A JERSEY GUY: IS ND Football Heading To a Crash Landing? Don't Bet On It

The words coming from Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick and President Rev. John Jenkins were precise, with very little room to wiggle.

If the COVID-19 pandemic reached serious enough portions, the Notre Dame campus would be shut down.

The rest of the message from the Notre Dame administration were was also unambiguous: No students, no other activities such as football.

That was then--spring, early summer.

This is now.

Classes at Notre Dame began last week.

The early COVID numbers for the Notre Dame football team were encouraging, indicating a situation under control.

Then the student body came back, the rules were in place, but so were off campus parties.

The COVID numbers spiked.

Then they spiked again.

Father Jenkins wasted no time and made a public message.

For the next two weeks all ND classes would be on line. Gatherings on campus were restricted to 10 or fewer people, partying off campus was severely frowned upon, even the act of leaving the campus was not a good idea, off campus student visitors were not welcome.

Then came the punch line.

If the trends did not improve in two weeks, there would be a repeat of the spring when the University of Notre Dame became a high price version of the University of Phoenix, with all on-line courses and a shut down campus.

Which obviously begs a much larger repeat question.

What happens to Notre Dame football, which is scheduled to begin it one year visit as a full member of the Atlantic Coast Conference against Duke on Sept. 12 at Notre Dame Stadium?

One of my favorite stories over the years involved then University of Washington football coach Jim Lambright, whose career was so much in jeopardy that then Washington athletic director Barbara Hedges was forced to address the issue.

Finally, she gave Lambright a vote of confidence, saying that his job was indeed safe for another season.

Two weeks later, Lambright was fired.

Hedges was asked for an explanation.

"That was then,'' she said, crisply. ""This is now.''

Indeed.

So here is a prediction, which is dangerous in these wild and crazy times.

No matter what comes out of the mouths of the ND administration the next few days and no matter what the COVID numbers read under the Golden Dome and even if all in person classes are suspended the students are sent home, Notre Dame football will continue if the ACC is also playing football.

Why?

There is too much money remaining on the table, which Notre Dame can not and will not walk away from.

And more importantly.

That was then and this is now.