|
There are schools with tough admissions and academic standards that compete successfully in Div I-A football. You just have to make a realistic appraisal of what "success" means.
Air Force has done it for years. So has BYU. BC doesn't get to a bowl game every year, but they do often enough. You define "success" as an 8-3 season and a bowl game on New Years' Eve or New Years' Day, it can be done. Navy's had two winning seasons, and two bowl appearances, back to back. ND has to give up this pipe dream of going 11-0 or 10-1 and playing in the National Title game every year.
One other edge ND used to have in the recruiting game is also gone forever---visibility. They were once the only team you could see on TV every week. With cable, teams like Michigan, USC, Oklahoma and all the other big time programs are on TV 6-7 times a year.
|