Certain themes seem to persist over the decades regarding Notre Dame Football. Whether it is narratives from fans or media, one such theme is the Irish “closing the gap” regarding the talent differential and ultimate results between Notre Dame and those programs that win playoff games and titles. Kelly spoke of ” shopping down a different aisle” to acquire talent at Notre Dame. Folks often speak about stringent academics, cold weather, tough undergraduate transfer admission policies, NIL, and pay-for-play. We’ve heard it all. I’ve written and spoken about it all.
Have any solutions been found? I see two paths for the Irish to “close the gap” to more elite rosters and wins and a third path, the one they’ve been on for at least 25 years being a dangerous one to continue heading down. Let’s examine in more detail.