Analysis: Notre Dame’s big-picture questions are unavoidable, and so is an increasingly possible answer to them

Mike Brey gave Marcus Hammond a pat on the back and sent him out of the Purcell Pavilion interview room, ending 90 seconds of Hammond answering for he and his Notre Dame teammates’ showing the previous two hours. A final call for questions went out, but only as a formality. Brey had already told Hammond he did a “good job” facing the music.

He knew where the questions following Notre Dame’s 84-71 loss to Florida State would and should be directed.

At him.

Sure, a grad transfer guard who arrived seven months ago could identify the causes behind Notre Dame subjecting a pulsing student section fresh of winter break through a 32-8 deficit before nine minutes had passed. Not enough energy. Not spirited enough on defense. Uptight on offense. Let a five-win Florida State team make two confidence-boosting shots in the first 50 seconds.

But the how is not what mattered most in the aftermath of another home game where an opponent strolled in and stole Notre Dame’s soul. The Irish, now 9-10 and 1-7 in the ACC, have yet to find an answer for stopping this spiral.

“I certainly haven’t been able to help them much,” Brey said. “I told them that. I’ve done a horrible job with you, fellas.”

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No motivational plays or messaging to re-inject confidence or stop bad momentum has worked, at least not since a 70-52 thrashing of Michigan State Nov. 30 in response to a 12-point loss to St. Bonaventure. That game is a clear outlier now. Showing the players examples of teams to start slow and finish strong had no lasting impact. The same goes for bringing donuts as a treat after a recent lifting session.

“You do run out of stuff,” Brey said. “This is a group that has played a lot of basketball. They’re thoroughly disappointed with where they’re at. If it was all freshman…”

He trailed off. Then began again.

“But it’s some old dudes.”

Brey thought he found something before Tuesday’s game, though. He expected to see a tougher team on defense and a more composed one on offense. The Irish were the opposite.

“I misread us,” Brey said. “I thought we’d be more ready to compete. That’s the boss’ responsibility. Totally accountable. Totally accountable.”

If Brey and Notre Dame’s players are reading the same book, they’re chapters apart. Getting on the same page starts at the top. And if there’s no ability to do so, that’s on the coaching staff too.

Maybe toughness and unending swagger are have-it-or-don’t traits, an idea Brey’s postgame comments didn’t refute. But building a roster with those as the core identity falls on one person – the same one who admitted he hasn’t done enough to elicit more toughness through the year. Or last few years.

“I told them, ‘I love you like [my son] Kyle Brey, but I think I’ve spoiled you like I’ve done Kyle Brey at times,” Brey said. “I swear to God. I told them that. I said, ‘l love you like Kyle Brey, I love you, but I think I’ve spoiled you.’

“I’m probably too nice. Too, ‘How’s your psyche? How’s your head? Be positive.’ You know how Coach Mike does it – ‘Rah, rah, everybody get confident.’

“I spoil everybody. I spoil everybody. Everybody. People who work with me. Everybody’s spoiled.”

With that, he arose and left, having made clear that he was questioning himself. He isn’t alone. Just take a scroll through message board threads and Twitter replies.

Nobody is hiding from where the brunt of the blame falls for not only this rut, but why the program has descended to these depths that will result in one NCAA tournament appearance over the last six seasons. Not even Brey, whose remarks carried a tone of resignation to the usual outcome for someone overseeing a severe backslide.

For now, Notre Dame has 12 regular-season games and the ACC tournament left. The Irish are above just one team in the conference standings: Louisville, which is 0-7 in league play and 2-16 overall. Is there any hope of salvaging something? Is it beyond repair?

“Let’s talk Thursday,” Brey said, referencing his next press conference.

Even the head coach who admits he might be positive to a fault couldn’t muster enough of it. These are uncharted waters nobody in the program wanted to be navigating, but they’re a direction where the program has been gradually turning for several years. And the choppier they get, the likelihood that the 23-year leader gets the chance to steer things back on course will continue to feel flimsy.