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.
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- smurphdoggy29 - Oct 27, 2011 at 5:22 PM
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When you have Alumni, Fans, and students calling the team out it is time for the players to step forward.
My point before the season was they needed to produce from the first snap. What has been produced to this juncture hasn’t been terribly memorable at times, yet they still have a chance. Let’s see it team.
A very valid theme is being thrown out = this is a team/program in need of evolving BACK into a consistent winner. I couldn’t agree more, that is why I am willing to bide my time and watch for the results.
GO Irish, sink Navy !!
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- nudeman - Oct 28, 2011 at 10:43 AM
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I agree with you and Aaron.
But my question is – how does HE know? Is he spending time with the team? At practices? On the sidelines at games? Or is he doing this “analysis” from his couch like the rest of us?
Problems are simple:
1. Quarterbacking
2. Stupid penalties and turnovers
3. Overrated/poor defense
4. Not good enough. (need at least 1, maybe 2 more recruiting cycles to completely flush Weis from the system)
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- 808raiderinparadise - Oct 27, 2011 at 7:26 PM
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I think the main problem is: Quarterbackship
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- nudeman - Oct 28, 2011 at 10:45 AM
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Agree 100%
But there are apparently about 20 of Tommy Rees’ extended family members who frequent this board and if you say anything remotely critical of him, you get buried with insulting posts.
In other words, Rees is great; the real problems are the other 21 guys and coaching.
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- andfan1 - Oct 27, 2011 at 9:49 PM
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Aaron is correct. How long has it been said that there is no leadership on this team? Since Charlie was here and all of those seniors are players recruited by Charlie. They are very talented players, but there is evidently something missing in the mental aspect part of the game. Wait for two years when the last of Charlies recruits will be gone, then we’ll start to see the real Brian Kelly coached ND team.
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- rcali - Oct 27, 2011 at 11:33 PM
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Underachieving for the past decade +.
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- goirish64 - Oct 28, 2011 at 3:27 PM
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It’s clear to me that Tommy Rees is the best BK has to attempt to run his limited system of offense. It’s also clear
that TR has not tried to be a leader on the field, I like the young man, I think he is capable, but he has to grow. It
is very hard to be patient, especially since we (the fans) want more than a mediocre team effort, and more of a
killer instinct effort. It’s not just the Seniors that need to step it up, but the whole Team and the coaching. I think
they give effort, then let up. No mental consistency is what is killing them. I believe this is what BK has referred to
many times in the teams development. We just have to be patient as fans and hopefully soon the underachieving
will be a thing of the past. Yes I agree the main problem is with the Quarterback. Anyway, hang in there, better
days are ahead, (I keep praying).
GO IRISH Sink Navy
BK release the Horsemen!
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- mag1631 - Oct 28, 2011 at 4:02 PM
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I hate to sound too philosophical but I agree with the message in the video because it goes beyond football. Sure a coach makes lots of money but he can’t bring consistant success just because he’s a coach. It absolutely requires more than his leadership alone. To be great at anything that requires a lot of physical and mental work you need a lot of push and motivation. An attitude but the right attitude. It comes from a real toughness in how you approach life or how you plan to succeed. My point is that I’m a big ND fan but I’m tired of the same excuses. I’m tired of running through coaches. ND has a good one (my opinion). Keep him. A consistant message will eventually breed consistant play (and the extra leadership that the video discusses).
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- irishangst88 - Oct 28, 2011 at 9:18 PM
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Thank you Aaron Taylor, it needed to be said. There’s no reason for ND to push USC all over the coliseum last year and win despite poor QB play, then get pushed around ND stadium this year and lose with the same poor QB play. I can understand getting beat, USC is a good team with far superior QB play, but there is no excuse to get pushed around up front.This team is a collective head case, exemplified by the head case in chief, Dayne Crist. Don’t get me wrong, they are good kids and hard workers, even Kelly says so. They just can’t perform consistently or stop beating themselves. Hopefully they turn it around this year and improve next year, but let’s stop fooling ourselves with BCS talk. This team is too shallow at key spots, doesn’t have the QB to get them there (unless he’s still on the bench), and just doesn’t know how to win. As others have posted, give it a few years, then we can see what ND really has in Kelly. That is, if he can keep the recruits rolling in. If he can’t, ND may as well stake out a permanent place in mediocreville.
