Maybe I’m one of the last people following Notre Dame to believe this, but I still think the football team is playing for something. Obviously today, they play for the seniors. But more importantly, they’re playing for personal pride, and to prove that last year’s swoon wasn’t something embedded in this team’s DNA, but a bad combination of youthful mistakes, stout opponents, and a large boulder of negative momentum that continued to snowball.
More importantly, I think there’s a very real possibility that Charlie Weis remains the coach of this football team if the Irish win these final two games. While many people don’t want to hear it, Jack Swarbrick is going to take a far more comprehensive look at the football program than many of us will, and that includes using logic when searching for a replacement for Weis.
To those convinced that a change needs to be made, a new coach doesn’t guarantee defensive improvement. And a new coach will most likely mean an offense that takes a step backwards, even if Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate don’t take their skills to the NFL. Finally, a new coach means reestablishing an offense and a recruiting base, and replacing the most dynamic staff of recruiters the Irish have ever had.
But today is about football, and the Irish need to battle against a game opponent, a slew of emotions, and a fan base that has many more concerned with enacting change than supporting the team.
Enjoy the final home game of an eventful football season. We often forget that it’s gone almost as quickly as it begins...