13-0 is the expectation. I know that is the players expectations. Realistically the expectations should still 13-0. Do i think they will go 13-0 more than likely not, just because they are young at some positions. But with that said, the 2002 ohio st team, had no business winning some of the games they won, let alone the natl title game......and they are natl champs. There wasn't a game last year that we couldnt have won. usf/mich you already know. usc even with all the bad luck it was a 7point game in the 4th and ND played like **** for 2 1/2 quarters. Stanford was essentially the only game that on the scoreboard ND wasn't in, but watching the game you never would have known it was a 21pt game.
Like I have said in other posts...its all about building a program mentally, physically, and emotionally.
2009 - Ask yourself this. Was Notre Dame mentally, physically, emotionally in games? No No and No. Teams/coaches destroyed ND mentally. They got in the heads of our players and staff. Weis/Tenuta/Corwin were all proud men, and that meant staying proud over winning at times. Do i think they were good coaches, yes. Weis is a damn good coach, head coach, no. Tenuta has been successful everywhere for the most part minus ND. Corwin we will never know but there were glimpses over his tenure at ND. The way the defense played at times and the shear fact that Weis let teams score a couple times to get the ball back to Clausen, shows you that mindset and never once did you hear the kids express their frustrations. The players will go un-named...but after the sc game in 2009...few of the guys met up with us after the game and 2 were down and frustrated to the point they broke down and cried. the other 5 or so were excited to party later in the night. The 2 were guys that got spot PT, and the others were starters. Physically I dont have to elaborate...Uconn, Stanford, Pitt, Navy...dominated ND physically. Emotionally...there wasnt any. Sure Brian Smith, Sergio and co talked the talk, but there was never a play made to change a game. I thought that maybe the series ND stopped Washington inside the 5 the 6 or 7 times in a row that might have been a turning point for the team/defense bc that emotion was shown. But, they never grasped it. It was still hang around defensively and let Clausen win it.
Fast forward.
2011/2012.
2 years into the Kelly era....ND is deep at essentially every position but CB. Every team has a lack of depth somewhere so I can be ok with it to a point. Sure, we don't have a QB set, but theres 3 guys with potential to be a BCS winning QB, and 1 QB that has seen and been through it all. Even with all the losses injury and recruiting wise is ND mentally, physically, emotionally in games? Yes, yes, and yes. There wasnt a game in 2011 where ND was blown out of the game where you knew that the 4th Q was irrelevant. There are few mistakes defensively. 2009 how many missed tackles did you see? 2011 how many did you see? How many big plays did ND give up in 2009?? ND gave up a handful in 2011. Gary Gray gave up big plays against Mich, and there was a long pass vs Stanford for a TD but its football that **** is gonna happen. Sure it sucks when its at the point where the game is in the balance but it happens. Offensively with a limited QB, there were still big plays, and big plays in the run game. When was the last you could say that? Ryan Grant/Julius Jones era? Physically ND took punches and FINALLY punched back. Emotionally.. you can see they are taking it personal if they are scored on and they are making plays. Offense, i will say is in question going into 2012 just with QB undefined to the public at the moment. But, Kelly is getting the absolute best out of guys so I don't see any reason to be concerned. Like I said before he is getting the kids to embrace their opportunity to be at ND and to showcase themselves. That is building a program. BK started at the bottom and is working his way up. He turned the attitude around. Turned the expectations around. Turned his coaching staff around. He is prideful, but also shows he is adapting. There isnt a game plan ND is throwing out there that is a bad one, and if theres adjustments he makes them.
I think the fanbase just needs to take on the mentality of the program now. There are going to be turnovers, bad plays, plays given up and plays left on the field. But we also have guys that can make turnovers, make a play out of nothing, get a play back, and change the momentum of a game. 2 years ago we had 2 1/2. Clausen, Golden, and floyd for half the year. Going into 2012....George Atkinson is 3rd or 4th on the depth chart and has already proven he can make plays. WR has a lack of experience, but also has potentially playmakers ND hasnt seen for awhile. QB you cannot understand the importance of being able to run for 3 yards when the slant is covered on 3rd and 3. We have 3 guys that can do that. 2 of which I feel can play. Gunner just needs to be a sponge for 2012. If he is in there for meaningful mins this year....just delete this post lol.
