Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/377020
THE FIFTH QUARTER LOU SOMOGYI ACC affiliation, Michigan became the first casualty, followed by Purdue and Michigan State. The Spartans are off the Irish slate in 2014-15, but return with a game at Notre Dame on Sept. 17, 2016, and host the Irish on Sept. 23, 2017. Be- yond that there is only a tentative ar- rangement between the two schools in 2026-27. Maintaining these provincial rival- ries remains an objective but not a priority in Notre Dame's scheduling. Some of it is tied to recruiting demo- graphics. In any given year, the base of Notre Dame's recruiting will feature players from Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania, maybe about eight to 12 prospects per year. The proximity in region is part of that appeal. Notre Dame already has a presence in the Mid- west and Northeast, and always will. Where it needs to expand its market- ing for the other 10 to 12 recruits per year is in California, Texas, Florida and the Mid-Atlantic region (Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia). That is why an annual visit to Califor- nia to play at either USC or Stanford is a must. That is why a four-year deal with Texas (2015-16, 2019-20) was desired — plus Shamrock Series games there in 2009, 2013 and again in 2016. Florida is covered now with Florida State and Miami in the ACC, and Geor- gia has become prioritized with a series against the Georgia Bulldogs in 2017 and 2019 (plus ACC opponent Georgia Tech). "The demographics have shown a move to the certain areas in the country now that are hotter recruiting," Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said. "The Carolinas are stronger just because of the shift in demographics. Because of that, we're stronger in that area — Vir- ginia, North Carolina on the East Coast. "People are moving out of the mid- western towns that were industrial based. It's more about economics. Peo- ple are moving into areas where they can find a better lifestyle. "You just take a look at Pennsylvania, the great high school teams that used to be in that area. Now, because of the steel town, the exodus of so many jobs in that area, that high school football is not what it once was. I think that's hap- pened in a lot of these industrial cities throughout the Midwest, as well." Every era has had its challenges. Notre Dame didn't even become coed until 1972, and attracting elite black athletes to the private, Catholic school didn't really begin until the late 1960s and early 1970s. Academic standards were always a standby in case of downfalls, and Notre Dame was usually considered behind the curve in facilities, salaries or even a training table the past 30 years until rectifying it. Today, attracting top prospects that reside in warm-weather climates, where the best football is played, is the prime obstacle. The landscape is always shifting, which often leads to a change in sched- ule. ✦ Senior Editor Lou Somogyi has been at Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 1985. He can be reached at lsomogyi@blueandgold.com