2021 Rose Bowl: Who’s most at fault for Notre Dame’s loss to Alabama?

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish loss in the Rose Bowl to the Alabama Crimson Tide and there’s plenty of blame to go around.

It was obvious from the beginning the Notre Dame Fighting Irish were overmatched. The Crimson Tide used their superior personnel to overwhelm the Irish in their 31-14 victory in the Rose Bowl. The game was clean for the most part; Notre Dame had just one turnover and seven penalties.

This was another New Year’s Day loss for the Irish to a marquee team. Irish fans want answers. So, exactly who is to blame for another New Year’s loss in which the Irish were outclassed?

Brian Kelly is the easiest scapegoat. Kelly is the head coach and the leader of the Notre Dame program. It was clear from the start the Tide had the superior roster and it showed.

Notre Dame couldn’t match Alabama’s personnel

Alabama did not do anything unique defensively against Notre Dame; the Irish did not have the speed offensively to separate from the Crimson Tide’s defensive backs. The lack of dynamic perimeter players came to haunt the Irish tonight. That is about recruiting, and that is on the head coach.

Speaking of recruiting, Nick Saban could share some of the blame as well. The Crimson Tide had four and five-star players all over the field. Wide receiver DeVonta Smith was a four-start out of Louisiana. Running back, Najee Harris was a five-star and the No. 2 overall recruit in 2017.

Defensively, defensive back Patrick Surtain II was a five-star and the No. 6 overall recruit in 2018. Freshman outside linebacker Will Anderson was a five-star as well. The list could continue, but the point is made here. The system and aggressive nature of how Alabama recruits are all Saban. Every assistant and coordinator that has ever coached for Saban has talked about the kind of grinder he is as a recruiter.

College football is about talent. The scheme can only get a team so far. To play football at a consistent championship level, a program must recruit at a top-five to top seven-level every year. Alabama does, and Notre Dame does not, and the talent difference is obvious.

Just like against Clemson, Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees had no counter-attack for the Alabama defense. The bread and butter of the Notre Dame offense is the running game.  With Kyren Williams largely ineffective and the Irish getting down by two scores early, Rees had no counter for the Alabama defense.

Surtain II shut down half the field with Ian Book not looking that way the entire game. Receivers could not separate from Alabama’s defensive backs, and Rees could not out scheme the Crimson Tide’s superior athleticism. Notre Dame’s wide receivers were largely ineffective all game, with just eight receptions all game.

So if you want to blame someone for Notre Dame’s loss to Alabama, it’s simply the Fighting Irish just aren’t good enough and that falls on Kelly.

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