My second thought is deeper. A lot has happened in the last year in college football. If you look at the big powers that have dominated the past decade or two, I wonder who you'd rather be. Obviously, we love Notre Dame, but think about it. If you could take the coach, players, situation, recruiting and transfer it all to South Bend and that would be the Irish, who do you think is in the best situation?
USCOn probation. No bowls for two years. Significant reduction in scholarships that will knock them down for longer. Their "genius" coach is in the NFL, and their "genius" offensive guru coaches their rival UCLA. Current coach is an idiot that nobody likes. New athletic director was a sports broadcaster for their biggest rival for the past 5 years.
FloridaBrought in Meyer, who runs a gimmicky offense. Dominated with Tebow, now gone to the NFL. Hit the skids BIG TIME in 2010 going 7-5 (4-4 SEC). Now Meyer quits. In a recruiting rich state, but FSU, Miami and now USF all will pounce.
MiamiHave been down for a number of years. Seems like they were making the turn and stepping up in 2010, only to regress significantly - kind of like ND in 2009. Now they have no coach. They are also a tiny school with no student or alumni support - except loud-mouthed NFL alumni who love to talk smack about "The U" which doesn't exist anymore.
AuburnStrong force in the SEC. Currently poised to win the BCS title AND Heisman Trophy. Also currently under investigation for some pretty scary potential violations (the Cam Newton ruling was a temporary decision).
TexasA recruiting FORCE in talent rich Texas. Always competing for a National Title, except in 2010 when they are 5-7 (2-6) and not bowl eligible. Mack Brown has been coach forever, and has not been known to win the big games - without Vince Young running wild.
MichiganAlso down for the last few years. Hired offensive guru rich Rodriguez, who hasn't yet been able to bring his style of football to the Wolverines. He has brought three or four scandals, and he may be out soon.
LSUA perennial SEC contender. seem to stumble frequently with Tiger Nation calling for Les Miles' head up until they were 6-0 this year. Then it all went downhill, as Miles tends to see frequently. Miles may not last, but LSU is in a talent rich area, and always reloads.
When I look at it, I have to say that I like the situation Notre Dame is in with Brian Kelly, more than every one of these schools - maybe with the exception of Texas. I really think they were an anomaly this year. Mack Brown isn't a genius, but he usually gets the job done. I think things are on the way up, and am very excited about the future.
What say you all? Comments on your picks?
2 comments:
We've all been saying it for years - college football is cyclical. Florida, Texas, Southern Cal, and the SEC have been dominant for a long time. Coaching upheaval at the first two, probation at the third, and possible sanctions against SEC teams could point to a flip in the cycle. Notre Dame certainly seems positioned to take advantage. Here's hoping they do...
I like ND's chances. Finishing out the regular season strong was huge with wins against Utah and USC. A win against Miami in the Sun Bowl gives us a big boost in off-season recruiting, since we can use that as leverage for coming to ND over Miami.
I still think Oklahoma, Texas, LSU, and Ohio State are the teams to beat in the country, but I think ND is in a great position. We've got coaching stability, what appears to be an improving program, opportunities for incoming players to contribute immediately, and down years for some key rivals on the field and in the recruiting race. I'd call that a recipe for future success.
Finally, the coaching upheaval won't just affect the Florida's and Miami's of the country. It's going to affect the Louisville's, Rutgers, Michigan's, and Stanford's as their coaches are put under the radar. This will help ND's recruiting even more! I'm glad we pulled the trigger on Weis last year, because finding a new coach this year would have been tough!
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