Aaron Taylor has seen Notre Dame football at its very best. The former Irish captain and 1993 Lombardi Award winner was a two-time All-American for Notre Dame before being drafted in the first round by the Green Bay Packers.
After his career, Taylor has worked as both a television studio analyst and devoted time to his philanthropic endeavors, running the Aaron Taylor IMPACT fund for children in San Diego. Back working for CBS Sports, Taylor has struggled with the disappointment of the Irish’s 4-3 start.
“There’s nothing worse in life than a missed opportunity,” Taylor said.
Here’s a video of Taylor challenging the Irish’s veteran leadership to salvage this season:
It’s easy to tag leadership as part of the problem, but it also could be a valid point. The Irish only have one full-time captain, with Harrison Smith the only official team leader after Michael Floyd was stripped of the title after his DUI arrest last spring.
That said, the Irish don’t have a ton of veteran leaders, but do have enough -- guys like Ethan Johnson, Braxston Cave, Trevor Robinson and Robert Blanton. But this senior class just isn’t a group that has had a lot of success on the field with the Irish, part of what could be the problem as this team struggles to try and turn these losing habits around.