What are your expectations for ND football?

[solo]

And I'm not talking about graduation rates and or off the field issues. I'm talking about on the field results.

1. 3 top 5 finishes per decade
2. 2 top 10 finishes per decade ( not inlcuding the top 5 finishes)
3. 3 top 25 finishes per decade (not including the top 5 and top 10 finishes)
4. 1 National Championship per decade
5. Be competitive in every game. We should never get blown out.

Thoughts?

 

[IrishAlum1997]

By your argument there would be 2 unranked seasons per decade. I don't know that I would be happy with that. I think an 8-4 record leaves us in the top 25 every year on reputation alone.

With the emphasis Coach Weis has put into effective recruiting, does anyone realistically expect us to lose more than 4 games anytime in the forseeable future? By 2008-2009, we have the potential to have one of those FSU kind of runs, with a decade+ of top 5 finishes.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

I'll buy most of that except the blow out one. EVERY team gets blown out at some point in the history of the program. To expect to NEVER get blown out again is a little too much.

 

[nd1]

all I would like to see is this program shows improvement.cause lets be honest you aren't going to win every year. some year you just don't get the breaks it takes to win a title but I would be happy if they show improvement that would put in contenion every year.

 

[claynd105]

I'll buy most of that except the blow out one. EVERY team gets blown out at some point in the history of the program. To expect to NEVER get blown out again is a little too much.

Everyone has an occasional game where nothing goes right, ala Michigan 2006. It is unrealistic to not think a blowout will ever happen.

 

[irish4ever]

Not an expectation, but more of a "realistic" wish list .... be competitive in EVERY game (not getting blown out), finishing in the top 15 ranking every year, win 2-3 national championships and most importantly a 100% graduation rate!

 

[solo]

I'll buy most of that except the blow out one. EVERY team gets blown out at some point in the history of the program. To expect to NEVER get blown out again is a little too much.

Yeah, maybe NEVER is too strong. But it certainly shouldn't happen every year or even every 2 years. 1 blowout every 3-5 years maybe. We do play a hard schedule and we will have an off game every so often.

 

[sonomairishfan]

And I'm not talking about graduation rates and or off the field issues. I'm talking about on the field results.

1. 3 top 5 finishes per decade
2. 2 top 10 finishes per decade ( not inlcuding the top 5 finishes)
3. 3 top 25 finishes per decade (not including the top 5 and top 10 finishes)
4. 1 National Championship per decade
5. Be competitive in every game. We should never get blown out.

Thoughts?

i would be happy with 1 NC every decade. the 90's and was the only decade that we haven't won a NC. (i guess the forward pass era)

we only have 4 years to win one for the 00's. lets get to it!

if the NC happens every decade options 1-3 will fall into place.

 

[Satans Little Helper]

i would be happy with 1 NC every decade. the 90's and was the only decade that we haven't won a NC. (i guess the forward pass era)

we only have 4 years to win one for the 00's. lets get to it!

if the NC happens every decade options 1-3 will fall into place.

Cant forget how bad the fifties were for us.

 

[88rice9]

We should expect more than that. ND should be in the top 5 for at least half of every decade, and should be in the top 12 for 7-8 years per decade. It has been proven that those results are attainable. For example, Holtz had a 6 year run from 1988-1993 in which ND was a consistent title contender, and ND was a national powerhouse for the entire 11 year Ara Parseghian era. The Notre Dame program is every bit as capable as the Florida State and Nebraska programs. Both of which have had lengthy recent runs of consitently highly ranked teams.

 

[solo]

We should expect more than that. ND should be in the top 5 for at least half of every decade, and should be in the top 12 for 7-8 years per decade. It has been proven that those results are attainable. For example, Holtz had a 6 year run from 1988-1993 in which ND was a consistent title contender, and ND was a national powerhouse for the entire 11 year Ara Parseghian era. The Notre Dame program is every bit as capable as the Florida State and Nebraska programs. Both of which have had lengthy recent runs of consitently highly ranked teams.

I don't think that this is realistic, not long term. We might be able to have a decade like this, but not decade after decade. With limited scholarships, the talent is being spread around. I think the days of any team being a dynasty are over. USC and Ohio St are about as close to a dynsasty as I think we will see. And it is yet to be proven if those coaches can maintain that status.

