Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 21, 2016 7 BY LOU SOMOGYI F ollowing Notre Dame's 28-27 loss to Navy Nov. 5 that dropped its record to 3-6, Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly affirmed the fol- lowing day that he does not envision massive overhauls at the end of this disappointing campaign. He remained optimistic that the Fighting Irish will be a far better team next year after this season's experiences. "It's hard for me to want to make any significant changes," Kelly said the day after the Navy game. "I know we lost the football game, and the first thing is to look to make some changes. But we've got a lot of inex- perienced players that are gaining great experience. "We're still growing up, and I love the way we compete and play hard. We've lost six close games [by a total of 29 points] that easily could have went our way, and we're going to keep battling and fighting." Cynics will point out that after los- ing 38-35 at home to Duke Sept. 24, Kelly reiterated his unwavering sup- port for then defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder. About 12 hours later, VanGorder was fired and replaced by defensive analyst Greg Hudson. For now, the theme for Kelly is to do what you do better instead of grabbagging for different solutions. The setbacks this season will serve as vital lessons in 2017. "It's hard for me in these circum- stances to think that major changes need to be made, other than continue to do what we're doing, and we'll break through," he said. "We have so many guys that are going to be learning how to do the things right every single day this year. And they are doing that. … I love the way our guys compete. "We need a little bit better coaching. We need a little bit better playing in certain areas. That's going to obvi- ously prove to be very, very important for us in the next year and the next coming years. My focus is on the pres- ent, but everything that we do is go- ing to benefit us in the future as well." With 55 of the top 61 players on the current depth chart having at least another year of eligibility in 2017 — although it's unlikely all will be back — Kelly said there is much to look forward to. "If we're losing 31-0 … then changes are made or you're playing younger players, and that's how you handle those situations," he said. "But when you know that your nu- cleus is maturing and getting bet- ter and is going to be the group that you're playing next year, you're just working on the finer details during the course of the year and during the course of your preparation." ✦ UNDER THE DOME STAYING THE COURSE Brian Kelly not looking to make significant changes Notre Dame's six losses through nine games came by a total of 29 points, which has Kelly optimistic about the future. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA One of the reasons Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly is encouraged about the future despite the 3-6 start in 2016 is that none of the defeats were by more than six points. Tell Charlie Weis that. As the fifth-year head coach of the Fighting Irish in 2009, Weis' Notre Dame team set a single-season school record with six losses that came by eight or fewer points: Michigan (38-34), USC (34-27), Navy (23-21), Pitt (27-22), UConn (33-30 in overtime) and Stanford (45-38). Now in his seventh year as the successor to Weis after that 2009 season, Kelly matched that total through the first nine contests with setbacks to Texas (50-47 in double overtime), Michigan State (36-28), Duke (38-35), North Carolina State (10-3), Stanford (17-10) and Navy (28-27). Weis' six close de- feats were by a total of 28 points, while Kelly's were by 29. The 1960 Notre Dame team that finished 2-8 under second-year head coach Joe Kuharich had five losses by eight or less points. That was matched in 1986 by first-year head coach Lou Holtz when he debuted at 5-6. Five of those losses were by a total of 14 points, but they included national champion Penn State (24-19), SEC champion LSU (21-19) and Big Ten champion Michigan (24-23), quarterbacked by now Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh. — Lou Somogyi Is History Repeating?