Notre Dame Football: Gerad Parker will add some needed spice to spring football

We are still a number of weeks away from the start of spring football practice at Notre Dame — which is probably a good thing since the Irish still have to hire a new offensive line coach. After the saga that was the offensive coordinator search, I think it’s safe to say that many fans out there are ready to see some ball.

I do regret to inform you that we’ll likely get as little (or less) access and chances to see actual ball throughout the spring period, so that desire to move on will have a massive dose of quotes and “trust me bro” to try and quench that thirst.

What we have then, will be a fanbase that will still likely be arguing about all things Gerad Parker.

I’m legitimately on neither side of it, as I feel free as a bird flying back and forth to each side. As I told a friend today, I have very little confidence — but am pretty damn optimistic.

One distinct thing that I can fully support is that Notre Dame has thrown off (in a way) the last major parts of the Brian Kelly era with the departures of Tommy Rees and Harry Hiestand. Despite all of Brian Kelly’s success in South Bend, and for one reason or another, the offense rarely “clicked” the way that championship offenses do during his tenure.

Something needed a change, and loss of Rees along with the addition of Sam Hartman, the opportunity to do things differently was there for the Irish. Maybe that won’t be as big of a jolt with Parker as with Andy Ludwig or Collin Klein or Kliff Kingsbury — but it’s something different.

Gerad Parker might very well be the Old Bay Seasoning we all need. It’s not the wildest spice in the cabinet, but it can make a whole lot of things better that you put on your plate.

Parker isn’t the normal internal hire. It’s not like he’s been coaching at Notre Dame for five years and is the major backbone of his coaching philosophy. He’s been around a couple of different blocks, and has been exposed to a variety of offensive styles. Perhaps the yellow can he shakes over the Notre Dame playbook is exactly what the Irish need...

Perhaps.

Again — I offer no certainty of results on the field with Parker in any way. All I really know is that I was ready for something different from the salt and pepper approach to the Notre Dame offense that we’ve seen over the last few years — and well — you get the theme here.

Spring may offer very little in terms of a real glimpse of what the Irish will do on offense in 2023, but it’s literally the next thing before fall camp, and I’m hungry. Whether or not you want or believe in Parker as the offensive coordinator is of little consequence at the moment. It’s what we have, and I’m very curious about how this will taste.

BTW... Happy Fat Tuesday.