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Notre Dame Football

We've Been Here Before

November 8, 2017
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The human brain is a strange thing.  It’s amazing what one stimuli can do to change the course or direction.  One event can take something clearly heading in the right or wrong direction and change the eventual outcome dramatically.   

One incident can change an apathetic group into suddenly an enthusiastic one.  

I think one of the greatest examples of this was probably the horrific images of 9-11, and how immediately, not only the United States, but many nations around the world, seemed to unite in the face of evil.  It was one of the truly patriotic events of the century.  With so much hatred in this world, that was probably the one and only time I can remember in my almost 50 years that the United States was truly “United.”  

The same can be said for football.  One event can seem to turn the tide quickly, whether it’s a catastrophic fumble at the goal line returned for a touchdown against South Florida, or another fatal fumble at the goal line at Clemson .

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Brian Kelly

Or, it can be season changing, like the phantom “pick play” against Notre Dame in Tallahassee as the Irish tried to win the game in the final seconds.  

It can also be program changing, like the inexplicable loss to Boston College in ’93, which most Irish fans would agree was the tipping point of the Holtz era.  The Holtz teams were never the same after that loss, and neither has been Notre Dame. 

There are also season defining moments, such as Notre Dame’s spanking of Oklahoma in 2012.  

And then there is just the Gods setting things right, like Notre Dame’s depantsing of Michigan, 37-0, in 2014, the last time Notre Dame played the Wolverines.  Yes, I know that wasn’t the “official” score, but Notre Dame fans know it was.  

And the throughly enjoyable 49-14 paddling the Irish administered to their rival, USC, earlier this year…the most satisfying win since the Irish beat up Michigan and stole their lunch money in 2014.  

There have been a lot of big wins this season already.  At Michigan State, USC and North Carolina State at home, and one very close loss.

What is the future of this Notre Dame team?  What is the future of this Irish program?  

Saturday, the Irish have a chance to have what could be a season defining moment.  Beat Miami and they’ll have a great chance to get into the playoff.  Yes, I know that Navy is always tough, and so is Stanford, but a win on the road in that environment will almost certainly give this team the juice they need to finish out the season strong.  

It could also be a program defining moment as well.  If Notre Dame can win this game, win the remaining contests on the schedule, and show strong in the playoff, that will certainly propel Brian Kelly’s program exactly in the direction he wants to be headed.  

Lose?  Would that be season defining or program defining?  

Notre Dame teams under Brian Kelly have had these potential program defining moments before.  Clemson in 2015, I believe, was such a time.  Had Notre Dame won that, where would they be?  

Alabama in 2012.  Notre Dame wasn’t likely going to win that game regardless, but had Notre Dame not had a defensive coordinator looking for his first head coaching job, the Manti fiasco, and a head coach also looking at options, who knows how that game would’ve turned out and what that could’ve meant for the program?  

They had them under Charlie Weis…USC, 2005.  How would have things changed had they won that game?  

There have been a lot of season defining moments, too.  Far too many to count, and more often than not in the past 25+ years Notre Dame has ended up on the wrong side of them.  

This has been great season so far, and it’s been almost miraculous, the turnaround we’ve seen from this team.  It’s been one of the most enjoyable teams and seasons I’ve ever covered, and so we should just be happy and thankful for that.

However, I look at this game on Saturday and I see a season defining moment, and potential program defining moment as well.  

All the positive momentum of this season can be flushed down the toilet with one or two bad showings.  We’ve seen that happen at the end of 2015 with bad losses to Stanford and to Ohio State in the bowl game.

Momentum is a wild ride, and the human brain is a complicated thing.  

Brian Kelly needs to figure out how to ride this wave of momentum the rest of this regular season, and keep cultivating the human brain of his team.  He’s done a great job so far, but there is more work to be done.  Confidence is everything…true confidence.  

I believe Notre Dame can find true confidence if they can win this game on Saturday.  If they can find that, like Alabama has going into every game, that’s when we will know this program is truly on the way “back.” 

I believe this Miami game is bigger than one win or loss.  It’s that next milestone and important notch up the ladder.  

So much positive momentum has been built this season.  A win on Saturday could take that momentum to the next level.  

What’s it going to be, Irish?  

 
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