Urban Meyer opines on Notre Dame's place in realignment, whether the Big Ten is right move

What happens to Notre Dame, both in the short and long term, is one of the biggest remaining questions that hasn’t been clearly answered in the flurry of conference realignment. But former Notre Dame assistant coach and two-time national champion head coach Urban Meyer thinks any potential move for the Irish hinges on one factor.

If Notre Dame keeps up the success it had under Brian Kelly during the tenure of new head coach Marcus Freeman, Meyer is confident the Irish can stay the course as an independent. He explained his thinking in the latest installment of Urban’s Take with Tim May, a national college football show from On3.

“Money drives this whole thing,” Meyer said. “Notre Dame is very unique, I understand they’re going to get a really good TV contract, I’m hearing. I think a lot of it depends on the new coach and his success. If they’re having great success like Brian Kelly did, certainly the last half of his career there, they’re going to keep doing what they’re doing. If they start to struggle, I think that’s when people, the higher-ups there probably have to evaluate what’s best.”

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May had asked Meyer if the Big Ten would be a logical landing spot for the Irish, but the former head coach clearly demurred on straying into that territory with his answer. May had pointed out that with USC joining the Big Ten — which plays a nine-game conference football schedule — the non-conference rivalry with Notre Dame could get put on the chopping block, enticing a move to join the Big Ten fold.

Notre Dame eyeing new deal

Meyer also intimated that Notre Dame is potentially eyeing a new, more lucrative TV deal. Reports have indicated that the figure — or target — could be as high as $75 million annually. Notre Dame makes $25 million a year on their current TV rights deal with NBC, and according to a report from Front Office Sports, the Irish expect to make in the neighborhood of $60 million annually with a new deal. It’s note quite to the level of the checks the Big Ten and SEC members will soon be cashing, but to more than double the value of a TV rights deal could be enough to keep the Irish independent for the time being.

But if one day the price is wrong, Meyer thinks Notre Dame could be a candidate to join a conference.