Disappointed Notre Dame Has Some Decisions to Make
Here’s the Notre Dame Conundrum. . .
When you say that you play for national championships, and that basically nothing else matters, you’re setting yourself up to come up short.
By that measure, Notre Dame hasn’t reached its goal since 1988.
``You guys are killing me,’’ Brian Kelly replied to a media firing squad after the Irish had been drilled 31-14 in a national semi-final Saturday by Alabama. ``I really don't want to continue to go down this path. We’re going to keep getting here, OK? We're going to keep banging at it. I'm sorry if you don't like it or national media doesn't like it.”
It’s understandable that Kelly got huffy when all the questions were about what Notre Dame didn’t do, hasn’t done and what it needs to do. . . after a regular season in which it went 10-0, including a win over mighty Clemson, in pandemically trying times—before ending with deflating losses to Clemson and Alabama.
He didn’t say this, but I will say it for him: Clemson and Alabama not only have won four of the last five national championships. They have been the runner-up in four of the last five national championships.
If those are your only losses in a season, that’s a pretty good season, especially when you have a split with Clemson, even if it was without Trevor Lawrence. Also lost in the conversation was ND’s 9-0 romp through the ACC in its first season as a conference member.
Then again, there’s no getting around the fact the Irish were not competitive in the 34-10 loss to Clemson in the ACC championship game or the loss to Alabama. And that continued a major bowl-game pattern for ND.
And no matter what Kelly says, or what the Irish do, that’s unlikely to change.
Notre Dame has upgraded its physical side. In the trenches, the Irish can compete. At the skill positions, they are very good overall, maybe even excellent in places. But when you compete against Alabama and Clemson and Ohio State, you are competing with the elite.
Maybe Ian Book would beat out Mac Jones. Maybe not. But even though Jones is a Heisman finalist, Bama usually has a more ballyhooed QB. Or two.
And yes, the Irish have some top-tier tight ends. But at running back and receiver, it’s no contest. The Notre Dame kids are excellent players. The Alabama kids are exceptional. And they come in waves.
In its next class, Alabama has seven five-star recruits. Ohio State has five. Georgia has four. Clemson has two. Notre Dame has none.
In the last five recruiting cycles, the top 10 schools, by five-star prospects, are Georgia 23, Alabama 21, Ohio State 19, Clemson 15, LSU 10, USC 6, Texas 6, Michigan 5, Oklahoma 5, Texas A&M 5.
Notre Dame? Not on that radar.
I am not one to over-emphasize recruiting. But clearly, there’s a big gap here. And it’s highly unlikely that Notre Dame closes that gap.
For one thing, ND’s academic standards seem to be an issue. Maybe that’s true. When I covered Notre Dame’s 1988 national championship, there were a few critical recruits who were special admits. But those days apparently are long gone.
More to the point, are you telling me that Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne, DeVonta Smith and Najee Harris, Justin Fields and Chris Olave would not meet ND’s academic standards?
Then I will tell you that you’re going to have a really tough time beating teams that have those guys.
If Notre Dame wants to improve its chances to win a national championship, here are some humble suggestions. . . that I don’t expect the Irish to take.
@ Stump hard for an eight-team playoff.
One of the unintended consequences of the four-team playoff is that it gives the regular contestants a leg up on recruiting. Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Ohio State and a few other SEC teams can use that ``compete for a national championship’’ argument in a way that nobody else can. Not even Notre Dame, which has not been close in playoff games.
Also, with a quarter-final, the Irish would have a better opportunity to, um, win a playoff game.
@ Think seriously about entering a conference.
This would provide benefits like being able to say, ``Conference champion.'' And ``Division champion.’’ Which would ease the pain of ``32-year drought.’’
Playing in a league also would build rivalries. Look at how momentous the Clemson matchup became this year.
I know. ND likes the freedom to barnstorm. Play all over the country. OK. Keep Navy and USC. Atlantic and Pacific. That leaves two slots for non-conference variety.
If the Irish were in the right league, they also would enhance their bowl opportunities. And make more money, which will become more important as time goes on. As if it isn't already.
The problem is, Notre Dame is leaning toward the wrong league. The Big Ten is where it belongs. Renew terrific rivalries with Michigan and Penn State, long-running series with Purdue and Michigan State. Historic ties with Northwestern, which sent Ara to South Bend, and Wisconsin, where one of the Four Horsemen coached. Also, it’s an ideal academic fit, something that appeals to Notre Dame’s scholarly side.
Oh, and by the way, for all the national chatter, the Midwest remains Notre Dame’s most important alumni base.
ACC football? Yawn. . . When Clemson flames out—and it will, just as sure you can say, ``Texas. USC. Michigan’’—what do you have? The Irish could do just as well in the SEC or Big 12, which have more historic football programs that are in ND’s weight class than the ACC.
But since Notre Dame isn’t going into a conference any time soon—if ever—it should get on the eight-team playoff band wagon. Stop using academic standards as an excuse and find a way to reel in five-stars. In college football, nobody wins the ultimate prize without the ultimate athletes.
And stop selling, ``National championship or bust.’’
That worked in the days when ND was a Coca-Cola-like brand that had a leg up on just about everybody. In modern times, where the Irish are competing against a legion of programs that have equal or better resources, that no longer cuts it.
A 10-2 season with losses to Clemson and Alabama is disappointing. But it’s not a Titanic disaster.
Just ask Brian Kelly.