Improvement

I was reading NDNation and getting frustrated because everyone believes that we have made no progress, that player development is lackluster, and that Kelly should be fired for not providing results. I decided to look at the Football Outsiders FEI and S&P rankings, because I think they do a good job of eliminating the human element from the Coaches', Harris and AP Poll. Here are the FEI rankings from 2007-2011.

2011: ND finished at #15, making us one of the highest ranked 5 loss teams ever. (yay!!!!...?)

2010: ND finished at #23, ahead of teams like USC, Florida, and MSU.

2009: ND finished at #31, under Jabba the Hut.

2008: ND finished at #50.

2007: ND finished at #74, probably the lowest ever.

It would be hard to look at these statistics and not notice that Kelly has brought us almost 60 spots up from the nadir that was Charlie's 2007 season. There has been consistent progress, especially when it isn't wins and losses, but drive/possession efficiency, that is considered. I do not doubt that Kelly's development of the defense has a major part to play in this gradual improvement, because when you look at year-by-year defensive efficiency rankings, the 2011 Notre Dame's #18 ranking is the highest in recent memory.

When you consider the S&P rankings that take play-by-play measures of a teams success rate and "explosiveness", Notre Dame's gradual improvement is even more apparent.

2011: #10 (but this has only been updated to 12/3, before our loss to FSU)

2010: #16 (8-5)

2009: #38 (6-6)

2008: #51 (7-6)

2007: #99 (3-9)

2006: #28 (10-3)

2005: #11 (9-3)

I'm interested to see what the results are of the F+ rankings are, whenever they do come out. However, its obvious that Notre Dame is getting better. Most of you probably already have seen these rankings, or are aware of them in some way, but I just thought I'd post it for the advantage of those who believe that Kelly is the antichrist and we should burn his house down. Notre Dame is getting better people. Our defense has made huge strives, and our offense, while frustratingly slow sometimes, is only going to improve. The bottom line, though, is that we need wins. Players will execute, Kelly & Co. will make the best game plan they can, and hopefully (although not likely in 2012) our schedule will help us out.