Will ND Football Ever Become Elite?

[NDFan4Life]

Something I've thought about for the past few years.

Will Notre Dame football ever become elite?

What needs to be done to become elite?

 

[IrishLax]

Hire a good coach. The end.

 

[Cali_domer]

Hire a good coach. The end.

Yep..

 

[ShawneeIrish]

What Lax said. Bama was looking pretty bad between Stallings and Saban. Michigan was bad between Carr and Harbaugh. Notre Dame has just had a couple more whiffs than those teams and has hung on to BK for a season (hopefully just one) too long. Find the right guy and he can build this program to one of the best in the nation. The challenges are real but exaggerated, it is not impossible the right coach can definitely turn it around.

 

[IrishLax]

What Lax said. Bama was looking pretty bad between Stallings and Saban. Michigan was bad between Carr and Harbaugh. Notre Dame has just had a couple more whiffs than those teams and has hung on to BK for a season (hopefully just one) too long. Find the right guy and he can build this program to one of the best in the nation. The challenges are real but exaggerated, it is not impossible the right coach can definitely turn it around.

To add a couple more examples of teams that weren't blue bloods and have ascended...

All someone has to do is look at Washington which was a Tier 2 school in their own conference on their way to Tier 3 before Sark left them.

Willingham = horrible coach = 0 win season.
Sark = extremely mediocre coach = 7 win season.
Chris Petersen = great coach = playoffs.

Clemson everyone thought was a garbage program, too... Dabo was considered a failure of a hire when they got him, and they wanted him out after his first couple years. But he's actually a great program builder who surrounded himself with great hires and knows how to fill out a roster with classes rated not much better than what ND signs with "bad" coaches. Now look at them. They can win shootouts, they can win defensive struggles, they are as elite as anyone in the country. All because the coach no one wanted turned out to be awesome.

 

[Cali_domer]

What Lax said. Bama was looking pretty bad between Stallings and Saban. Michigan was bad between Carr and Harbaugh. Notre Dame has just had a couple more whiffs than those teams and has hung on to BK for a season (hopefully just one) too long. Find the right guy and he can build this program to one of the best in the nation. The challenges are real but exaggerated, it is not impossible the right coach can definitely turn it around.

Saavy is all in on BK. Only way BK goes IMO is when Saavy retires.

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

I think Notre Dame needs to either A join a conference, or B quite scheduling so many hard ass games every year. I think ND can be elite next year if everyone stays that should St. Brown, Josh adams, ect. the only thing is the schedule is going to be tough. Michigan, Stanford, Virgina tech, Pitt, Navy, Northwestern , Florida State, USC. We will return every on offense minus Glinchy and Nelson also Smythe at TE, on Defense we lose Morgan and Martini and trumbetti, Tranquil should get a 5th year considering he played only 3 games in in 2015. Bonner and Hayes will both get a 5th year. We will have loads of depth at DE and DT next year, Safety and Corners should have depth considering we won't lose anyone watkins should be back for a 5th as well, plus we add some stud safety guys in this class, we need to add some corner depth though

 

[STLDomer]

Is Joe Flacco elite?

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Hire a good coach. The end.

Give us a list when you get a chance. I'm genuinely curious to see who you come up with. For realism, let's say the untouchables are: Saban, Meyer, Dabo, Harbaugh. Go nuts with the rest.

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

Higher Urban Meyer and offer him 10,000 a year, and lesson up on the academic standards for football players to get in. We can't even go after some of the best DL guys because they don't have the grades to get in.

 

[STLDomer]

Higher Urban Meyer and offer him 10,000 a year, and lesson up on the academic standards for football players to get in. We can't even go after some of the best DL guys because they don't have the grades to get in.

Yikes. I may have to return to my hiatus.

