ND stuck in 2nd gear again

What's the deal with Notre Dame? (again) They have a group of good players, a coach who seems pretty competent, yet for the last few years they struggle to crack the top 20. Why is ND stuck in 2nd gear? 😕

After the loss to Alabama in the championship game some years back they realized they simply weren't big and strong enough to compete with the monstrous players that Alabama (among others) recruit. They have to recruit players that can keep up their grades and conduct themselves with more decorum than the average school, they do not finnagle their schedule to have 7 home and 1 neutral games like Alabama (and others) do. This combination results in good-but-not-great compared to the top football schools which are, in my view, criminally negligent when it comes to preparing "STUDENT" athletes and are, in actuality, nothing but semi pro football teams using the name of a university to make money. Just my 2 cents.

Originally posted by @buzz-meeks
After the loss to Alabama in the championship game some years back they realized they simply weren't big and strong enough to compete with the monstrous players that Alabama (among others) recruit. They have to recruit players that can keep up their grades and conduct themselves with more decorum than the average school, they do not finnagle their schedu ...[text shortened]... thing but semi pro football teams using the name of a university to make money. Just my 2 cents.

ND just needs to pay better. The best programs pay their players the best. That's why those kids go there.

Show my parents the money.

One theory I heard is tha Bob Stoops retired last year so he would be ready to fill the ND job should it open.

Originally posted by @mchill
What's the deal with Notre Dame? (again) They have a group of good players, a coach who seems pretty competent, yet for the last few years they struggle to crack the top 20. Why is ND stuck in 2nd gear? 😕

ND is playing good fundamental football. The one-point loss to UGa doesn't look bad. They have 6 games left, each against an opponent going to a bowl, so they will not finish with a Top Ten record, but they will be a very good team. Just as Notre Dame has stated that they do not want to be "the Harvard of the Midwest" academically, they also don't want to be the "Florida St of the North" in football. There are no athletic dorms or fraternities, and no "Recreation Management" degrees. That's one reason there aren't too many NFL stars from ND.

Originally posted by @john-osmar
ND is playing good fundamental football. The one-point loss to UGa doesn't look bad. They have 6 games left, each against an opponent going to a bowl, so they will not finish with a Top Ten record, but they will be a very good team. Just as Notre Dame has stated that they do not want to be "the Harvard of the Midwest" academically, they also don't want t ...[text shortened]... d no "Recreation Management" degrees. That's one reason there aren't too many NFL stars from ND.

There used to be.

Originally posted by @buzz-meeks
After the loss to Alabama in the championship game some years back they realized they simply weren't big and strong enough to compete with the monstrous players that Alabama (among others) recruit. They have to recruit players that can keep up their grades and conduct themselves with more decorum than the average school, they do not finnagle their schedu ...[text shortened]... thing but semi pro football teams using the name of a university to make money. Just my 2 cents.

Well who can match up to Alabama?

If you are lucky, you find one team every few years or so.

The question is, why is Alabama on a different level every single year for the last 20 or so years? Are they the master race, do they cheat or is it something else? It certainly is not just having gotten lucky having a good group of players.

Originally posted by @whodey
Well who can match up to Alabama?

If you are lucky, you find one team every few years or so.

The question is, why is Alabama on a different level every single year for the last 20 or so years? Are they the master race, do they cheat or is it something else? It certainly is not just having gotten lucky having a good group of players.

First you find a coach with a rep of sending players on to the NFL who can recruit the biggest and fasted players. Pay him a boatload of money without regard to the funding. You make sure the entire campus is in full worship-mode for your coach and your team. You get your assistant coaches the same way-for instance, your offensive head coach is (or was anyway) a former NFL head coach. You have the players in a weight training program where they weigh about 350 or more without any regard to their future diabetes problem or their obesity when they quit football. You pay zero attention to whether they actually graduate or not since that may very well stand in the way of your goal. You get your schedule fixed so that you play at least 7 of your games at home and one game at a neutral site. You pay chump schools money to come to your stadium during your non-conference schedule to get the crap beat out them. You schedule your most dangerous opponent after a bye. The only thing I can't figure out is why they can't nail a top notch QB recruit.

Originally posted by @buzz-meeks
First you find a coach with a rep of sending players on to the NFL who can recruit the biggest and fasted players. Pay him a boatload of money without regard to the funding. You make sure the entire campus is in full worship-mode for your coach and your team. You get your assistant coaches the same way-for instance, your offensive head coach is (or was a ...[text shortened]... nt after a bye. The only thing I can't figure out is why they can't nail a top notch QB recruit.

Their alumni put their money into defense and linemen.

Alabama is the Pittsburg Steelers of the College football world. Who needs a great QB when you can play defense and run the ball?

There's another element to this discussion. Alabama, Ohio St, Southern Cal, and the other powerhouse state schools can promote success, unhindered by human consideration for the plight of others. Football uses that attitude to become a 24/7 mission to win. Notre Dame is a religious school, and at ND, the religion is a powerful influence on the student. Moral and ethical concern for one's fellow man does not translate into win-at-any-cost, whether it's football or business.