Notre Dame Sees Dramatic Upheaval At Least Every Five Years

Back in 1981, a new Notre Dame publication, The Football Report, was begun. The name changed to Go Irish! in 1982 and subsequently Blue & Gold Illustrated in 1983.

Ever since the start of that publication, years ending in 1 or 6 at Notre Dame have resulted in upheaval, some for better, some for worse. This past season, 2016, has been no exception. Here’s a review of the chronological symmetry every five years.

1981: Faust Fever

Part of the reason the new publication began this season was the arrival of new head coach Gerry Faust, whose enthusiasm, ebullience and shake-down-the-thunder personality — plus his silver-tongued recruiting that landed the No. 1 class that February with an unprecedented and unrivaled 13 Parade All-American — electrified the Fighting Irish faithful. It was a sharp contrast to predecessor Dan Devine (1975-80), who was deemed too bland with his 53-16-1 record (.764) that included the 1977 national title.

Result: A preseason favorite to win the national title, the Irish went from playing No. 1 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl in 1980 to a flabbergasting 5-6 mark under 1963-80 Cincinnati Moeller High School legend Faust.

1986: Experience Counts

Following a career mark of 30-26-1 from 1981-85, including another 5-6 ledger in 1985, Faust was replaced by Lou Holtz, a proven, battle-tested success as a 16-year college head coach. All but one of his nine full-time assistants (running backs coach Mike Stock) were new.

His first recruiting class includes “the perfect Holtz quarterback” in South Carolina’s Tony Rice.

Result: While playing one of the nation’s most treacherous schedules (minus Rice at QB while sitting out as a Prop 48 player) that include national champ Penn State, Big Ten champ Michigan, SEC champ LSU on the road, top-10 Alabama on the road, at USC, plus other top rivals such as at Michigan State and Pitt, the Irish go 5-6 again, but lose five games by a total of 14 points.

Before the end of the 1980s, Notre Dame would set a new school record with 23 consecutive victories and the 1988 national title. In 1988-89, the Irish defeat 11 teams that finish in the final AP Top 18.

1991: Raised Standards

After having a chance to win a national title on New Year’s Day three straight years from 1988-90, tremendous disappointment ensues with a 9-3 regular season (although a win over No. 3 Florida in the Sugar Bowl provides some salve). The recruiting also falls apart after this season following four straight No. 1 classes from 1987-90, prompting esteemed recruiting coordinator Vinny Cerrato to leave for the NFL.

In addition to having to replace Cerrato, four new assistant coaches are hired after the season to shake up the operation, including relatively unheralded Rick Minter from Ball State as defensive coordinator.

Result: The Irish post a 21-2-1 record the next two seasons, highlighted by a 17-game winning streak culminated by a win over No. 1 Florida State in 1993 — but finishes No. 2 to the Seminoles that season.

1996: End Of An Era

After a remarkable six-year run from 1988-93 with a 64-9-1 record (including 5-1 in major bowls versus teams that were 64-3-1), Holtz’s last three Notre Dame teams (1994-96) slip to 23-11-1 with no bowl wins, and opt not to go to one after a demoralizing 8-3 mark in 1996.

After 11 seasons, Holtz submits his resignation in November ’96, saying “it’s the right thing to do.”

Result: Despite no head coaching experience, third-year defensive coordinator and 42-year-old Bob Davie is promoted to head coach. He retains much of the staff, but hires former Purdue head coach Jim Colletto as offensive coordinator and Michigan’s Greg Mattison as defensive coordinator.

2001: Tumult & Turmoil

Davie is fired Dec. 2 after a 5-6 finish in his fifth season and a 35-25 record overall. Successor George O’Leary from Georgia Tech submits his resignation Dec. 13 — four days after his hiring — because of false information on his resume. This leads to incessant mocking nationally of how unappealing the Notre Dame job has become.

Result: On New Year’s Eve, news breaks that Stanford’s Lionel Tyrone Willingham, who was 3-2 against Davie from 1997-2001, will be the new Irish head coach, the first African-American to hold such a post at Notre Dame.

2006: Calm Before The Storm

Charlie Weis completes his second season with two straight BCS bowl bids and a solid 19-6 record, but there is angst about reaching “the next level” and how “9-3 isn’t good enough.”

After his second two-year term with the Irish, defensive coordinator Minter is not renewed for a third term and replaced by relatively inexperienced Corwin Brown (with zero coordinator experience), Mike Haywood is promoted to offensive coordinator and Peter Vaas is replaced by first-time on-field college assistant Ron Powlus as QB coach.

Result: Just when you thought the never-satisfied Weis was on a path to join the pantheon of Notre Dame legends, a stunning 3-9 meltdown, the most defeats ever in one season for the Irish, ensues in 2007. Weis' last three years with the Irish result in a 16-21 record, nearly matching the 17-23 career mark of Joe Kuharich from 1959-62.

2011: Brian Kelly Makes His Moves

After opening his Notre Dame career with back-to-back 8-5 campaigns, and notably a disheartening 18-14 loss to Florida State in the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl, Kelly makes five huge changes on his staff.

He shifts safeties coach Chuck Martin to offensive coordinator/quarterbacks, hires Harry Hiestand (offensive line) from Tennessee, promotes intern Scott Booker (tight ends/special teams coordinator), moves tight ends coach Mike Denbrock to receivers, thereby shifting receivers coach Tony Alford to running backs, and brings in Kerry Cooks to coach cornerbacks while Bob Elliott handles the safeties.

Result: Notre Dame stuns college football with a 12-0 regular season and No. 1 ranking in 2012, before losing 42-14 to Alabama in the BCS Championship.

2016: Tumult Again

Just when you thought Kelly was on the threshold of finally building a “program” after a 10-3 season in 2015 … the preseason top-10 Irish inexplicably fall to 4-8, one of the most head-shaking, mind-numbing, where-did-that come from seasons in school history, especially versus a favorable schedule.

Result: For the first time to our recollection, a Notre Dame assistant is fired in-season, with defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder ousted after a 1-3 start. Hired as the replacement this December was Wake Forest’s Mike Elko.

Meanwhile, former Irish assistant and recent Nevada head coach Brian Polian is brought aboard to coordinate special teams, and changes within the strength and conditioning infrastructure and elsewhere also lie in wait.

Stay tuned in 2021 — which is how long Kelly signed on for at Notre Dame this past January.

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