I, typically, thoroughly enjoy your posts, TP. But I'd like to comment on this one in particular because I feel your "job" is to pump pro-ND propaganda often (and you do a phenomenal job at it, btw). Sometimes, however, this leads to potent green koolaid.
I agree that ND prides itself in doing things a certain way, and in a lot of ways it handicaps the football program from competing on a yearly basis with football factories. It is hard to win at ND consistently. I don't disagree. But at what point do the excuses stop? "No team under Kelly has quit." What does that have to do with being a championship contender on the regular? That's grasping at straws to me, personally.
More excuses. ND has a reputation for playing down to lesser teams. That's exactly what happened this past weekend. ND didn't put their foot on UVA's throats once they got them down early. The defense, yet again, let an average QB look great. People are tired of this. For every hyped game that the ND players get up for, there's a Purdue letdown. Enough with the excuses. Championship teams stomp lesser teams more often than not. I'm tired of it being a 50/50 toss up which ND will come out to play.
I haven't read one post or heard one person say they want BK fired after Saturday's game. And yes, people are down right now because 1) It took a last minute TD to beat a less talented UVA team 2) Five season ending injuries already, Four of which are starters and 3) The hopes for this season with such a deep and talented team was a Playoff spot and people are seeing it as a less likely scenario now. BK has done a phenomenal job at ND. I do not want him fired. But I don't consider him an elite coach.
I'm neither here nor there on this one. I'll cross the potential new ND coach bridge if/when we get to it.
BK knew what he was getting himself into. He embraced it. And has done a wonderful job. I still think there's room for improvement though.
This is true, but I just feel like you're saying the same stuff over and over at this point. There is a formula for winning at ND. It just hasn't been realized yet.
I don't have a "job" of promoting anything.
The Kelly has had teams quit when the tough got going. It was primarily when he first got here. I won't say the entire team quit, but players quit and he had to play them out of necessity, because the previously regime did so poorly at recruiting depth at so many positions.
It's the first step in winning a National Title. A coach can't a have roster of kids that only try when they want to. You run into a Charlie Weis team and you never know which team will show up simply from an effort standpoint. When the tough gets going, you don't want to see kids quit. Last year at USC, ND was getting their ass smacked for 4 quarters, yet only kid quit. Jacob Matuska was going to get his ass handed to him most plays, but he was fighting. You didn't see that when in Kelly's first couple years from every player and you certainly didnt see it under Charlie Weis.
Let down games. It's the beauty of college football man. Teams aren't going smack lesser teams week in and week out. Notre Dame played a great game to open the season, chances are they weren't going to duplicate that on the road. You don't think that Jon Tenuta was a little extra fired up to play ND? You don't think UVA had the ND game circles all summer as it was the first time ND had played in their house? I get it. I would love to see Notre Dame stomp on teams throats when they get up. Is it Brian Kelly's fault when Zaire misses multiple open guys or consistently makes the wrong read on read option in short yardage? A coach can only coach his guys up so much. Players need to make plays on the field.
Ohio State lost to Virginia Tech at home, beat PENN STATE 31-24 in OT, beat Minnesota 31-24, beat Indiana 42-27 and beat Michigan 42-28 last year. I wouldn't say they stepped on teams throats last year when they got up. Did they have more blowouts? Sure, but i would be willing to bet in ND played their schedule you would see a few more blowouts.
In 2014,
Alabama beat WVU 33-23..a 7-6 WVU team. Bama lost to Ole Miss, beat Arkansas 14-13, beat Tennessee 34-20 and I wouldn’t consider Tennessee a good football team last year.
Oregon beat WASHINGTON STATE 38-31, lost to Arizona, beat CAL 59-41.
Teams have struggle with teams they shouldn't all the time. Teams get fired up to play the top dog. Notre Dame is always going to be the top dog in a matchup because of the name alone. When you're a program with prestige teams are going to give their best shot every week. It's not practical for a team to play 15 perfect games. You win and you move on.
I am just stating what you're arguing happens at every program in the country. It's college football.
I am not saying Brian Kelly is the perfect coach, because he and his staff could be doing a number of things better. But when you look at the finer details when push comes to shove it's not that bad. It's game 2. Notre Dame doesnt have a RB that has played RB in a game before this fall. They have two inexperienced OL who should grow from their lack of attention to detail last week. They have a cornerback who is learning how to play a new position after missing an entire year.
