With the 47-40 double-overtime win over Clemson in the books, and hopes alive for a second appearance in the College Football Playoff in three years — and also a third postseason title run after reaching the BCS National Championship Game eight years ago — Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly was asked last week to compare this 2020 team with his previous two title hopeful squads from 2012 and 2018.
Kelly explained that while the 2012 team had great individual players, the 2020 unit is deeper and more talented when evaluating the entire roster.
“There were some really good pieces about that [2012] team,” Kelly explained. “But this [2020] team obviously has a lot more experience, depth, athleticism and speed. So in many areas, quite different from 2012.”
As for comparisons between 2020 and 2018, Kelly said greater physicality up front is the prime difference. He illustrated his point after Notre Dame recorded 208 rushing yards against Clemson while holding the Tigers to only 34 yards on the ground.
“Controlling the line of scrimmage is what my vision was in terms of what a championship football team looked like,” Kelly said. “And then the other pieces come together in different forms, but that physicality was certainly at the heart of it.”
Blue & Gold Illustrated took the question of Kelly’s best team a step further and broke it down by best position groups year-by-year during his first 10 seasons on the Notre Dame job.
Of the eight units we evaluated, the 2018 Irish were deemed the best in three categories, the 2017 and 2012 teams each claimed two top spots, and the 2015 team featured one.
We based these evaluations on depth, success and production from each group during each season.
All of this is fodder for debate, but what an all-star team it would make.
