ND back up to the elite football powers!
So right now I'll keep dinking " Hope Cocktails " and Hope for victory over SC !

 

[perseverare]

joy comes in the morning

 

[Toby Smart]

For what it's worth, I heard on the post game show that not one single sports media person who covers ND football believes that a coaching change should be made. These are the guys who attend practices, talk to players on and off the record, and observe what is going on behind closed doors. They do believe that a DC change was necessary and probably same for a Special Teams coordinator that knows what the hell he is doing. I normally don't trust or believe anything the media has to say about anything so I don't know what to think. I do like Eric Hansen and he has stated before that he feels the same as his colleagues.

 

[Telx1]

I agree that ND will never again dominate college football, simply because in today's college football, to do so would require ND to ignore or compromise their values, and that thankfully is not going to happen. I disagree that ND can't or won't compete for the NC and occasionally win it. I understand the comments about our changing culture and traditions, etc... but frankly, I've been pleasantly surprised by how much recruits positively comment on ND's great football tradition. The proverbial bottom line is winning attracts the better players, and we've won enough under Kelly to have good recruiting classes, but there is no denying we are spiraling down and have been since last year's loss to Stanford. The BVG hire was a terrible decision, and sticking with him beyond year two was even worse, and Kelly has ruined all the positive momentum he created prior to the BVG hire. I guess it's possible for this season to reignite the fire in Kelly's belly and for positive changes to be made this off season and for ND to regain its swagger and winning ways, but I think Kelly should pay the price for putting his friendship with BVG above the best interest of ND; and I think a new HC and new staff is the faster path to ND consistently competing as a top ten team.

 

[DieHard_Irish]

Bring on Schiano

 

[Toby Smart]

What happened to Tom Herman and PJ Fleck? I thought they were the toast of the Irish fan base. I do agree that this team is making the same cotton picking mistakes that they were making early in the season.

 

[rgc7]

I think we got lucky years ago because Lou was out there. He was , besides being an outstanding coach,
a Sub Alum with the dream of coaching at ND. I really was disappointed that for some reasons Urban
did not feel the same way that Lou felt about ND ?
We need another Lou, but I doubt if there are any out there ?

 

[Irish Grandeur]

BK is the right coach for ND if he can manage to get his head out of his a$$. His whining about refs and opposing ass't coaches is to cover his own indecision. He gets complacent with a lead when he needs to pour it on.

There will always be a rhythm in sports where teams exchange momentum. He does not do enough when he has the momentum, and allows too much when other teams take the momentum. If he cracks that code he can do great things for ND.

There is nothing hard about this but it is hard if you cannot see it.

 

[rgc7]

I agree that ND will never again dominate college football, simply because in today's college football, to do so would require ND to ignore or compromise their values, and that thankfully is not going to happen. I disagree that ND can't or won't compete for the NC and occasionally win it. I understand the comments about our changing culture and traditions, etc... but frankly, I've been pleasantly surprised by how much recruits positively comment on ND's great football tradition. The proverbial bottom line is winning attracts the better players, and we've won enough under Kelly to have good recruiting classes, but there is no denying we are spiraling down and have been since last year's loss to Stanford. The BVG hire was a terrible decision, and sticking with him beyond year two was even worse, and Kelly has ruined all the positive momentum he created prior to the BVG hire. I guess it's possible for this season to reignite the fire in Kelly's belly and for positive changes to be made this off season and for ND to regain its swagger and winning ways, but I think Kelly should pay the price for putting his friendship with BVG above the best interest of ND; and I think a new HC and new staff is the faster path to ND consistently competing as a top ten team.

Telx,
I am assuming from your posts that you are an N D alum, and since I am an outsider Sub Alum,
I'll take you at your word about the recruits positive comments on ND,s great football traditions. That is indeed reason to be hopeful. I find myself in agreement with you on two other points: 1.Winning will certinly
attract the better players, and 2. a new head coach and new staff is the faster path to ND Consistently
competing as a top ten team.
However, Although the right coach could make it possible, I think that consistently competing might
be more hope that posibility?
Overall, We have a lot of points of agreement, you just appear to be much more hopeful than I am.

