What's wrong with Notre Dame??

Answer 1

The players aren't very talented, and the coaching is surprisingly poor.

Answer 2

Everything is wrong for Notre Dame, this team is just plain bad, from the offense to the defense, just horrible all around. The Notre Dame QB's can't even stand up straight to make a play, the opposing team defensive lineman's is just harassing the Irish O-Lineman's all the time. This team is too young all around, that's what wrong with them, the experience is just not there for the Irish.

Answer 3

While "Bobby the Brain's" assessment that Notre Dame's academic standing is the reason for this season's ineptitude on the football field, it is not the complete answer. How can one explain a disaster of this magnitude? For most of this season, Notre Dame has simply been unable to compete against average to above average Division 1 football teams. This is a disaster of historic proportions for which there is no simple or single answer. In addition to "the Brain's" reason, I think that Charlie Weis, who came to ND with only professional coaching experience, (Weis did not play college football) has approached coaching college athletes as if they were seasoned, professional athletes. For example, in the pros, usually there is no physical contact in practice during the season; practices are nearly always without pads, etc. College kids, no matter how talented they are as athletes, require more rigorous training and practice to develop the football skills necessary to compete in Div. 1. I think Charlie Weis has treated these kids as if they were already developed. He got away with it because until this year he had an incredibly talented quarterback that Charlie helped blossom into a gem. Brady Quinn and several top-notch receivers who are no longer undergraduates, explain the partial success of 2 years past. (Quarterbacks and wide receivers do not require physical practices to develop like O and D lineman.) In addition, in the past 2 years Charlie did not frequently substitute in order to provide the back-ups with game experience, which is extremely important. In short, Charlie has failed to develop the ND football athletes from great high school players to good or great college players. However, I think that he now realizes this, albeit a touch too late for most of us.

Answer 4

It is not what is wrong with Notre Dame, it is what is wrong with college football. Notre Dame holds it's student athletes to a higher academic standard than just about every other division I "Bowl Subdivision" School. It makes it incredibly hard for Notre Dame to recruit quality talent. The guys that suit up for Notre Dame would most likely be attending a college like Notre Dame regardless of football, where it could be argued that if it wasn't for "Football Factory" institutions that certain players would not be attending college at all. Notre Dame not only has to compete with other schools who will take just about anyone off the street who can play football , but also has to compete with other institutions for talent that would meet their academic standards. There are numerous athletes who could meet Notre Dame's standards that would rather play for another institution. It could be they have family who are alumni from other schools, they want to play closer to home, or just want to have a chance to win and know they have a better chance somewhere else than Notre Dame. Any coach who walks the sidelines in the modern history of Notre Dame has had to deal with this. You don't have the weak standards at Notre Dame where athletes can slide if needed like at other schools. Take a player like Vince Young, Did anyone catch a couple weeks ago when they had that emotional piece about the note that Vince wrote to his Tennessee Titan teammates? Just by judging from that note, if anyone can prove that Vince Young is anything more than barely literate and has a real bonafide college education I'll kiss your @ss. It is clear he does not. It is clear he went to college for football and football only. The problem with Notre Dame is that college football has replaced academics as the number one goal of it's student athletes and you won't see a drastic turn around at Notre Dame unless they lower their standards to accept more talent who might consider it due to geographics, but can't make the cut, or the NCAA becomes more strict as a whole with regards to the academic prowess of its student athletes. Don't bet on that happening anytime soon, because that would cut into the cash cow that College Football has become for universities.

Answer 5

The "experienced" Juniors and Seniors aren't that good...except for QB Evan Sharpley and TE John Carlson...All the talent is in the Freshman and Sophomore class with very little experience...I don't know why Weis hasn't adjusted the depth chart better and played the more talented over the more experienced...The Freshman and Sophomore RBs and WRs come to mind...They are better than the Juniors and Seniors...

I hope the one below who says USC has higher academic standards than ND was kidding...Because if not, he's a complete idiot...

Answer 6

bad karma from how they did Tyrone Willingham...who by the way almost beat the number one USC trojans today.

And if their freshmen are so talented, how many games do they need to show it?

He won with Willinghams players. This team now has nothing to do with Willingham and everything to do with weis.

And chill with that high academic standards. Notre Dame has found a way around it time and time again.

Answer 7

The coach has finally run out of players he inherited from the previous regime and now we are seeing he's a poor recruiter. You can't win if your players aren't good.

Answer 8

Hey, their football team sucks, but at least they're "ranked" in the academic standings. Check it out, they're #19 in the latest USNews rankings:

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/brief/t1natudoc_brief.php

Answer 9

um usc has higher academic standards than notre dame. next excuse?

Answer 10

Poor coaching and lack of talent for starters.