Will ND Football Ever Become Elite?

[ACamp1900]

SI doesn't have ND in their latest bowl projections. SMH....

The University of College Football in Americ- and,...... they don't exist.

 

[stlnd01]

SI doesn't have ND in their latest bowl projections. SMH....

Good. Under the radar is just where we want to be.

 

[philipm31]

SI doesn't have ND in their latest bowl projections. SMH....

ND is 5-9 in their last fourteen games. I would not project us into a bowl after these two weeks either.

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

I think ND will be elite again but it will take the right coach, some luck ect. We don't do ourselves any good with the brutal schedule we have every year. We are already at a disadvantage with other schools that can bring in Juco after juco and plug these guys into the lineup for guys leaving. ND needs to find a way to be able to accept JUCO players .

 

[IrishLion]

I think ND will be elite again but it will take the right coach, some luck ect. We don't do ourselves any good with the brutal schedule we have every year. We are already at a disadvantage with other schools that can bring in Juco after juco and plug these guys into the lineup for guys leaving. ND needs to find a way to be able to accept JUCO players.

You were doing really good until the bolded part.

They tried that with the bowling-ball dude that's at Louisville now (Jeremy Smith), and ultimately both parties realized it was a fruitless endeavor.

Unless you know exactly what you're aiming to do from the start, transferring in to ND from most schools is extremely difficult, and essentially impossible when considering the crop of guys ND would be looking at.

 

[Dizzyphil]

You were doing really good until the bolded part.

They tried that with the bowling-ball dude that's at Louisville now (Jeremy Smith), and ultimately both parties realized it was a fruitless endeavor.

Unless you know exactly what you're aiming to do from the start, transferring in to ND from most schools is extremely difficult, and essentially impossible when considering the crop of guys ND would be looking at.

I hear this argument as well from some of my friends,"Just another way ND cannot recruit; If the Irish could just allow JUCO transfers".

Well, they do not and ND's recruiters should be using that as a tool when recruiting prospects. Letting those prospects know that after working hard their Freshman and Sophomore years they are not going to get knocked to the side if a JUCO comes in.

 

[Free Manera]

Not taking JUCOs is a handicap, no doubt. Taking JUCO kids is like promoting a minor leaguer to the bigs. When you lose a guy to transfer, injury, suspension, etc. in the offseason, you can find a physically ready 20 year old JUCO kid to fill the gap. ND doesn't have that luxury. It forces ND to play underclassmen earlier, which affects their progression, and it affects the product on the field.

I don't think it is a huge handicap, but it is most definitely a handicap. It is a tool essentially every other team has at their disposal and ND does not.

 

[Wingman Ray]

Elite? Depends on your view.

Best team in the country? No way. Our 2012 year we would have lost to several SEC teams that year. We just had the opportunity to lose to just one of them in the NC.

But if it helps any, Stanford is in the same boat.

Todays elite teams are full of elite players that are in school for one thing: football. Heck, Maziel didnt even go to class or was required to go to class. All classes taken online because he was too popular. Think he ever logged in or did some GA instead? Yeah you know the truth.

OSU recruits the kid saying just do what you do best which is become a football machine and dont worry about the classes. ND recruits the kid saying he will be required to take advanced math his freshman year.

It is just two different types of players and face it, the majority of the elite players fit in group one and DONT WANT TO BE ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGED EVEN IF THEY COULD BE.

Coaching wise, an elite coach would be a fool to come to ND. For what? The honor of restoring NDs program? So some potential gain but a heck of a lot more potential risk when admin doesnt allow you to get the players you want so your win/loss record tanks. Then you go from being the brilliant coach to a lemon coach. Who wants that kind of risk?

So no, dont expect ND to be elite football wise. Elite by the fact that they have academics plus can field an above .500 team. No way elite by beating the teams that dont have the same rules.

 

[stlnd01]

I don't know what we really mean by "elite," but if we mean Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, then yes, ND could be elite if it chose to by going full football factory.
But the consequences of those choices would turn off a lot of alums and other fans, and ultimately hurt the football program, ironically, by making it less distinctive.
As-is, even with self-imposed limitations, they can be nearly-elite, compete for big bowls and the occasional title. That's OK by me.

 

[BobbyMac]

When folks start talking the +/- of JUCO's for ND, the end is near.

ND is brutal about accepting undergrad transfers and their classes from major 4 year schools as it is. If you can't transfer in enough classes, it seriously affects your Academic Progress Rate that a DI student athlete must maintain to be eligible.

What community college is going to have classes ND is going to find acceptable?

There's a reason why ND, Stanford, Duke & Rice don't sign JUCO's. Even Vandy with their backbending, SEC ways only has a couple and they only went JUCO for a year - as opposed to going FCS, hopint to find an FBS gig. Both were excellent students in HS.

The answer is grad transfers for depth and occasionally one might be above average. Besides that, recruit better, redshirt as many freshman and sophs as you can. This provides you with experienced 5th years (the Stanford model) or you cut loose those who will not play and their depth is not needed and let them GT out like John Montelus for example.

 

[zelezo vlk]

ND will recruit well enough when they hire Crus to be Bill Rees' boss

 

[BobbyMac]

ND will recruit well enough when they hire Crus to be Bill Rees' boss