 

[88rice9]

I don't think that this is realistic, not long term. We might be able to have a decade like this, but not decade after decade. With limited scholarships, the talent is being spread around. I think the days of any team being a dynasty are over. USC and Ohio St are about as close to a dynsasty as I think we will see. And it is yet to be proven if those coaches can maintain that status.

It is popular to talk about parity because of scholarship limitations, but I do not think it really exists. Despite scholarship limitations, it is clear that certain schools, such as Texas and USC, have a huge talent advantage over the rest of college football. It does not matter what the scholarship limit is. There will always be certain programs that draw more elite recruits than the others.

With that in mind, there is no reason why ND should not have elite talent every year as long as ND has elite coaching. ND has a national recruiting base that few other schools posess, and no one receives the quantity of publicity that ND does. Poor coaching is the only inhibitor to ND attracting top recruits, as Weis is proving.

As for my expectations, I would not exactly call them a dynasty per se. Finishing in the top 5 in 5 out of 10 years is not that difficult if you have top 5 talent and coaching, and it still leaves half a decade of non-top 5 finishes. Finishing in the top 12 in 8 years still leaves room for the occasional hiccup if your team does not live up to its talent level. The only thing holding ND back has been poor coaching and poor recruiting by ND's poor coaches. ND should always factor into the national title discussion because of its advantages, and the fact that we didn't under Davie and Willingham is not a reason to lower our expectations of the program.

 

[Seymore]

We should expect more than that. ND should be in the top 5 for at least half of every decade, and should be in the top 12 for 7-8 years per decade. It has been proven that those results are attainable. For example, Holtz had a 6 year run from 1988-1993 in which ND was a consistent title contender, and ND was a national powerhouse for the entire 11 year Ara Parseghian era. The Notre Dame program is every bit as capable as the Florida State and Nebraska programs. Both of which have had lengthy recent runs of consitently highly ranked teams.

Yes ! Although, I was leaning a little more to, 2 NCs' per decade and never falling out of the top 10 ! EVER ! Of course, I'm a sore loser...

 

[bbrennan]

It's all about expectations!

It's all about expectations!

Anyone familiar with the University should have higher expectations. The University expects EVERY student to excel at ALL times. It selects the best-of-the-best students and because of this the University demands excellence in the classroom. To facilitate the students success, the University hires top-notch professors and offers help anytime it is needed. They provide the tools to succeed all of the time. Passing half of your classes half of the time is not acceptable. The expectations are high and a student excels or he leaves.

Such should be the expectations for the football team. ND is special. If you do not think so you do not know ND and have not experienced the University as you should. Excellence is expected ALL of the time. The University has provided what it takes for the football team to excel. They should be expected to excel EVERY year. Mediocrity should result in a change. High expectations lead to outstanding performance. Charlie, having been a student at the University understands this. I believe he agrees with it.

Now this is not to say that the football will win every game or win NC's every year or two or three. But to say our expectations are to be one of the top 10-15 teams half of the time or 7 out of 10 years or even every year is not acceptable. Not at ND. I don't care what the results were with Ty or Davie and how much better the team is now under CW. 9-3 was not acceptable last year and 10-2 so far this year is not acceptable. I do believe the team, given the talent we have, has performed extremely well since CW has joined. The team this year is no better than a 10-2 team. But it is not acceptable. It should not be praised as some have done.

One of the things that makes ND so special is the level of expectations she sets for herself. If you get through ND with a degree you know you have accomplished something special because of the demands that were placed upon you. This should be the same for the football team. First, if you are a recruit and have the honor of playing for the Irish you are special. If you then win at ND you know you have played with and beaten the best. If our expectations lessen we become like every other program. And I don't want to be like every other program. I AM ND!!!

And finally, the 100% graduation rate should not even be discussed. If graduation rates ever become an issue of debate or discussion the University should be ashamed.

 

[wahoo]

Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[Fighting_Irish9]

And I'm not talking about graduation rates and or off the field issues. I'm talking about on the field results.

