| Has The Ship Sailed? Bob Loblaw |
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Oftentimes in sports we are quick to label something a disaster when it has not actually gotten
that bad and can be fixed quickly. Sometimes teams have a bad month, year, or bowl game, and
the reaction is “oh no blow it up and start it over”, which can cause more problems than it fixes
(see Minnesota’s rash firing of Glen Mason after the bowl game last year or Nebraska firing Frank
Solich after 1 average season). In some cases, however, the word “disaster” is correct in
describing the situation. The state of football at Notre Dame would be such a case. For decades
Notre Dame has been the first team of college football; even those who don’t know a first down
from downtown, know that Notre Dame has a rich history of success and triumph since the early
part of the 20th century. Love them or hate them, they have been the Yankees of college football,
where everyone has an opinion and they are one of the most talked about teams every year,
regardless of their success or failure. These successes though, have been fewer and farther
between over the last decade or so and the program is currently bottoming out as we speak.
What has caused this and what can be done? Well, if you didn’t know already, here you go:
The last time Navy beat Notre Dame, John F. Kennedy was still 3 weeks away from his fateful trip
to Dallas, no one had yet heard of Woodstock, and the Super Bowl was just something too large to
fit in the kitchen cabinet. That all changed on Saturday, November 3rd. Now, this was not as
complete a shock as it would have been in years past. The Irish were 1-7 coming in to this game,
and really were closer to being 0-8 than 2-6. They had been beaten badly in most every game and
so the world did not turn on its head at this loss as it might have 10-15 years ago. That in itself is
one problem: the mystique is gone. No longer is Notre Dame regarded as a top team, and they
have shown why on the field over the last several years. This is not something that just jumped
up and occurred in 2007; it has been building and has actually been the case to many a keen eye,
since the 90’s.
that bad and can be fixed quickly. Sometimes teams have a bad month, year, or bowl game, and
the reaction is “oh no blow it up and start it over”, which can cause more problems than it fixes
(see Minnesota’s rash firing of Glen Mason after the bowl game last year or Nebraska firing Frank
Solich after 1 average season). In some cases, however, the word “disaster” is correct in
describing the situation. The state of football at Notre Dame would be such a case. For decades
Notre Dame has been the first team of college football; even those who don’t know a first down
from downtown, know that Notre Dame has a rich history of success and triumph since the early
part of the 20th century. Love them or hate them, they have been the Yankees of college football,
where everyone has an opinion and they are one of the most talked about teams every year,
regardless of their success or failure. These successes though, have been fewer and farther
between over the last decade or so and the program is currently bottoming out as we speak.
What has caused this and what can be done? Well, if you didn’t know already, here you go:
The last time Navy beat Notre Dame, John F. Kennedy was still 3 weeks away from his fateful trip
to Dallas, no one had yet heard of Woodstock, and the Super Bowl was just something too large to
fit in the kitchen cabinet. That all changed on Saturday, November 3rd. Now, this was not as
complete a shock as it would have been in years past. The Irish were 1-7 coming in to this game,
and really were closer to being 0-8 than 2-6. They had been beaten badly in most every game and
so the world did not turn on its head at this loss as it might have 10-15 years ago. That in itself is
one problem: the mystique is gone. No longer is Notre Dame regarded as a top team, and they
have shown why on the field over the last several years. This is not something that just jumped
up and occurred in 2007; it has been building and has actually been the case to many a keen eye,
since the 90’s.
The game of college football has changed in many ways. There are no longer a few powerhouses who stockpile all of the talent like in the past. Recruits now
would rather go to a lesser school and play right away then languish on the bench at a perennial power with no guarantee of playing. With scholarship limits
and the proliferation of televised games, players now can get exposure from anywhere in the country. 20 years ago, there would be 1 game on CBS, 1 or 2 on
ABC, and 1 or 2 on ESPN on a given Saturday. Those few match-ups were always reserved for major games involving ranked teams that would draw a crowd,
one of which was Notre Dame. Also, the entire nation got the same game so no matter where you lived, you saw the same teams. Being one of the few teams
consistently on TV gave the Irish a tremendous advantage in recruiting and exposure; the same went for schools like Michigan, Oklahoma, Miami, Nebraska,
and Florida State. Winning the Heisman and getting to the NFL was affected by this exposure and this drew recruits.
