Rockne's Roundtable

I think Coach Kelly got burnt by last season. Every where and every recruit he talked to last year he said that "This is a BCS team" "We Will be in the BCS this season", etc. And I also believe that was a major factor in why he blew his top last season was because he wasn't just giving coach speak. He knew he had a BCS caliber team last year and they pissed it away.

Good question. But do other positions besides QB count?

Because if so, I do believe the HArrison Smith, Floyd, KLM and Blanton all improved under this regime among others. Floyd, for instance, is a bigger, stronger faster and MUCH better blocker now. But if we are just talking QBs, IMO, he lays an egg there but mainly because I see a disconnect in between he and QBs. These arent stupid kids yet they struggle to understand him and this offense. At some point I question the teacher's methods.

Was it really any better when people have expected great seasons the last few years and ND sucked?

By the way, while we're on this 8 win thing, has anyone seen years ago the day or so after Holtz was hired he was asked on CBS??

"Coach, so you're coming into a program on the downslope and losing alot of seniors off a 5-6 ND team, and looking at a brutal schedule for 1986, so I have to ask, how many games do you really think you can win?"

He gave an answer I wont forget especially because at the end of the sentence I sat up on the couch at full attention.

"These seniors came here with hopes and dreams to ND of bowl games and National Championships so it will be our duty to go out and see to it that we get every one of them"

Pure, sincere, true genius. Without concrete expectations, he inspired a nation.

Again everybody jumped the gun because of one post. Kelly never set a goal for only a 8 win season but pointed to the FACT that it had been since Holtz that ND had strung together three 8+ win seasons. What was his point ? That ND has lacked the consistancy needed to build a progam that could compete annualy for a place at the BCS table.

I was there as well...and would add another few points more on critique and rather on the topics (which were nicely sumarized):

-the event was poorly attended in comparison to other years

-the 8 win comment was clearly directed at the overall direction of the program and the consistency which he hopes to establish

-Kelly's speech/ Q and A with Jeffer's was rather uninspiring and vanilla especially for those who follow ND football closely

I'm not looking for another Lou Holt'z....okay I lied, I probably always am...but if I could've done that discussion, under the same circumstances, I might have chosen to try to lift up the crowd and in turn the team by reflecting on how the student athletes who believe in Notre Dame, and what it stands for (something at the very core of the evening) are what we need to continue to build the program. People who give their heart and soul to the team, and more importantly, the University, are "all in" because by doing so you take ownership for your actions every day...in the classroom, on the field. In turn, you wear the pride of the alumni, your family and your faith on your shoulders each and every saturday. We need people who bring each other up and together....and even though its unlikely to play for the BCS title each and every year....we find ways to battle through adversity and make one another play, perform, and achieve at a higher level...ultimately allowing for a magical season. It's building that ideology that made former Irish coaches...legends.

I don't know...just my opinion because I left throurughlly dissapointed. I like Kelly, and haven't given up on him but maybe everything just seems a lot better when kids (and not just ridiculously talented ones) aren't leaving, decommitting and we just simply have more W's

Hope we can get that magical season soon

GO IRISH

tough schedule.....boo hoo.

we have more than enough talent and BK has had more than enough time to put his system in to do better than that despite him downplaying expectations.

I could be the Head Coach with all his assistants and win at least 7 games.