 

[ShawneeIrish]

I think Notre Dame needs to either A join a conference, or B quite scheduling so many hard ass games every year. I think ND can be elite next year if everyone stays that should St. Brown, Josh adams, ect. the only thing is the schedule is going to be tough. Michigan, Stanford, Virgina tech, Pitt, Navy, Northwestern , Florida State, USC. We will return every on offense minus Glinchy and Nelson also Smythe at TE, on Defense we lose Morgan and Martini and trumbetti, Tranquil should get a 5th year considering he played only 3 games in in 2015. Bonner and Hayes will both get a 5th year. We will have loads of depth at DE and DT next year, Safety and Corners should have depth considering we won't lose anyone watkins should be back for a 5th as well, plus we add some stud safety guys in this class, we need to add some corner depth though

Tired of hearing about the schedule. We played a very easy schedule last year and went 4-8. First 6 games this year UGA is the only good team we play and Im not really sold on UGA being that good.

 

[IrishLax]

Give us a list when you get a chance. I'm genuinely curious to see who you come up with. For realism, let's say the untouchables are: Saban, Meyer, Dabo, Harbaugh. Go nuts with the rest.

I'll post a full list later but I'll just say that the other Harbaugh is at the top of my list and I think he's more gettable than people realize. If he loses in Baltimore this year I think he is out of a job and on the market. Second, his daughter might come play lacrosse at ND. Third, there's the Catholic connection.

If his daughter (and that's their only child, btw) is at ND and his choices are 1) broadcasting 2) another NFL job [maybe] 3) ND for $8mil/year... what's his best option? Let's say he had a choice between the Browns job or ND job... which do you think he'd take? That's who I'd target the hardest and make the best offer I could before moving down the list.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Yikes. I may have to return to my hiatus.

Lol. You had to know nothing good will come out of today.

 

[TheSunIsRising]

I'll post a full list later but I'll just say that the other Harbaugh is at the top of my list and I think he's more gettable than people realize. If he loses in Baltimore this year I think he is out of a job and on the market. Second, his daughter might come play lacrosse at ND. Third, there's the Catholic connection.

If his daughter (and that's their only child, btw) is at ND and his choices are 1) broadcasting 2) another NFL job [maybe] 3) ND for $8mil/year... what's his best option? Let's say he had a choice between the Browns job or ND job... which do you think he'd take? That's who I'd target the hardest and make the best offer I could before moving down the list.

And who would his first game be against??

 

[NorthDakota]

I'll post a full list later but I'll just say that the other Harbaugh is at the top of my list and I think he's more gettable than people realize. If he loses in Baltimore this year I think he is out of a job and on the market. Second, his daughter might come play lacrosse at ND. Third, there's the Catholic connection.

If his daughter (and that's their only child, btw) is at ND and his choices are 1) broadcasting 2) another NFL job [maybe] 3) ND for $8mil/year... what's his best option? Let's say he had a choice between the Browns job or ND job... which do you think he'd take? That's who I'd target the hardest and make the best offer I could before moving down the list.

He's Catholic? Like Urban and Saban? He'll talk about how ND is a dream destination and sign a 5 year contract to coach at TAMU or some shit.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I'll post a full list later but I'll just say that the other Harbaugh is at the top of my list and I think he's more gettable than people realize. If he loses in Baltimore this year I think he is out of a job and on the market. Second, his daughter might come play lacrosse at ND. Third, there's the Catholic connection.



If his daughter (and that's their only child, btw) is at ND and his choices are 1) broadcasting 2) another NFL job [maybe] 3) ND for $8mil/year... what's his best option? Let's say he had a choice between the Browns job or ND job... which do you think he'd take? That's who I'd target the hardest and make the best offer I could before moving down the list.

Right on. I'll be tuned in, thanks.

 

[NDRock]

Have my doubts ND is really committed to doing what it takes to be elite. This next coaching hire will be interesting.

 

[aubeirish]

John Harbaugh would be a great hire IMO.

 

[irishrb]

I'll post a full list later but I'll just say that the other Harbaugh is at the top of my list and I think he's more gettable than people realize. If he loses in Baltimore this year I think he is out of a job and on the market. Second, his daughter might come play lacrosse at ND. Third, there's the Catholic connection.

