Notre Dame Needs Killer Instinct to Return to the Big Time

I apologize to all the Notre Dame faithful for missing most of the game last Saturday against Navy, but my son was finishing up his last T-Ball game for the Mets.  My son finished the season 8-2 with a seven-game winning streak.

Why is this significant?  Good question, but the only correlation to the Irish and my son's T Ball team I can come up with is they are both young. 

My son's T-Ball team is comprised of five, six, and seven-year-olds.  The coach for my son's team is a good guy who stresses the fundamentals of the game, such as throwing, hitting, catching, and most important, hustle.  It is not imperative the kids win in T-Ball, but more so how they play the game.  If they do win, then it is just icing on the cake.

What I noticed from the beginning of the season towards the end was that winning became important to the kids.  You could see it on their faces as they swung the bat as hard as they could in an effort to try to drive in more runs for the team.  Then suddenly it hit me: These kids were developing a killer instinct. 

A killer instinct is something that people are either born with or develop over time based on their experiences.  I am not an expert, but that is just my best guess.  The reason I bring up my son's team in comparison to the Irish is because I think the principles are the same.  The fundamentals of football are blocking, tackling, and hustle.

Just like my son's team, the Irish are comprised of young players, Freshmen and Sophomores (comprising the bulk of the starters).  Unlike my son's team, I haven't seen that killer instinct come from the Irish so far this season.

In today's college football, it is not good enough to just win—you have to really lay the wood on an opponent to impress the voters.  Most of the time I do not agree with this philosophy, but in the case of Navy and any other service academy, I would tend to agree.

Give Navy some credit: They have been the most talented service academy in recent years that has maintained a level of consistency.  But this is Notre Dame, and when you outweigh an opponent by 50 lbs. to a man, you should have your way with them.

The Irish did dominate Navy for most of the game.  But when the Irish had them down, they needed to put them down for good.

If the Irish are going to make strides for next year, they need to take this next game against the 'Cuse very seriously.  They need to come out and dominate them from start to finish.  They need to put together a complete game.

I want to see the offense do three things this Saturday.

1. Run the football with some toughness

2. Throw the football around efficiently (NO TURNOVERS)

3. DOMINATE aka Killer Instinct

The three things I want to see from the Irish Defense:

1. Stop the run cold

2. Pressure the QB relentlessly

3. DOMINATE aka Killer Instinct

The three things I want to see from the Special Teams:

1. HANDS TEAM

2. Average starting field position for the Irish 35-yard line/Average starting position for the 'Cuse 15-yard line.

3. DOMINATE aka Killer Instinct

You can see the recurring theme.  I want to see an Irish team start taking strides towards becoming a big-time program.  It is time for the big-time recruits to step into the spotlight and dominate.  It starts with the coach and his passion for the game and the players' unrelenting will to not allow an opponent to come back.

This is football, not a touchy feely, let's not hurt their feelings by running up the score on them game.  They have 11 players just like the Irish, and don't think for one second any other program in the country wouldn't love to hang 50 on the Irish in South Bend, or anywhere else for that matter.

It's time to put up or shut up, Notre Dame.