Blue and Gold Illustrated

December 2016

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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6 DECEMBER 2016 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED FAN FORUM up a first down? Who will jump early to put the drive behind the sticks and kill any momentum? Whether it's trying too hard or not enough there is something missing in the will to win. The quarterback plays hard, but his mannerism and eyes are killers at the first sign of adversity. It will be a long winter. Hopefully Coach Brey and Coach McGraw can give Irish fans something to be proud about. Gorman Findley Centre Hall, Pa. SPECIFIC TURNING POINT I agreed with your Turning Point analysis after the Virginia Tech game — but I can also pinpoint the ex- act one play that was the "turning point." Trailing 24-7 with five minutes to go prior to halftime, the Virginia Tech quarterback fumbled, but he unfor- tunately recovered to set up a third- and-11 from the Tech 24. He then scrambled exactly 11 yards for a first down, escaping our rush. I jumped up at the time and announced to my three sons who were watching the game with me that that scramble was the beginning of the end for us, de- spite Josh Adams' subsequent run in the second half. The bottom line: Even with the departure of Brian VanGorder, the eventual departure of whomever is directly responsible for our special teams disasters, the hopeful future reduction of academic/disciplinary losses and better health, Notre Dame will never reach playoff status until Brian Kelly admits that he needs time management, weather management and coin-toss management help. Of course, these issues are in ad- dition to his being generally out- coached after most halftimes, indi- vidually and collectively. Gary A. Marzolla Mahwah, N.J. MORE ARRESTS THAN WINS With five arrests and four victories, school president Father John Jenkins and athletics director Jack Swarbrick have much to think about. We are truly at a "Crossroads." Jim Brady '72 Via the Internet Entering the season finale, many have called for a head coaching change at Notre Dame, while oth- ers argue to stay the course. Here is a very small sampling from BlueandGold.com's message board: Brianmc119: Firing Brian Kelly is not an option. t • We were one very close game away from the 2015 College Football Playoff with a freshman QB. • We have a top-10 recruiting class. • Lots of suspensions/academic causalities/injuries/NFL departures last year and this year. • We are producing first-round talent. We haven't been doing that since the Holtz days • Urban Meyer is not walking through that door. No one at that level wants this job. • Give Kelly an opportunity to hire an A-list defensive coordinator with the precondition it can't be a crony appointment. Stay the course. Vonteego: All 7 losses by a TD or less. Irishtob: It is certainly an option. Choosing that option has consequences, but for many, the conse- quences are worth it (the significance or weight of the consequences can certainly be debated). And a close loss to Duke, or NC State, or Navy is still a loss — horrendous ones, actually. As are close losses to a historically bad Texas, worst Michigan State team in 10-plus years, and worst Stanford team in a decade. Pointing to close losses with what is the easiest schedule Notre Dame has played in generations actu- ally belies your stay-the-course argument. TJB41: Recruiting doesn't matter. With this HC and quality of assistants this program has run aground. A top-5 class would make no difference. Irishdukhntr: Anyone — name one top coach who would be able to come here now. There, I thought so. There is no one out there right now who can/would come here that would be better than what we have. Do not talk about Meyer, Stoops etc. They will not come. We do need a first-class defensive coordinator. That's the best we can hope for. TTrevan: Winners win and losers find ways to lose. Kelly and his teams find ways to lose. Kelly at ND is a loser. He may end up being brilliant elsewhere, but he's just not getting it done at ND. In spite of all the reasons that it looks on paper like he and his teams should have a breakthrough any moment, the truth is that he and they simply don't. Time and time again. Therefore, he must go. TPIrish: There are about 50 coaches that would be better than Brian Kelly at Notre Dame at this point. God help me with these stupid posts saying we can't get anyone to come here. FROM THE WEBSITE There is much debate among fans whether or not Notre Dame should stay the course with head coach Brian Kelly. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND

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