Hoping ND plays follow the leaders

Brian Kelly talked about it. Players talked about it. Kelly talked about it concerning the players. The players talked about it as it related to Kelly.

Leadership.

If there was a theme being driven home through two days of interviews — two doses with Kelly and then sit-downs with a handful of ND upperclassmen — it was that leadership is being put at a premium this fall.

Fifth-year wide receiver John Goodman talked about leadership candidly after the team’s first practice of camp. Goodman opened up on the importance of leadership. And a bit more.

“That’s something that we’ve lacked the most every single season that I’ve been here,” he offered. “You’ve had your good leaders here and there but this year I think we’ve had the best leadership that we’ve had in a while.”

Goodman may be on to something. During his four years in South Bend, the Irish have gone 7-6, 6-6, 8-5 and 8-5.

If the leadership he professes is there actually translates into victories, the Irish could be in line for a bump in wins, which would surprise many.

It would be nice to see. But solving problems at cornerback and finding a quarterback would help a bit as well.

— Bob Wieneke