If his daughter (and that's their only child, btw) is at ND and his choices are 1) broadcasting 2) another NFL job [maybe] 3) ND for $8mil/year... what's his best option? Let's say he had a choice between the Browns job or ND job... which do you think he'd take? That's who I'd target the hardest and make the best offer I could before moving down the list.

JackPot! Would LOVE to see it...Just don't see it happening.

 

[NDRock]

John Harbaugh would be a great hire IMO.

He's at the top of the list, for sure.

 

[NDdomer2]

Shouldn't "again" be in the title?

Did people really expect it to happen this year?

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

IMHO, one of the big limiting factors in becoming elite is the near impossibility of being able to bring in JUCO players.

When a new coach comes in or if there are going to be holes in a roster in an upcoming season due to poor recruiting or injury (or disciplinary reasons), other programs can bring in players from a JUCO that have one or two years in a college weight program and academic schedule. Even at the JUCO level, that kind of experience can pay immediate dividends.
ND has to rely on freshman having time to "develop" and mature. That really hampers a program's ability to pivot and change direction or recover from a down cycle in recruiting.

I feel like we have been playing catch up and scrambling to plug holes ever since the great Willingham/Weis recruiting debacles that left us with huge gaps in talent and experience for many, many years. There are some amazing JUCO programs out there that put players in to D1 ranks every year and it is a pipeline ND just doesn't have.

 

[IrishLax]

He's Catholic? Like Urban and Saban? He'll talk about how ND is a dream destination and sign a 5 year contract to coach at TAMU or some shit.

No, he's not Catholic "like Urban and Saban"...

https://www.archbalt.org/john-harbaugh-discusses-faith-in-adversity/
On This Rock: Harbaugh Brothers Talk About Their Catholic Faith
Ravens Head Coach Harbaugh, Faith on and Off the Field - Living Faith - Home & Family - News - Catholic Online

 

[NDRock]

IMHO, one of the big limiting factors in becoming elite is the near impossibility of being able to bring in JUCO players.

When a new coach comes in or if there are going to be holes in a roster in an upcoming season due to poor recruiting or injury (or disciplinary reasons), other programs can bring in players from a JUCO that have one or two years in a college weight program and academic schedule. Even at the JUCO level, that kind of experience can pay immediate dividends.
ND has to rely on freshman having time to "develop" and mature. That really hampers a program's ability to pivot and change direction or recover from a down cycle in recruiting.

I feel like we have been playing catch up and scrambling to plug holes ever since the great Willingham/Weis recruiting debacles that left us with huge gaps in talent and experience for many, many years. There are some amazing JUCO programs out there that put players in to D1 ranks every year and it is a pipeline ND just doesn't have.

Stanford

 

[GATTACA!]

Give us a list when you get a chance. I'm genuinely curious to see who you come up with. For realism, let's say the untouchables are: Saban, Meyer, Dabo, Harbaugh. Go nuts with the rest.

Aranda

Venables

Fleck

O'Brien

John Harbaugh

That's the short list IMO.

 

[wizards8507]

+Stoops

 

[irishandy]

The game of college football has changed over the years. Yes ND can become elite, any team can become elite.

Sure you can go out there and hire someone else, but some of those big name coaches that you want are going to try to bring in the 5* players that a) do not and will not qualify or b) will leave early.

The kids that are playing now vs. 10 years ago have 1 thing on their mind-- money. What these kids don't realize is the NFL will always be around. It takes a special kind of kid to attend this University. Do all Stanford kids make it big in the NFL? No.

I bet if ND turned it around to become a playoff team or win a NC (and I don't think they will) all you armchair quarterbacks will think it's OK to keep Kelly around.

We lose by 1 fricking point to a SEC powerhouse and we need to get rid of Kelly.

If you think you can do better as the ND head coach submit your resume....

 

[ACamp1900]

The rest of CFB tradional powers settled for simply making jelly years ago... ND is still trying to make jam. That dynamic will always make it very difficult.

 

[Cackalacky]

+Stoops

Stoops + Venables. Sold