This should just be intuitively obvious (especially after about 15 seasons of evidence now) but around here, for some reason, it is not.
If we recruit another 15th ranked class ('24 class), have an aggregate talent ranking of 10-15th in 2024, retain the very same HC in 2024, we're likely to be in the very same position in college football in 2024 that we are in now, with no shot at winning the national championship.
That's not ok with me. Is it ok with ND fans? Is it ok with ND brass?
Yours is a CONTRARIAN POSITION that disregards what many see as the UNIQUE NATURE of the overall ND experience, making you not only an off-key choir member but also a debunker of the ND ETHOS.
For the PARTISANS here, any analysis of ND’s football program can only go so deep. The MERE IDEA of a complete OVERHAUL of the football program is by definition VERBOTEN as it would entail ND, the university, violating its EDUCATIONAL MISSION.
Given that there’s a new AD and, I believe, ADMIN coming in, I expect ND’s mission to be RATIFIED, not ALTERED. Will a certain amount of TWEAKING of the football program being allowed? Who knows? But for me, that’s the only real question. In which case,
yes or no and, if yes,
how much?
Your position that ND AS NOW STRUCTURED CAN’T IMPROVE MUCH MORE tracks closely with mine and that of other REALISTS HERE. Where it differs from mine, specifically, is at the point where you argue that ND’s ADMIN simply needs to MODERNIZE and CHANGE ITS SPOTS.
Would that it were so. But like the PARTISANS, I don’t see that happening.
And whereas you keep hammering home the point of what’s wrong and what needs changing – and, again, from a perspective that argues that change is POSSIBLE – my own argument simply points out the impossibility of ND’s being academically excellent and football-dominant at the same time.
In other words, I recognize the issue to the same extent as you but have ZERO confidence that it will EVER even be addressed, let alone resolved.
The PARTISAN ARGUMENT, on the other hand, states that despite ND’S INTERNAL CONTRADICTIONS, football supremacy can still be ACHIEVED via the right combination of COACHING, RECRUITING, WEIGHT TRAINING, FACILITIES IMPROVEMENTS, NIL TWEAKING, ETC. – never for a moment acknowledging that NONE OF THIS IS POSSIBLE unless ND’S ADMIN is 100% ALL-IN and as committed to its football program as it is to its educational mission.
When there are LIMITATIONS AT THE ADMIN LEVEL, what then FILTERS DOWN to the program at the OPERATIONAL LEVEL results in REDUCED AVAILABLE HORSEPOWER, leading to less a) room to maneuver and b) MARGIN FOR ERROR.
To me, this CAKE AND EAT IT attitude is not only HUBRISTIC but, frankly, verging on DELUSIONAL. But as you’ve pointed out elsewhere, when this approach doesn’t work, PARTISANS are quick to HIDE behind what I agree is the DISINGENUOUS “BUT WE’RE ND AND DON’T DO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS” argument.
But then, what does that get them? In fact, It’s an
UNCONSCIOUS ADMISSION OF THE PROGRAM’S INHERENT STRUCTURAL LIMITATIONS.
Right now, ND is built for 10-3 seasons with occasional DEVIATIONS to 11-1 and 8-5. ND could get lucky, catch lightning in a bottle and win an NC in one of those storied, CINDERELLA seasons. But given that Ara won only two NC’s and Holtz 1, the chances of ND winning even one in the years ahead is still EXTREMELY LOW.
Yet, PARTISANS will never accept such a prognosis as they will never accept that ND is playing on a SELF-IMPOSED UNLEVEL PLAYING FIELD. For most PARTISANS, the NEED TO WIN is so COMPELLING that to ACCEPT THE REALITY of the situation would be tantamount to GIVING UP THEIR FAITH.
Yup, what we’re talking about here for many is a BELIEF SYSTEM.
AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE BANGING UP AGAINST.
At the same time, if you’re expecting MEANINGFUL CHANGE at the ADMIN LEVEL, I wouldn’t HOPE TOO HARD.