Notre Dame’s recent suspensions of four football players could be a sign the program is gaining an “edge” that will help it be more successful, Fighting Irish radio analyst Allen Pinkett said Wednesday.
“I’ve always felt like to have a successful team, you’ve got to have a few bad citizens on the team,” Pinkett, a former Irish All-America running back, told Chicago radio station WSCR, according to ESPN. “That’s how Ohio State used to win all the time. They would have two or three guys that were criminals, and that just adds to the chemistry of the team. I think Notre Dame is growing because maybe they have some guys that are doing something worthy of a suspension, which creates edge on the football team.
“You can’t have a football team full of choirboys. You get your butt kicked if you’ve got a team full of choirboys, so you’ve got to have a little bit of edge. But the coach has to be the dictator and the ultimate ruler. Here’s my opinion: You don’t hand out suspensions unless you know you’ve got somebody behind that guy that can make plays.”
Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly suspended starting tailback Cierre Wood and backup defensive Justin Utupo two games each for violating team rules. Kelly also suspended quarterback Tommy Rees and linebacker Carlos Calabrese for the season opener Saturday vs. Navy for their roles in a skirmish with police after a party in May. Denver Post wire services
