Notre Dame football: Brian Kelly must exorcise big-game demons

The Notre Dame football team has a chance to erase a lot of the demons that have plagued head coach Brian Kelly against Alabama in the Rose Bowl.

After what was a magical season for the Notre Dame football team, one where dreams of waking the echoes had leaped into the minds of Irish fans and people spoke in whispers of the magic of a third season for Notre Dame head coaches, with Lou Holtz, Dan Devine, Ara Parseghian, and Frank Leahy all won their first National Championships in said year, it was a quick death. Alabama dragged a blade across Notre Dame’s necks in the first quarter and let them bleed out like a butchered lamb.

Then, once they saw what they’d done, they took a hammer and beat the dead lamb into a pulp. It was a 42-14 final, and the magical season, marked by an elite defense and several brilliant finishes was over heartbreakingly.

At the time, it was clear to everyone that Alabama simply was bigger and stronger than Notre Dame. It was disappointing, but not entirely surprising. Most people expected Alabama to win coming into the game, particularly because of the mess of a situation the Irish had at quarterback.

What Notre Dame fans didn’t expect was the trend it would start for Brian Kelly’s career.