With an assist from Jack Swarbrick

 

Notre Dame looks nothing like the program these two inherited. And that's from top to bottom.

 

But specifically as it relates to the on-field product, it's not even not your dad's Notre Dame it's not your older brother's Notre Dame either.

 

And Brian Kelly deserves all the credit.

 

From Day One there has been a plan, and it's now truly being reflected in style of play, talent level, depth, philosophy, confidence, power and strength and athletic ability.

 

There is talent all over the field, from the starters to the backups, and it's being utilized beautifully.

 

The thing I kept noticing over the last four years was the foundation that was being built. The talent that was being brought in. The process underway developing that talent.

 

It was unfortunate there wasn't a game-changing QB already on the roster, or that EG was lost for an entire season and his absence was reflected in the W-L record last season, but the buy-in was appreciating just how good the coaching actually was while playing with a quarterback who - God bless him - probably doesn't start on 90 percent of Div-I college football teams.

 

That, and the kind of talent being assembled around the QB position.

 

The pieces were being accumulated, it just took a little longer to solidify the QB.

 

BK stayed true to his plan while also adjusting to a glaring limitation.

 

And now it's all coming together.

 

And it's a beautiful thing.

I love how people were saying the program was doomed forever when the allegations were made about cheating...

 

I absolutely HATE the HOMERS vs. PESSIMISTS labels...but damn, if there aren't some chicken littles on this board...

Its only week two! Might want to settle your horses..

I love how people were saying the program was doomed forever when the allegations were made about cheating...

 

I absolutely HATE the HOMERS vs. PESSIMISTS labels...but damn, if there aren't some chicken littles on this board...

 

I can respect the homer vs optimist issue, but I think it is and was reasonable for people to be more than a little upset when the word was that up to 22 players were involved and we had not played one down yet.

 

Obviously the number was super inflated and the team is playing extremely well, but I don't think that the idea the sky is falling was completely unfounded.

 

In hindsight, sky still intact.

I love how people were saying the program was doomed forever when the allegations were made about cheating...

 

I absolutely HATE the HOMERS vs. PESSIMISTS labels...but damn, if there aren't some chicken littles on this board...

 

To be fair, NDs initial press conference was pretty dire. Talk of vacating wins. That doesn't happen for minor issues like it turned out to be.

To be fair, NDs initial press conference was pretty dire. Talk of vacating wins. That doesn't happen for minor issues like it turned out to be.

 

Even with that...programs have rebounded from FAR worse...

Even with that...programs have rebounded from FAR worse...

 

I don't remember anyone talking about shutting the doors, though I have some recollections of wondering if Holy Cross had a team.

I absolutely HATE the HOMERS vs. PESSIMISTS labels.

 

I do too, as I know we all want the same darn thing.

 

And I totally get how long we were in the desert and how deflating it was to get our hopes up only to be humiliated and humbled over the years.

 

But man, our losses the last few years were so directly tied to the inefficiency of just one position - and not the multiple issues that had dogged ND for decades - you just wondered why people couldn't see the obvious progress that was happening across the board.

 

And feel good about the future, the coach, the plan and the program.

I do too, as I know we all want the same darn thing.

 

And I totally get how long we were in the desert and how deflating it was to get our hopes up only to be humiliated and humbled over the years.

 

But man, our losses the last few years were so directly tied to the inefficiency of just one position - and not the multiple issues that had dogged ND for decades - you just wondered why people couldn't see the obvious progress that was happening across the board.

 

And feel good about the future, the coach, the plan and the program.

 

Because he had issues with 4 different QBs.

Its only week two! Might want to settle your horses..

 

It's not just week two, though.

 

It's four complete seasons, a spring and summer and fall camp and two games into a program that from Day One was working and headed in the right direction.

 

The work has been going into this for some time. And it's not about point spreads or anything to me. It's what my untrained eyes see: A program and level of talent and execution that is absolutely ELITE.

Because he had issues with 4 different QBs.

 

Did HE have issues with them or did they simply have talent and imitation issues?

 

I think the answer is obvious.

 

But if you want to stick with Brian Kelly didn't properly tap into the talent of Tommy Rees, Dayne Crist, Andrew Hendrix, feel free.

 

I just don't think any of them were all that great.

Edited September 8, 201410 yr by NDBadaBing

Because he had issues with 4 different QBs.

 

Rees, Crist, Hendrix, who am I forgetting? Two of those three stumbled at different schools. I don't know that another school would have taken Rees to see how he could do

 

Edit - Gunner? How does he even count... has he played a snap elsewhere (honest question?).

 

I get where one can say "well he picked them, he should have scouted better!" And that has merit, but he inherited Crist. Gunner was/is a headcase. Rees just never developed anything resembling arm strength and Andrew appears to be a paper tiger. I maybe shouldn't, but I forgive BK for those 4 QB's.

Did HE have issues with them or did they simply have talent and imitation issues?

 

I think the answer is obvious.

 

But if you want to stick with the Brian Kelly didn't properly tap into the talent of Tommy Rees, Dayne Crist, Andrew Hendrix, feel free.

 

I just don't think any of them were all that great.

 

No they weren't all that good. But were thy any better after he worked with them? No. That raises questions when a QB guru has three different QBs not get any better under his tutelage.

 

Heck, at this point you could argue Whitfield is as important to Golson's growth as anyone. But I won't argue that point.

Rees, Crist, Hendrix, who am I forgetting? Two of those three stumbled at different schools. I don't know that another school would have taken Rees to see how he could do

 

Edit - Gunner? How does he even count... has he played a snap elsewhere (honest question?).

 

I get where one can say "well he picked them, he should have scouted better!" And that has merit, but he inherited Crist. Gunner was/is a headcase. Rees just never developed anything resembling arm strength and Andrew appears to be a paper tiger. I maybe shouldn't, but I forgive BK for those 4 QB's.

 

No, if Kizer develops and Zaire develops then these were just a blip on the radar due to odd circumstances.

No, if Kizer develops and Zaire develops then these were just a blip on the radar due to odd circumstances.

 

I would agree. If we were to break down each 4, I think we know what we and Kansas had in Crist. I could make the argument - not knowing if this was BK's doing or not - but Rees seemed to be able to read defenses and get the offense into a good play at the line more often than not however he lacked the ability to execute. I won't even speculate about Gunner. Hendrix? If it was all in his head, I don't know what more BK could have done other than try to get him out on the field more but that brings its own set of issues.

 

I want to make an argument that EG seems to have a better command of the offense this season but then we have issues with 2 timeouts taken in 2 minutes of the 1st Quarter, so I'm not sure I can make that claim.