Regardless if JY returns or not next season will obviously be much different. Gone are a special group of offensively gifted players. Next year's team must defend better because the offense won't bail them out. I think it will be a struggle early but I trust this staff to find the answers.
which has to be sometime today.
but next year, for good or ill, Notre Dame is a great unknown. Practically all new, untested players will be taking the reins and new rolls. The magic of sports is when the perceived lowliest rated player on a team scores 26 points and makes the wining shot for the championship—nothing is written (despite what ESPN tried to convince us about fate).
Unless the incoming freshmen become starters and impact players early in the season or we get one or more transfers, it will be a long season. There is still a lot of disparity between the top 15-20 teams in women’s basketball and everyone else so being a top 20 team, even in a down year, is almost a given. If Jackie returns that will certainly help. However, without the players who are graduating as a supporting cast, teams will put more focus on Jackie and that will have an impact.