Nowadays on a regular Saturday, ESPN will have 3 games, ESPN2 has 3 or 4, Fox Sports has 3 or 4, ABC has 2, CBS has 1, NBC has the Irish, and other
stations like Versus, ESPN Classic, CSTV, and the Big Ten Network carry games all day long. Also, regional coverage is used by the major networks so if you live
out West, you see the Pac Ten and so on. Add to this the endless highlight and recap shows, and any player or team or coach who does something that day is
going to get their pub. This has led to a shift in recruiting, allowing lesser-known teams to draw talent. Other factors, such as the offenses changing to the
spread (where speed and play calling outweigh strength and power), have led to a balance of power. As speed has become a major issue, warm-weather
teams have an advantage in recruiting. With the sandy beaches, lack of classes to attend (maybe), and scantily clad female entertainment beckoning those
who can score on the field, who wouldn’t want to attend school in Florida or California? These factors, among others, have led to the Irish’s current problems.
No longer does someone go to Notre Dame based on the name. The kids who are in high school today were not even alive the last time the Irish won the
National Title (1988) or had a Heisman Trophy winner (Tim Brown, 1987). They probably do not really remember the last time the Irish were in title contention
late in the season (1993) or had a viable Heisman finalist (Rocket Ismail, 1990). They have very few NFL players at the skill positions nowadays as well (Julius
Jones, Brady Quinn??). The glory and tradition is lost on today’s youth, who see USC, Florida, LSU, Ohio State, and Texas as the powers of this era. Not to
mention the weekly new kid on the block or surprise team that ESPN and others blabber about until they are blue in the face once the team wins a few games.
would rather go to a lesser school and play right away then languish on the bench at a perennial power with no guarantee of playing. With scholarship limits
and the proliferation of televised games, players now can get exposure from anywhere in the country. 20 years ago, there would be 1 game on CBS, 1 or 2 on
ABC, and 1 or 2 on ESPN on a given Saturday. Those few match-ups were always reserved for major games involving ranked teams that would draw a crowd,
one of which was Notre Dame. Also, the entire nation got the same game so no matter where you lived, you saw the same teams. Being one of the few teams
consistently on TV gave the Irish a tremendous advantage in recruiting and exposure; the same went for schools like Michigan, Oklahoma, Miami, Nebraska,
and Florida State. Winning the Heisman and getting to the NFL was affected by this exposure and this drew recruits.
Nowadays on a regular Saturday, ESPN will have 3 games, ESPN2 has 3 or 4, Fox Sports has 3 or 4, ABC has 2, CBS has 1, NBC has the Irish, and other
stations like Versus, ESPN Classic, CSTV, and the Big Ten Network carry games all day long. Also, regional coverage is used by the major networks so if you live
out West, you see the Pac Ten and so on. Add to this the endless highlight and recap shows, and any player or team or coach who does something that day is
going to get their pub. This has led to a shift in recruiting, allowing lesser-known teams to draw talent. Other factors, such as the offenses changing to the
spread (where speed and play calling outweigh strength and power), have led to a balance of power. As speed has become a major issue, warm-weather
teams have an advantage in recruiting. With the sandy beaches, lack of classes to attend (maybe), and scantily clad female entertainment beckoning those
who can score on the field, who wouldn’t want to attend school in Florida or California? These factors, among others, have led to the Irish’s current problems.
