Let the Lions Cometh
UHND.com - Ken L. Britton
January 5, 2000
After a similar game to what happened in Tennessee in 99, after a matter of minutes know-nothing college football analysts have begun spuing their idiocy with the familiar "Notre Dame need to recruit more speed," and "the Irish just don't have the talent," etc... The problem is that this really gets quite tiring after awhile, and the excuse does not hold up under scrutiny.
Speed is a word that is simply used around college football to try and explain why a team is good or bad. Analysts like ESPN's three stooges are too afraid to EVER criticize coaches, or even admit that maybe that was part of the problem. Considering talent and that word that sounds so good, speed, is a product of recruiting, take a look at the comments of the big three recruiting analysts on Notre Dame's success. None are ready to even come close to conceding that the Irish are not getting very good athletes to come to South Bend.
Much like Florida and Nebraska in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl, ND and OSU was about two teams who came out and played games that were exact opposites. ND turned the ball over, they executed horribly on offense, and eventually just gave up. OSU came out with a solid game plan, executed it quite well, and got a couple of good bounces on turnovers and loose balls that let them run away with the game.
It was NOT all about speed.
If OSU did have as much talent as many are saying, then there is some question as to whether the Irish were playing OSU or Tennessee - Titans that is. What was, and still is brutally clear is that the Irish came out and made OSU look much better than they were. Do not get the wrong idea, OSU is a legitimate top five team, but speed does not let you run through an offensive line. Speed does not make the opposing team fumble. Speed does not make a coach play a cornerback who has failed repeatedly for two years. Speed does not explain why the defense stopped fighting in the third quarter. Speed does not give the defense the ability to let an opponents defense know what play was coming before the snap. Speed does not explain what appeared to be a coaching staff without a game plan.
And oh, by the way, I'm sure it would raise some eyebrows if ND and OSU compared forty times.
I do not criticize the Irish for losing. They lost to a good team. It's how they lost. I am critical that a team with this much talent could not do anything with it. I am tired of the coaching failures that have been pertinent since 1996. I would like to see a legitimate pass rush one of these years. Cornerbacks who can actually cover and break on the ball (just once even) which is something that has not been seen since '93, or '95 at the latest when Allen Rossum and Ivory Covington were not the best corners but played to their ability.
To put it briefly, there are many things that have not been changed and need to be.
I do not expect the Irish to compete for the national championship every year. I realize that unethical coaches like Erickson, Bowden, and Cooper (and kudos to OSU for having a conscience) have advantages by recruiting anybody and not caring whether or not they graduate, having the advantage of getting the players to focus on football without having to worry about class, and academic requirements that only rival some junior colleges. Notre Dame is not Miami, FSU, USC, or Ohio State. The University does not have courses in underwater fire prevention or Alaskan air conditioning. But Irish fans do expect teams that play to their potential.
I do not know if Davie is a good or bad coach. Looking back, considering his recruiting classes, I wonder whether this team one nine games on talent alone. But Davie has appeared to learn from his past mistakes, there is little reason to believe that this one will be different. Never-the-less, one has to wonder if Jordan Black is at left tackle or if Clifford Jefferson is still on defense come next September where this football team is really going.
Kevin White has a huge decision to make if Davie has a losing season next year, and as of right now White is faced with giving a coach an extension who hasn't proven himself capable yet.
But until then, don't insult my intelligence by telling me that Navy has better players if they beat the Irish next year.
Questions, Comments, can be emailed to klb1@somnus.host4u.net? All email is appreciated.