Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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the fifth quarter lou somogyi Michigan State (11-1) and Pac-12 South division champ Arizona State (10-2), and vanquishing archrival USC for the third time in four years, became somewhat overshadowed by the frustration of losing to what would be a five-loss Michigan team and the clunker at Pitt. This team had the look of a solid 9-3, top-25 caliber outfit, especially sans Golson. Our 160-page 2013 Football Preview had the Irish finishing with losses to Michigan, Oklahoma and Stanford. The Pitt game became what Kelly referred to as "an anomaly." The Pitt upset might have also cost Notre Dame a top-25 finish for the sixth time in seven years. Sadly, that makes the 2012 season seem look more like the anomaly. The prime hope in 2013 was that Notre Dame in Kelly's fourth season would now be recognized more as a "program" than a "team." That did not come to fruition. Teams rebuild. Programs reload. After Kelly's fourth season, or "senior year" with the Irish, at least two things are clear about his regime. He's the most qualified, proven and successful head coach among his three predecessors, but he certainly cannot be categorized with Ara Parseghian or Lou Holtz, the school's standards over the past 50 years. That's hardly a sin … yet it's the ghosts one chases when signing up for this job. Two seasons of 8-5 when nine or 10 wins seemed attainable, and an 8-4 ledger in year four when more seemed in the cards, can create an unease about whether this can become a consistent top-10 program. The 2010 season was a pass because it was Kelly's first year, but the 8-5 repeat in 2011 was a huge disappointment. The 2012 campaign brought plenty of salve, if not rapture, but this year brought more handwringing. If junior defensive end Stephon Tuitt departs for the NFL next spring, the defensive front seven — the foundation of championship football Kelly most emphasized — will be the prime question mark in year five. The projected return of Golson is expected to spark the offense, but the running game remains way too inconsistent and underperforming — specifically against top-flight competition — to be at a championship level. And while the consistency of kicker/punter Kyle Brindza, has been a boon to special teams, the collective unit has seldom been a major asset, and on many occasions a liability, especially in kick coverage this year. The 2014 schedule, soon to be officially released, won't get any easier with road games at Florida State, Arizona State and USC, plus home contests versus Michigan and Stanford, which each have won four of the last five against the Irish. Then there are always the anomalies that lurk for any team. Soon, it will be time to turn the calendar to January 2014. It must bring better tidings than what many might remember as an unlucky 2013. ✦ Senior Editor Lou Somogyi has been at Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 1985. He can be reached at lsomogyi@blueandgold.com