No longer does someone go to Notre Dame based on the name. The kids who are in high school today were not even alive the last time the Irish won the
National Title (1988) or had a Heisman Trophy winner (Tim Brown, 1987). They probably do not really remember the last time the Irish were in title contention
late in the season (1993) or had a viable Heisman finalist (Rocket Ismail, 1990). They have very few NFL players at the skill positions nowadays as well (Julius
Jones, Brady Quinn??). The glory and tradition is lost on today’s youth, who see USC, Florida, LSU, Ohio State, and Texas as the powers of this era. Not to
mention the weekly new kid on the block or surprise team that ESPN and others blabber about until they are blue in the face once the team wins a few games.
Which brings me to the media; the tradition and history of the old powers is never lost on the
media, and they love to point out any time this stature is challenged. The glee on Mark May’s
face after Appalachian State beat Michigan can only be compared to the excitement felt by
Blutarsky when Otter mentioned having a Toga party right after Wormer busted the Deltas. The
media loves to see the big boys go down so they can rant and rave about old programs dying.
Notre Dame would be well served to slip into the mire for a while and not be on TV every week,
not be a feature game, and not have every loss scrutinized. They could just be another team
floating across the world of the ticker like Oklahoma or USC in the 90’s, two programs that were
off the radar for several years and have since been revitalized. Notre Dame though cannot do
this because of their special TV contract with NBC. Every home game they play is on national TV,
thrusting them to the forefront each week whether they are good or not. Other bad teams get
to hide on ESPN 8 (the Ocho) or on the radio, where they are isolated from exposure. The Irish
get TV coverage whether 1-8, or 8-1, leading to added scrutiny and importance placed on their
games. For example, no one outside of the Oklahoma faithful knew who Sam Bradford was until
he had started and played a few games at QB. Methinks that the nation seeing and knowing
Jimmy Clausen before he ever left high school added a level of pressure to the position. Beano
Cook once said something to the effect that the 2 best-known people in America are the
President and the starting quarterback at Notre Dame. This is not always a good thing and it
would help the Irish if they could escape the limelight a little to let their players grow and learn.
Good luck with that.
media, and they love to point out any time this stature is challenged. The glee on Mark May’s
face after Appalachian State beat Michigan can only be compared to the excitement felt by
Blutarsky when Otter mentioned having a Toga party right after Wormer busted the Deltas. The
media loves to see the big boys go down so they can rant and rave about old programs dying.
Notre Dame would be well served to slip into the mire for a while and not be on TV every week,
not be a feature game, and not have every loss scrutinized. They could just be another team
floating across the world of the ticker like Oklahoma or USC in the 90’s, two programs that were
off the radar for several years and have since been revitalized. Notre Dame though cannot do
this because of their special TV contract with NBC. Every home game they play is on national TV,
thrusting them to the forefront each week whether they are good or not. Other bad teams get
to hide on ESPN 8 (the Ocho) or on the radio, where they are isolated from exposure. The Irish
get TV coverage whether 1-8, or 8-1, leading to added scrutiny and importance placed on their
games. For example, no one outside of the Oklahoma faithful knew who Sam Bradford was until
he had started and played a few games at QB. Methinks that the nation seeing and knowing
Jimmy Clausen before he ever left high school added a level of pressure to the position. Beano
Cook once said something to the effect that the 2 best-known people in America are the
President and the starting quarterback at Notre Dame. This is not always a good thing and it
would help the Irish if they could escape the limelight a little to let their players grow and learn.
Good luck with that.
How can this be fixed, you ask? Well, the ideal solution would be for Notre Dame to join a conference. This would accomplish two things they are lacking:
championship goals and a consistent style of play. The only major team goal for Notre Dame is the national title, which is often out of reach after you lose a
game. By playing in a conference they would have a league title and bowl games to shoot for in years where they are winning, but are not in the top 5. Look
at Michigan; after losing the first 2, they can win the Big Ten and go to the Rose Bowl by winning out, a lofty goal still to attain, while the Irish, if they were 8-2,
could not win a championship of any kind at this stage.
Secondly, playing in a conference would allow them to play the same style of football for most of the season, which would give them a better chance to win.
