There hasn’t been a whole lot of news on the AD search front, but Friday we got some news most people were not hoping for. Steve Orsini, a captain of the 1977 Notre Dame National Championship team, will be staying at SMU and will not be the next athletic director for the Irish.
From the SMU press release:
“I am pleased to announced that Steve Orsini will remain at SMU as Director of Athletics,” SMU president Dr. R. Gerald Turner said in a statement. “I met with Steve today and reiterated my desire for him to stay. I am delighted that he has decided to continue to lead our athletic programs. Steve has created a sense of excitement here, and I anticipate many more achievements under his leadership.”
An ESPN article said that Orsini “turned down” a Notre Dame offer, but there hasn’t been anything reported that he was indeed offered the position. Still, he was widely considered to be the top candidate to fulfill the vacated athletic director role for the Irish.
We just picked up a five star offensive lineman. We still need a real football AD, average is just not good enough for the number one football brand in the world.
If it was not for Father Jenkins we would have been 0-12 last year, think about it.
It’s a mute subject Dr. White is staying.
As a lifelong ND fan and SMU grad. I’m not sure what to make of this. I mean, he’s really been a great AD thus far, but I really want ND to get a top notch AD.
Not really a surprise. Unless there is total control while following the rules that ND has estabilished and the administration stays out of the way ND football will be average at best. Let the next AD do his job and there really shouldn’t be a problem.
Too many people have already written off the Irish in football and I can’t say I blame them but if you look at what CW has done I think that the program will rebound. Not like Penn State that was independent but join the big ten and hasn’t done much since then. Just one co big ten title. Not impressed. Oh by the way it’s been about 22yrs and Penn State hasn’t won a national. What gives? Or OSU and their back to back defeats that had national titel implications. ND has never lost a title game that they have played in or back to back with the title on the line.
Lets just see what happens this year. Yes the schedual isn’t as tough as it has been in the past but should help them at least have a winning season. Oh I forgot ND isn’t allowed to have a easy schedual.
Lou Holtz