Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/616353
BY ANDREW OWENS N otre Dame carried especially large expectations into the 2015 season after returning starters at nearly every posi- tion. For the most part — and despite injury after injury — the Irish deliv- ered, remaining in contention for a College Football Playoff bid into the final week of the regular season. Head coach Brian Kelly made it clear from fall camp that Team 127 in the history of Notre Dame football had one mission: to reach the four-team College Football Playoff field. "Well, it's a faster team," Kelly said of his 2015 squad in comparison to the 12-1 group from 2012. "It's a more ath- letic team. We are deeper at virtually all positions across the board, both on the offensive line and the defensive line. Maybe we don't have singularly one superstar here or there, but the depth of the group is a whole different football team than that group. "[The 2012 team] was a unique group in that they knew how to win, had great leadership. Winning teams have a special group of guys that find ways to win, and that group did. But this is, from an athletic standpoint and from a physical prowess standpoint, a deeper football team." Kelly's words proved to be true, but the Irish found out in the most difficult way possible. INJURIES PILE UP — AND CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON By the conclusion of the 34-27 win at Virginia Sept. 12, Notre Dame had lost its No. 1 quarterback (Malik Zaire), top running back (Tarean Folston), starting tight end (Durham Smythe) and top nose guard (Jarron Jones) to injury for the rest of the regular season. Soon, others would follow. With each loss to injury, however, the Irish kept reeling off wins on the field to back up Kelly's "culture beats scheme" mantra from fall camp. Notre Dame lost just once heading into the regular-season finale at Stan- Defining MoMents of 2015 A couple heartbreaking losses were all that stood between the Irish and a College Football Playoff bid