Notre Dame Football: This Is a Process

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

So, Notre Dame's pass defense is bad. It is like, really, really, really bad. In fact, it is just awful.

Even though the Irish spent much of the day making the nation's 106th-ranked pass offense look like the next coming of the "Greatest Show on Turf," the pass defense did get some turnovers, and ultimately did enough to bail out our offense and get that ugly Boston College monkey off of our back.

And while I was watching that game and pining for the return of wide receiver Michael Floyd, I kept reminding myself that we are almost there. We're clearly not actually there, but we're getting close. I had to remind myself that this is a team that is still growing, and that once we get healthy, we should be a great team.

But after watching that game, the other thing I couldn't help thinking was that Notre Dame Co-Defensive Coordinator Corwin Brown is not a good coach. I like Brown, and I've heard him speak a few times. He's a great recruiter, and he can motivate as well as anyone I've ever seen. It just doesn't seem like he's doing a very good job of teaching these kids the fundamental skills necessary to defend against the pass.

Yes, it is hard to defend against the pass when we aren't getting any pressure on the quarterback. And for that reason, I'm done with this Jon Tenuta defensive coordinator experiment as well.If this is what's going to happen when we blitz 80 percent of the time, I don't want it. And what's really frustrating about this abysmal pass defense is that on paper, the defensive secondary was supposed to be the strength of this unit.

Indeed, if this defense were well coached and playing up to the level of their talent, we would easily be undefeated and clearly in the middle of the National Championship conversation.

And we should be in the thick of the conversation next year; especially if Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen comes back.

So, I'm now advocating for a change. I don't want to get rid of Head Coach Charlie Weis. He has rebuilt the foundation of this football program, and his offense is clearly not the problem (although, I'm sick of settling for field goals). What I'm advocating for is a wholesale change on the defensive side of the ball.

Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick should work with Weis to identify the best defensive coordinator in the country, and do whatever it takes to lure them to South Bend. I would essentially make him a co-head coach, let him handle the defense, and let Weis handle the offense. If we can teach the kids on this defense the fundamentals of defense, we can win a title.

We don't need any more players—the talent is there. It's not a talent issue and I don't even think it's a scheme issue. I think this team is lacking in someone who is teaching the fundamentals of sound defensive football.

I watched the practice video from last week, and although it is just a snippet, I was frustrated by the lack of direction being given to the secondary in a tackling drill. They were basically being told to do "whatever it takes" to make the tackle. They weren't being corrected on form and technique.

Maybe that happens in some other drill, I don't know. But I do know—as a long-time swim teacher—that you need to take every opportunity that presents itself as a teaching moment to help correct mistakes and errors.

So, let's make a change. Get someone in here capable of developing the skill sets necessary to be successful.

Because from my seats, this is unacceptable.

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