most of the kids that are of recruiting age know of Notre Dame but are probably only looking at recent successes for both the school and the coach when determining where they will go to school. Notre Dame does have the extra incentive of their TV package where by these kids know that they will be on TV every Saturday if they make the team. But if these recruits base their decision on strictly the coach & the recent school won/ loss records, including a college program's success in reaching and winning post-season bowl games, then schools such as USC, Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas will always attract top talent. Several top-notch players left USC at the beginning of this season -- not because of the coach or the system or the school, but because there was so much talent at their chosen position that they weren't sure that they would get enough (or any) playing time.

I hope Charlie Weis turns around the Notre Dame program as it benefits all of college football...and hopefully UCLA's new coach can return some of the luster to that program .

...and Happy New Year, Chuck .

Steve B