Using the Big Ten as an example: Michigan struggles with defending the spread offense, as we have seen many times. They are built for running the ball and
playing solid fundamental football, which wins in the Big Ten. They have built this into huge success in the league, though often costing them dearly outside of
it. They will not have to stop a true spread offense to win the league (no Purdue, you are not a spread, ‘cause your QB never runs). Notre Dame, on the other
hand, plays Big Ten teams, Pac Ten teams, the Academies running options, and Acc schools. To win a championship they have to play against several types of
offenses and defenses, play low-scoring cold-weather football, go to the west coast and play passing teams, and try to stop the option. This gives them less
of a chance to be successful over a full season.
Will they join a league though? No, they would be stupid to. They currently get BCS money just for having a team and they have their own TV channel, rather
than sharing games with others. They are the only team who is on every week regardless of who they are playing, as even the top teams will only be on
locally when they play scrubs. To revitalize the program, the Irish need to use this coverage to their advantage in recruiting and branding. They need to
renew the deal with NBC, which NBC will likely do as their sports package is better than only MTV 2. They need to keep Charlie Weis as head coach. As an
alumnus and a proven winner, Weis has the passion and knowledge to turn the program around. Also, firing him at this point would cost them money and, as
we have seen the last 2 times a change was made, the best and brightest are not knocking on the door to South Bend anymore. They also need to use the
echoes to rekindle the flame. Use those famous alums to get kids back into the program; guys like Bettis, Montana, Zorich, Rice, Ismail, Golic, Brown, and Holtz
are names that our generation remembers, and Weis needs to find ways to use this as well as the history to bring excitement and hope back to a dying quail.
Using all of these suggestions and ideas of mine and, along with a little luck, the Irish should be well on their way back to .500 by 2010.
championship goals and a consistent style of play. The only major team goal for Notre Dame is the national title, which is often out of reach after you lose a
game. By playing in a conference they would have a league title and bowl games to shoot for in years where they are winning, but are not in the top 5. Look
at Michigan; after losing the first 2, they can win the Big Ten and go to the Rose Bowl by winning out, a lofty goal still to attain, while the Irish, if they were 8-2,
could not win a championship of any kind at this stage.
Secondly, playing in a conference would allow them to play the same style of football for most of the season, which would give them a better chance to win.
Using the Big Ten as an example: Michigan struggles with defending the spread offense, as we have seen many times. They are built for running the ball and
playing solid fundamental football, which wins in the Big Ten. They have built this into huge success in the league, though often costing them dearly outside of
it. They will not have to stop a true spread offense to win the league (no Purdue, you are not a spread, ‘cause your QB never runs). Notre Dame, on the other
hand, plays Big Ten teams, Pac Ten teams, the Academies running options, and Acc schools. To win a championship they have to play against several types of
offenses and defenses, play low-scoring cold-weather football, go to the west coast and play passing teams, and try to stop the option. This gives them less
of a chance to be successful over a full season.
Will they join a league though? No, they would be stupid to. They currently get BCS money just for having a team and they have their own TV channel, rather
than sharing games with others. They are the only team who is on every week regardless of who they are playing, as even the top teams will only be on
locally when they play scrubs. To revitalize the program, the Irish need to use this coverage to their advantage in recruiting and branding. They need to
renew the deal with NBC, which NBC will likely do as their sports package is better than only MTV 2. They need to keep Charlie Weis as head coach. As an
alumnus and a proven winner, Weis has the passion and knowledge to turn the program around. Also, firing him at this point would cost them money and, as
we have seen the last 2 times a change was made, the best and brightest are not knocking on the door to South Bend anymore. They also need to use the
echoes to rekindle the flame. Use those famous alums to get kids back into the program; guys like Bettis, Montana, Zorich, Rice, Ismail, Golic, Brown, and Holtz
are names that our generation remembers, and Weis needs to find ways to use this as well as the history to bring excitement and hope back to a dying quail.
Using all of these suggestions and ideas of mine and, along with a little luck, the Irish should be well on their way back to .500 by 2010.