Saturday
Oct162010
Notre Dame 44, WMU 20
Saturday, October 16, 2010 at 5:57PM
Celebrating a win over WMU is like a GM having a party after beating a club player, so we'll skip the song this week.
Next week's game: Navy.
Reader Comments (4)
Hmpf.
[DM: WMU needs to be a lot stronger before you go hmpfing about losses to major college programs. Unfortunately, they're in a very tough area for recruiting.]
I think anywhere above the Mason-Dixon line is tough for recruiting. Most of the major high school talent comes from Florida, Texas and California - sunbelt states. What young kid with a choice wants to come to South Bend, Indiana, or even worse - Michigan, to play football? (Btw, this isn't my original thought here - I read this somewhere a few years ago but I forget the source.)
[DM: Traitor.]
Notre Dame has had some significant recruiting successes from sun belt states. For instance, Jimmy Clausen came from California. (Though the Irish were mediocre during Clausen’s tenure, it was not because of him, but because Charlie Weis couldn’t build a defense.)
As for Western Michigan, they face structural disadvantages that practically guarantee they’ll never be great. It’s a combination of playing in a non-AQ conference (the MAC), and being in a mid-sized state where they compete for talent with two Big Ten schools.
Anyhow: what is Notre Dame doing playing a MAC squad? I am no historian of Notre Dame football, but I do not recall ever seeing a MAC team on the Irish schedule before. They are playing five non-AQ opponents this year, as opposed to two in 2009, three in 2008, two in 2007, three in 2006, etc.). Navy, of course, will always be there . . . but Western Michigan? Tulsa?
[DM: According to the announcers during the game, Notre Dame has *never* before played a MAC team. As for ND's recruiting, we regularly succeed in getting prospects outside the midwest. Greg, who is also in the ND area, was just being a curmudgeon.]
Dennis, you seem to have taken my comment here more seriously than intended. See my comment on your pre-game post from last week for the context.
[DM: I recalled it but felt like responding anyway.]