Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 7, 2016 7 UNDER THE DOME "I wish the perception matched the reality a little better," Swarbrick told ESPN.com. "I understand the perception, but we've got to work to alter that perception because it cre- ates noise and gets in the way. But the reality couldn't be further from it. "I'm not going to reveal the nature of the postgame discussion between Brian and the team after Stanford, but that was a discussion between a coach and a team who really care about each other and have a great relationship, and that's what I get to see every day. What we have to do is try to avoid the situation, which creates a different perception because that perception doesn't reflect the reality. We have to figure out how to be better at it." Swarbrick was in his second season as the athletics director at Notre Dame when he hired Kelly to replace the then embattled and ousted Charlie Weis in December 2009. He maintains his con- fidence in Kelly because he believes his focus has remained sharp and his relationship with the team strong. "Everybody associated with the pro- gram is disappointed — the players, first and foremost, the coaching staff, me — because we want to do better, we know we can do better, so there's great disappointment," Swarbrick told ESPN.com. "Having said that, this is a pretty remarkable team in terms of its togetherness and its resiliency. "They still come to every practice energized and focused. And as Brian has said repeatedly, they do every- thing we ask. They give us every- thing. So from that perspective, we want a different result." ✦ Holy Cross Village is a continuing care retirement community, sponsored by the Brothers of Holy Cross, with a tradition of caring, compassion and trust. Holy Cross Village welcomes people of all faiths. 54515 State Rd., 933 North, Notre Dame, IN 46556 www.holycrossvillage.com ... AND ENJOY THE GAME OF LIFE AT HOLY CROSS VILLAGE I magine making new friends and developing new talents, where everything you need to enjoy the game of life is right outside your front door. Nestled among three institutions of higher learning, Holy Cross Village at Notre Dame is a senior living community unlike anything else around. Our warm and inviting community offers: Independent Living Homes and Apartments Assisted Living Apartments Skilled Nursing Memory Care Rehabilitation Services Call (574) 251-2235 today for more information and to schedule a tour. No Rank & File Perhaps the greatest frustration about the 2016 season is Notre Dame missing a golden opportunity to capitalize on most of its opponents hitting a down or rebuilding cycle. The lone Notre Dame opponents ranked heading into the Oct. 29 weekend were No. 22 Navy, a team the Irish have defeated 50 times in the past 53 meetings, and No. 25 Virginia Tech. If the Irish defeat both in November, it could be the first time since the start of the Associated Press poll in 1936 that no Irish foe is ranked at the end of the season. Among the five losses during the 2‑5 start: • Texas began 3‑4, and reports have already surfaced that third‑year head coach Charlie Strong will be fired at the end of the season and replaced by Tom Herman of the Houston Cougars. • Michigan State (2‑5) had lost five in a row entering its game versus Michigan Oct. 29 after winning at Notre Dame Sept. 17. Its only other win came against Furman. • Duke began 0‑3 in the ACC and its only other wins during a 3‑4 start were North Carolina Central and Army. • North Carolina State (4‑3) was crushed 54‑13 by Louisville Oct. 22, and also lost to 2‑5 East Carolina. Among its other victories are William & Mary and Old Dominion. • On Oct. 15, Notre Dame lost at home to Stanford (17‑10), which was demolished 44‑6 and 42‑16 the two previous weeks by Washington and Washington State, respectively. The Cardinal lost 10‑5 to Colorado the week after the Notre Dame game. Among 128 Football Bowl Subdivision teams, the Cardinal ranked dead last in total offense (299.1 yards per game) and 126th in scoring offense (17.0 points per game). During the bye week, the reality is that Notre Dame probably should have been in the top 10 with pundits screaming they don't deserve it because "they don't play anybody!" — Lou Somogyi