1. 3 top 5 finishes per decade
2. 2 top 10 finishes per decade ( not inlcuding the top 5 finishes)
3. 3 top 25 finishes per decade (not including the top 5 and top 10 finishes)
4. 1 National Championship per decade
5. Be competitive in every game. We should never get blown out.

Thoughts?

My only expectations are that they represent the University well and bust their humps on the field.....I don't expect wins, I root for them

 

[irishfox]

go big or go home...NC or bust, easy as that.

 

[jerseyborn1971]

My only expectations are that they represent the University well and bust their humps on the field.....I don't expect wins, I root for them

I tend to agree. Of course I want them to do well, but the joy of turning on the game every Saturday is what I really care about. Part of me has always been able to seperate the wanting the team to win from realizing it is afterall just a game played by college kids.

 

[ACamp1900]

Everyone has their own feelings and that is fine... here are mine...



1.) To continue with the pride, tradition, class, dignity and excellence of Notre Dame, no matter if we are 12-0 or 0-12... Never falter

1a.) To be one of the few institutions in this country that would rather lose to right way than win the wrong way... Never become like everyone else... To some winning is everything, and everything else is circumstance… I expect ND to conduct itself as it always has with the truth that the future of these kids and the integrity of the institution are indeed as important as any final score… ND is indeed a higher standard

 

[Fighting_Irish9]

1a.) To be one of the few institutions in this country that would rather lose to right way than win the wrong way... Never become like everyone else...

Could not agree more
I will be VERY disapointed the day ND becomes like everyone else...Its no secret I'm not a fan of firing a coach after 3 years or changing our policies about when students come in because of football....these are the kinds of things I don't want to change.

When people say look, UF did it to and no one is giving them a hard time....I cringe...because ND isn't supposed to be the same as a UF

I hope ND is held to a higher standard than a UF till the end of my days...

 

[ACamp1900]

Agreed... it has been an awkward last few years at times... but I would be lying if I were to say I haven't enjoyed ever minute of it... we have certainly bent but I must say we are still light-years ahead of others in the mentioned fields... bottom line is all differences aside if someone doesn't do their job correctly they will be held accountable at any school, all in all I was referring more to the fact that ND does not let in kids of questionable character, and does not let kids with assault charges, drug charges or what have you take snaps both simply out of interest of winning... ND is also a school where the term class refers not only to the way you conduct yourself but also with what you do indeed attended and pass legitimately before and after practice, very few top end programs can say that and keep a straight face... It's why I am a ND fan and hopefully always will be

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

Everyone has their own feelings and that is fine... here are mine...



1.) To continue with the pride, tradition, class, dignity and excellence of Notre Dame, no matter if we are 12-0 or 0-12... Never falter

1a.) To be one of the few institutions in this country that would rather lose to right way than win the wrong way... Never become like everyone else... To some winning is everything, and everything else is circumstance… I expect ND to conduct itself as it always has with the truth that the future of these kids and the integrity of the institution are indeed as important as any final score… ND is indeed a higher standard

Very well said...Reps if I was able to...

 

[solo]

My only expectations are that they represent the University well and bust their humps on the field.....I don't expect wins, I root for them

Why not expect wins? Do we have talented athletes? Do we have a top notch coaching staff? Isn't ND all about excellence? If our players and coaching staff are performing up to their ability, we should win and we should win often.

Now of course, I am always rooting for an ND win. But for me, there is a certain level of on the field performance that comes with the name.

 

[tommy]

Everyone has their own feelings and that is fine... here are mine...



1.) To continue with the pride, tradition, class, dignity and excellence of Notre Dame, no matter if we are 12-0 or 0-12... Never falter

1a.) To be one of the few institutions in this country that would rather lose to right way than win the wrong way... Never become like everyone else... To some winning is everything, and everything else is circumstance… I expect ND to conduct itself as it always has with the truth that the future of these kids and the integrity of the institution are indeed as important as any final score… ND is indeed a higher standard

rep for you acamp if i could

 

[irishN1]

As a ND fan,with the coaching staff in place right now,I feel they should be in the hunt every year!! especially with the recruiting thus far,it shouldn't be a problem,bbrennan you said it best!!!