tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18832234.post2540828580008783818..comments2023-11-12T05:16:54.244-05:00Comments on The Royal Heffernans: It's OverUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18832234.post-7312842810002351782012-04-16T09:48:26.759-04:002012-04-16T09:48:26.759-04:00I agree with both of you. However, Notre Dame doe...I agree with both of you. However, Notre Dame does have an alumni and fan base that lacks understanding or patience. They also feel that ND should constantly vie for National Championships. Why they feel ND should be in this class I don't know (recent history says we suck), but the result is that coaches typically get 5 years and then the "Next Big Thing" (i.e., Urban Meyer, Charlie Weis) comes around and we have to hire him. Because of Ara and Lou, ND coaches get 3 years to win a title, and then they are on borrowed time to the end of their 5-year contract. That is what will kill the ND program, and has killed it since Lou Holtz departed. <br /><br />I'd like to see Kelly stick around for a while, because I think his point-a-minute offense will appeal to ND, and to players, and we'll just have to hope we can get some good defensive players every now and then.Kevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16799540986290679695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18832234.post-21271787024841544712012-04-13T12:50:27.085-04:002012-04-13T12:50:27.085-04:00I disagree. Teams always pop up, challenge for a t...I disagree. Teams always pop up, challenge for a title, and then disappear. Boise State, Oklahoma State, Cincinnati - none of those teams has/had elite NFL talent, but they had a system with committed players that stayed around for all 4 years and allowed them to compete. Notre Dame needs to allow a coach to establish a style and program, which I think Kelly is doing, and then keep him around to build that program. If it does that then every few years they just might get the right pieces to contend. <br /><br />I think the model for ND needs to be Virginia Tech. Beamer has been there forever. They are consistently good, and occasionally very good. They focus on defense and special teams, but have an atrocious offense, and they recruit (local) players to fit their program, seldom landing heralded 5-star recruits. Even if the national recruiting dries up, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan are still more fertile than Virginia, where VT gets 75% of its recruits. It can be done, but it will take understanding and patience. I think Swarbrick gets this and, hopefully, the ND fan base can learn too.<br /><br />Also, the whole conference thing may go the way of the dodo if the BCS restructures to eliminate automatic conference bids. If that's the case, ND is sitting pretty as an independent and look for others (Texas) to join suit.ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09261227457070223486noreply@blogger.com