Columns

The Old-School Season

We’re considered old school here at NDN, and there’s nothing more old school than the season prediction magazines that are a staple of the late summer.  To spend some hours diving in depth into Notre Dame’s season four weeks before it unfolds allows fans to satisfy that football jones that has lay dormant since the…

Full Notre Dame Column

99 for 99

Back in February, we told you about Andean Health & Development, an outreach to the poor of Ecuador in memory of Fr. Ted Hesburgh. Three months later, AHD’s ability to deliver that relief is being put to the test, and we’re hoping our readership can answer the call again. On April 16th, Ecuador was hit…

Full Notre Dame Column

Brian VanGorder’s Math Problem

Much like Charlie Weis, Brian VanGorder seems to suffer from a basic math problem that wouldn’t even rate as a good SAT question. His recent comments about “tools” and “inventory” point to a rather simple root cause for Notre Dame’s big play woes: his players don’t have enough practice time to be able to execute…

Full Notre Dame Column

Back to Back

Notre Dame completed the 2014-15 regular season with a 26-5 record. The record was 20-10 this season. The 2015 conference record was 14-4, third best in the ACC. It was 11-7 in 2016, good for fifth place. The 2014-15 season always felt like it was building to something substantial. The 2015-16 season had as many…

Full Notre Dame Column

Rethinking 11-7

2015-16 conventional wisdom considered the ACC weaker than usual, a conference with several good teams but no outstanding teams. Therefore Notre Dame’s 11-7 record was unimpressive, akin to 9-9 most seasons. Well, if the ACC is weaker than usual, college basketball is weaker than usual; and I don’t think that’s the case. We’re used to…

Full Notre Dame Column