Dear Jimmy & Golden,
By writing this letter, I am not asking that you disregard your personal goals, but only that you consider the wishes of the student body and the University in the extremely difficult decisions you are about to make. We are all immensely proud of you both and have enjoyed seeing you progress over the past three years. Although saying goodbye to Coach Weis was a hard decision, I think everyone would agree that the program needs a fresh start. Jimmy, I hate to bring this up, but three and a half years ago, you came to the College Football Hall of Fame and said you wanted to "get four National Championship rings on our fingers." Needless to say, this hasn't happened. We haven't even had a winning season (unless you count the Hawaii Bowl). Next year, with you both returning as seniors and with rising talents like Michael Floyd and Manti Te'o, we have a chance to make the National Championship dream a reality; a chance to finally right the ship.
As you know, the Class of 2011 — your class and mine — has endured the worst three consecutive football seasons in Notre Dame history. It's been rough. While it is time for a new start, we cannot lose sight of the hopes and dreams we all have of a National Championship during our time here at Notre Dame. We have all dreamt of rushing the field after defeating Southern Cal on our way to a perfect season. We have all dreamt of watching our team raise their gold helmets in celebration after a BCS Championship victory. I think we all deserve a final attempt to make these dreams a reality during our senior season. You will both have successful NFL careers regardless of whether you stay for next season or not. Before walking away, please consider the dreams of your fellow classmates in your decision-making, and realize that next season is our best hope for a true return to glory. We can't do it without you.
Katie Pietrucha
junior
Cavanaugh Hall
Dec. 1
