2018 Notre Dame Football Preview

2018 Notre Dame Football Preview

Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview

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20 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY LOU SOMOGYI AND BRYAN DRISKELL I f some Notre Dame followers were a little squeamish about last year's 10-3 finish, it could be understood. Perhaps nothing has better reflected the frustration and incon- sistency of the Fighting Irish football team the past 24 years, or since 1994, than what transpires the year after a 10-3 outcome. • In 2002, first-year Notre Dame head coach Tyrone Willingham was named Sporting News' "Sportsman of the Year" after guiding the Irish to a 10-1 start that finished 10-3. What happened the following year? Notre Dame went 5-7 while getting outscored by Michigan, Florida State and USC 120-14 (all three are on the 2018 slate as well). • In 2006, second-year head coach Charlie Weis steered a 10-3 result that he admitted was relatively blah. What happened the following year? That 2006 campaign seemed heavenly when compared to the 1-9 start and 3-9 outcome in 2007, notably back-to-back losses at home to Navy and Air Force. It was the most defeats ever in one season at Notre Dame. • In 2015, sixth-year head coach Brian Kelly had the Fighting Irish eyeing a College Football Playoff berth with a 10-1 start. Unfortunately, like in 2002, Notre Dame lost the final two contests for a 10-3 finish. What happened the following year? In many ways, the stunning 4-8 finish was worse than the 3-9 result in 2007. Whereas in 2007 a rebuild was projected, the 2016 crew was ranked No. 10 in the pre- season Associated Press poll and anticipated to at least duplicate the 10 victories from the year prior. Not that "10" is a hallowed benchmark for Notre Dame football, but the organization has not achieved consecutive 10-win seasons since the three in a row under Lou Holtz in 1991 (10-3), 1992 (10-1-1) and 1993 (11-1). Kelly achieved it all three seasons at Cincinnati with 10-3 (2007), 11-3 (2008) and 12-0 (2009, prior to accepting the Notre Dame post) ledgers, but his closest with the Irish came in 2012 (12-1) and 2013 (9-4). This roller-coaster tendency has epitomized the team's travails in the college football wilderness for nearly a quarter century now. Just when one believes a bona fide "program" is in the making for years to come, a dreaded swoon ensues. In some ways, 2018 might be viewed as a do-over of the colossal collapse in 2016. The Irish finished 10-3 and No. 11 in the country in 2015, resulting in a top-10 preseason ranking. This year, Notre Dame is again coming off a 10-3 mark and No. 11 finish in the AP poll, with hopes of reach- ing at least 10 wins again, and placing in the top 10 (if not higher). This time it needs to happen to help jump-start a more consistent pattern of winning and contending, now and in the future. BEYOND THE STATUS QUO Notre Dame will attempt to win 10 games (at least) in back-to-back seasons for first time in 25 years 2018 SEASON PREVIEW Head coach Brian Kelly and the Fighting Irish are looking to record the first back-to-back 10-win campaigns at Notre Dame since 1991-93. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA

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