 

[tkirish]

I won't go into detail but there is abosolutley no reason ND shouldn't win at least 9 regular season games per year. The coaching is abysmal. It's been that way for most of Kelly's tenure. First and foremost the spread offense is all wrong for ND. There are certain things that are always true. One of them being when ND is great at rushing they usually win most of their games. Kelly plays flag football. ND needs a coach who can play tough physical football. Stanford is having a down year yet they are 8 and 3. Their style of football never goes out of style. Dominant line play from the offense and defense is always a winning formula. ND has neither, thus they are 4 and 8. It's not rocket science. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. Just get a coach who can instill an attitude and toughness and practice the basics over and over. You will then have a winning formula. The question is, will the administration pull the trigger and make the change?

 

[sshulk]

Having visited many schools with multiple kids I can assure you ND is "not just another good school". The total package of ND, while not for everyone is quite differentiated in an area where many schools struggle to set themselves apart.
Football is another story - still a sleeping giant, as was Ohio State, USC and Alabama for decades between NCs. The current coaching regime is unlikely to get it done - they almost rode out the perfect storm in 2012 but KState lost and Bama had their way with us.

 

[rgc7]

I won't go into detail but there is abosolutley no reason ND shouldn't win at least 9 regular season games per year. The coaching is abysmal. It's been that way for most of Kelly's tenure. First and foremost the spread offense is all wrong for ND. There are certain things that are always true. One of them being when ND is great at rushing they usually win most of their games. Kelly plays flag football. ND needs a coach who can play tough physical football. Stanford is having a down year yet they are 8 and 3. Their style of football never goes out of style. Dominant line play from the offense and defense is always a winning formula. ND has neither, thus they are 4 and 8. It's not rocket science. You don't have to reinvent the wheel. Just get a coach who can instill an attitude and toughness and practice the basics over and over. You will then have a winning formula. The question is, will the administration pull the trigger and make the change?

TK, Agree with you 100 %. I just don't know if we can bring in a Really solid fundamentally sound coach?
there are certainly posters on this board who can go into all types of X' and "O" much better than I can, but to me football is a very simple game, " Beat the Guy in front of you " Simple , old Smash mouth football! "
You do that first, than comes the "X's" and " Os ".

 

[rgc7]

Having visited many schools with multiple kids I can assure you ND is "not just another good school". The total package of ND, while not for everyone is quite differentiated in an area where many schools struggle to set themselves apart.
Football is another story - still a sleeping giant, as was Ohio State, USC and Alabama for decades between NCs. The current coaching regime is unlikely to get it done - they almost rode out the perfect storm in 2012 but KState lost and Bama had their way with us.

Having visited many schools with multiple kids I can assure you ND is "not just another good school". The total package of ND, while not for everyone is quite differentiated in an area where many schools struggle to set themselves apart.
Football is another story - still a sleeping giant, as was Ohio State, USC and Alabama for decades between NCs. The current coaching regime is unlikely to get it done - they almost rode out the perfect storm in 2012 but KState lost and Bama had their way with us.

SS,
I too had the same experience as you had visiting lots of colleges and universities with my three children many years ago and as a high school counselor I aso visited many more colleges and universities
in my tri state region. All schools to the students who select them, have " The total Package ".
Never said that ND was not a top University, but there are also other Colleges and Universities out there
that are equal to and even superion to ND in certain respects to the students and athletes who select
those schools over ND.
ND may be a sleeping giant as a football power, but unless ND can find the Next Urban or Saban
it may remain sleeping for a long, long time ?

 

[Telx1]

Telx,
I am assuming from your posts that you are an N D alum, and since I am an outsider Sub Alum,
I'll take you at your word about the recruits positive comments on ND,s great football traditions. That is indeed reason to be hopeful. I find myself in agreement with you on two other points: 1.Winning will certinly
attract the better players, and 2. a new head coach and new staff is the faster path to ND Consistently
competing as a top ten team.
However, Although the right coach could make it possible, I think that consistently competing might
be more hope that posibility?
Overall, We have a lot of points of agreement, you just appear to be much more hopeful than I am.

RGC...No, I am a sub alum like you. Raised Irish catholic with parents and aunts and uncles rabid ND fans, etc... My reference to recruits is based entirely on what I read. Disappointed beyond words in this season. Not just the losing, but more the how we are losing. I can't remember how many games we have watched being played at ND where ND gets the ball with three minutes or so on the clock, and needing a score to win, and FEELING confident that they would pull it out. Not always successful, but a hell of a lot more than not. This year, I have ZERO confidence in the same scenario. Flutie et al kept talking about ND finally playing with an edge, and while there were moments when Kizer had some fire and attitude, I still think we play soft with no edge in sight. Coaching nearly always creates this kind of attitude, and it's been missing the past few years. As you say, we agree about more than we disagree.