Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/621849
THE FIFTH QUARTER LOU SOMOGYI S ometimes it seems there is no middle ground when assessing a Notre Dame football season. The recently completed 2015 campaign is another example. On one hand, I see many optimists — who the more jaded or cynical refer to as "sunshine pump- ers" — classifying the 10-3 campaign that ended with yet another major bowl beat-down as a great year "considering all the injuries." On the other, "the sky is always falling" c o n t i n g e n t p o i n t s to the 44-28 loss to Ohio State in the Fi- esta Bowl as yet an- other example of how Notre Dame football mainly lives off the perfume of a vanished flower and is engaged in the limits of hope. In other words, it can still be "solid," but the Irish just aren't going to be ever again what they once were. Notre Dame has failed to win a ma- jor bowl 22 straight years now, go- ing 0-7 during that time while los- ing by an average of 19.9 points. On the grandest stages, the tendency has been to "soil the bed," especially on defense. My middle ground perspective is I don't agree with either viewpoint, although both can present cogent ar- guments. Here is what I compare the Notre Dame football operation to right now as it enters 2016: It is the B-plus stu- dent (maybe even A - m i n u s ) i n h i g h school that applies to Harvard, Yale or Princeton. Good … just not quite elite enough to be admit- ted there. I t i s t h e h i g h achieving student- athlete with okay looks and a success- ful future ahead ask- ing out the Brazil- ian Victoria's Secret model — who has her eyes set on the future first-round and dashing All-American quarter- back playing in front of him. It is the person who has a com- fortable upper-middle class lifestyle, and then buys a fleet of Rolls-Royces that go beyond his wherewithal. Under Brian Kelly, who just com- pleted his sixth season and is now 55-23 (.705), Notre Dame is in its best football condition in 20-plus years, and the school has been fortunate to have him shepherding the program Solid Season Still Leaves Unfulfilled Void Notre Dame has won better than 70 per- cent of its games since head coach Brian Kelly arrived in South Bend, but still has work to do to get to the same level as programs such as Alabama and Ohio State. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA