Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/699309
8 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2016 FOOTBALL PREVIEW UNDER THE DOME ALL IN THE NOTRE DAME FAMILY In December 1963, Ara Parseghian became the first non‑interim football coach hired at Notre Dame who did not graduate from the school since Jesse Harper in 1913, or 50 years prior. During his Hall‑of‑Fame 11‑year tenure (1964‑74), though, Parseghian had numerous Notre Dame graduates on his staff, including defensive line coach Joe Yonto, linebackers coach George Kelly and tight end/offensive line coach Brian Boulac, all of whom remained in the football office or at the university in an administrative capacity into the 1990s and beyond. In the 17 seasons from 1988‑2004, the only two Notre Dame graduates on the football staff were 1972‑74 quarterback Tom Clements (1992‑95) and 1986 walk‑on Skip Holtz (1990‑93). That changed with the hiring of 1978 graduate Charlie Weis as head coach in 2005, and he also brought on board former Irish defensive back Mike Haywood and quarterback Ron Powlus. Under seventh‑year head coach Brian Kelly, the Notre Dame lineage has grown considerably, almost taking a cue from the school's basketball offices. Head coach Muffet McGraw's staff, which went to five consecutive Final Fours in 2011‑15, includes second all‑time leading scorer Beth Morgan Cunningham (1993‑97), who led the program's first Final Four run as a senior, and Niele Ivey (1996‑2001), the starting point guard for the 2001 national champs. On the men's side — the only men's program to advance to the Elite Eight each of the past two seasons — Mike Brey recently hired Ryan Humphrey (2000‑02) and Ryan Ayers (2005‑09) to join director of basketball operations Harold Swanagan (1998‑2002). Vacating a post this spring was 1997‑2001 point guard Martin Ingelsby, now the head coach at Delaware. Not since the early 1960s have the Notre Dame football and basketball offices been so stocked with alumni. Among the Notre Dame graduates aiding the football program are: • Autry Denson ('99) — Hired in 2015, the school's all‑time leading rusher helped lead Notre Dame to its best rushing output since his senior year in 1998 while working with a converted receiver (C.J. Prosise) and true fresh ‑ man (Josh Adams). • Todd Lyght ('91) — One of 16 two‑time consensus All‑Americans in Irish football history is, like Denson, in his second season on the staff. • Ron Powlus ('97) — The four‑year starting quarterback in 1994‑97 is in his second season as director of player development. • David Grimes ('09) — Former captain caught 90 passes during his career and became an intern in 2011. He has been an assistant strength and con‑ ditioning coach since 2012. • Jeff Burris ('94) — Officially hired this June, the All‑American defensive back/running back/return man and first‑round NFL pick is the new defensive analyst who can also help with recruiting on campus. • Brian Ratigan ('93) — The former linebacker, who was in the NFL from 1993‑95, enters his ninth year as head of orthopedic sports medicine for Notre Dame football and baseball. • As this Preview went to press, former Notre Dame linebacker Greg Hudson (1984‑87) also was projected to be on the support staff. Defensive backs coach Todd Lyght is one of six former Irish players currently serving on staff for the football program. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND NOTRE DAME STAYS NO. 1 IN WINNING PERCENTAGE With identical 10‑3 records in 2015, Notre Dame and Michigan remained one‑two on the Football Bowl Subdivision's all‑time winning percentage chart, based on our updated calculations from all‑ time records compiled by the NCAA office. Both the Fighting Irish and Wolverines have overcome some down periods since the turn of the century. They are positioned under their current leadership — and with consistent recruiting success and development — to continue to thrive. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly's troops generally have been rated in the Nos. 8‑12 spots this summer by about a half dozen outlets, but it's been second‑ year head coach Jim Harbaugh who has created a buzz in Ann Arbor. After transforming downtrodden Stanford into a power and leading the moribund San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance, Harbaugh's impact is already being felt with consensus preseason top‑five rankings this summer. Michigan has become a chic selection, not just dark horse, to make the four‑team College Football Playoff. The rise of both has prompted some speculation that the Notre Dame‑Michigan football rivalry — ended in 2014 and not projected to be possibly renewed for at least a decade — might have a small window of opportunity for a 2018‑19 series. First‑year Michigan athletics director and former Wolverines football player Warde Manuel told The Detroit Free Press this May that he is "open" to a series with Notre Dame, provided the scheduling logistics for both schools mesh. Notre Dame replaced Michigan with Texas in 2015‑16, and has future games with Georgia, Ohio State and Texas A&M, among others, in place of the Wolverines. Meanwhile, Michigan has included Arkansas, Virginia Tech, Washington, UCLA, Texas and Oklahoma on its docket, possibly making another brand name less feasible. "The Big Ten is a pretty tough conference and so knowing that we have nine games against Big Ten opponents, you look at the nonconference scheduling very closely to figure out that balance of those three games," Manuel told The Detroit Free Press. "It's important, it's something I'm looking at, but nothing imminent in terms of changes." Notre Dame and Michigan are joined by Boise State and Ohio State as the lone schools eclipsing the .720 winning percentage mark. The Broncos, who have played only 47 years, were 81‑12 from 2008‑14 for a .871 figure, but took a bit of a dip with a 9‑4 ledger in 2015. Meanwhile, over the last 10 years Ohio State is 122‑22 (.847) and shows no signs of slowing down under fifth‑year head coach Urban Meyer, who is 50‑4 (.926) with the Buckeyes. Alabama, which has captured four of the last seven national titles, including 2015, continues to ascend at a rapid pace with a 98‑12 record (.891) record under head coach Nick Saban since 2008. Michigan could pass Notre Dame in 2016 if there is about a three‑game difference in won‑lost records. For example, if the Wolverines finished 12‑1 and the Irish 9‑4, Michigan's all‑time percentage would be .73180 compared to Notre Dame's .73174. Division I Football Bowl Subdivision All-Time Won-Lost Records By Percentage School Games Pct. W L T Change 1. Notre Dame 1,247 .73215 892 313 42 — 2. Michigan 1,292 .72987 925 331 36 — 3. Boise State 578 .72318 417 159 2 — 4. Ohio State 1,248 .72235 875 320 53 — 5. Oklahoma 1,233 .71978 861 319 53 — 6. Alabama 1,233 .71816 864 326 43 — 7. Texas 1,272 .70951 886 353 33 — 8. USC* 1,201 .69941 813 334 54 — 9. Nebraska 1,289 .69860 880 368 41 — 10. Penn State* 1,277 .68480 854 382 41 Up 2 Division I Football Bowl Subdivision All-Time Won-Lost Records By Victories School Years W L T Change 1. Michigan 136 925 331 36 — 2. Notre Dame 127 892 313 42 — 3. Texas 123 886 353 33 — 4. Nebraska 126 880 368 41 — 5. Ohio State 126 875 320 53 — 6. Alabama 121 864 326 43 — 7. Oklahoma 121 861 319 53 Down 1 8. Penn State* 129 854 382 41 Up 4 9. Tennessee 119 820 371 53 Down 1 10. USC* 123 813 334 54 Down 1 * Indicates record adjusted by action of the NCAA Committee on Infractions