November 13, 1993

This was the last day Notre Dame football was truly "back". The Charlie Ward pass that was knocked down with no time left on the clock was the last time Notre Dame was ranked No. 1 in the country.

I was only six years old at the time, but I can still remember the announcer for NBC saying right after the game (with the crazy celebration that was unfolding on the field), "The ghost of Knute Rockne is living! And he is smiling...."

We have been fooled into thinking that Notre Dame was on their way back before (Willingham’s 8-0 start in '02 and Weis' first season in '05), but it all proved to be fool’s gold.

I will admit I was not a fan of the Brian Kelly hire at first. I didn't think he put enough emphasis on defense. There was even more reason to doubt (to the untrained eye) when they started 1-3, and it seemed they were in for another losing season. And if things couldn't get any worse, the Declan Sullivan tragedy occurred, along with the student from Saint Mary's untimely death that made national headlines making Notre Dame out to be the villain.

Then, something funny happened. Notre Dame had a bye week to prepare for the No. 14 team in the country (Utah). No one outside of a few people thought they had a shot to win the game.

But on November 13, 2010 (seventeen years to the day that Notre Dame was last relevant), magic happened. The 17-year old curse that the Notre Dame football program and its fans have had to endure seemed to be lifted. A Notre Dame team, who was 4-5 at the time, was beaten down from last second losses and from criticism of the national media (both about their play and the student tragedies). They could have folded (like many times before), but this Notre Dame team under Coach Kelly came out and totally dominated on every side of the ball.

This could have been a one-time occurrence, but it wasn't. Over the next three games, they dominated their opponents. They showed what it meant to be "the Fighting Irish." With key players injured and a freshman quarterback, they said "enough is enough" and set the tone for the 2011 season and beyond.

Was Notre Dame cursed for 17 years? Maybe. It probably had more to do with an administration that was run by Teddy Ruxpin and H.R. Puf N' Stuf.

But what I have learned over the past few months is that Notre Dame got the right man for the job. Many people are still cautious because they want to wait until at least year three to make any judgments.

But what this man has done to pull this team together after everything they have gone through is simply amazing. He clearly understands that in order to win here, he is going to have to recruit elite defensive talent. Maybe highly touted defensive recruits Aaron Lynch and Ishaq Williams don't come to Notre Dame (maybe they do). But he will get the players he needs to win. I am confident in that.

Maybe you don't agree with me, but I truly believe that Notre Dame will win a national championship sooner rather than later. A prediction on what year? I can't do that. But when Coach Kelly is riding high on his players shoulders after winning Notre Dame's 12^th national championship, I know the ghost of Knute Rockne will be living....and smiling.