Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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the fifth quarter lou somogyi T Notre Dame-Stanford: An 'Identity' Reversal he Notre Dame-Stanford football developing an intimidating air to it. contest has usually been a conAfter seven straight losing seasons trast in styles: The blue-collar, from 2002-08 and a 25-55 record, old-school, punishing running team Harbaugh's influence began to take versus the finesse, cerebral-oriented, hold by 2008 with an 8-4 regular seachuck-the-ball-all-overson, capped with a 45the-yard outfit. 38 win against Notre It remains ever thus Dame. Even though in 2013 … except the Stanford had Andrew identities have been Luck at quarterback, the reversed to a degree. Cardinal passed only Stanford is now labeled 21 times while riding the physical operation, on the back of Heisman while Notre Dame is ofTrophy runner-up Toby ten perceived as more Gerhart, totaling 280 finesse-oriented and alrushing yards as a team. most too cerebral for its Conversely, Notre own good. Dame under Charlie The cultural shift in Weis was pass-oriented Palo Alto, Calif., began with 340 yards through Stanford's recent identity as a in 2007 with first-year blue-collar, pounding offense is the air and all five head coach Jim Har- what many Notre Dame fans hope touchdowns coming baugh, who had play- the Irish will become and fear Brian via that route. But the ers wearing blue shirts Kelly won't be able to deliver. cultural shift at Notre photo by bill panzica Dame that began in a gas station mechanic would don at work. The purpose was 2002 with much more passing and less to erase perceptions that the elite bas- effective running than ever before saw tion of academia Stanford was privi- Weis' career end with a 16-21 record in leged and "soft," and to create a blue- his final three seasons. collar culture on the gridiron. Meanwhile, Harbaugh took Stanford The Cardinal became chippy, mean to a 12-1 finish in 2010, and successor and even violent on the field. A fa- David Shaw has maintained the physivorite defining moment for Harbaugh cal identity with 11-2 and 12-2 ledgers was when a reporter pointed out that his first two seasons. Stanford's 35-5 his Stanford team seemed eager to mark from 2010-12 equaled Alabama's "sneak" in a few hits after the whistle. record over that same span. It was validation that the program was Above all, the Cardinal maintains