So, after three consecutive state titles at BG, is Justin Wheeler headed for Notre Dame?

The Bishop Guilfoyle High School Marauders captured their third consecutive PIAA State Class A State Championship. It is an unbelievable accomplishment as they defeated undefeated Clairton, 17-0, at Hersheypark Stadium on Friday.

It was the 47th consecutive victory for Coach Justin Wheeler's squad, also an incredible accomplishment.

The Post-Gazette's high school reporter Mike White noted that BG shut out a WPIAL team that averaged 46 points a game this season. "Clairton didn’t score a point in the first half for the first time in 11 years, and the Bears were shut out in a game for the first time since losing to Springdale, 28-0, in 2003," White wrote.

White also noted that the BG defense held Lamont Wade, Clairton's leading athlete and the third-leading rusher in WPIAL history with 7,075 yards, to just 70 yards on 15 carries.

What's next for Coach Wheeler?

Will Coach Wheeler return to BG next season? A few weeks ago, I ran across a post on a sports website called Bleacher Coaches that read like this: "I heard a rumor that after BG wins their third PIAA [class] A Football championship that they will lose their coach to Notre Dame. With [Notre Dame Coach Brian] Kelly looking to leave this would be a perfect fit. Wheeler already knows how to recruit and speak out about the great Catholic education they would receive."

Wow, this would be great news. I would love to see a former Lilly Raider as head coach of Notre Dame.

There are, however, a few problems with this scenario.

Gerry Faust

I wrote this in response,

"First, study Notre Dame history. They once hired a high school coach [in 1981] who was much more successful than Justin Wheeler. That was Gerry Faust of Moeller High School in Cincinnati, and he was regarded as one of the best high school coaches in the country.

Faust had a record of 178-23-2 at Moeller, which was a national power, and won four mythical national championships [and five Ohio state titles], according to his Wiki bio.

"Faust's hiring at Notre Dame was a disaster. At that time, they were annually a top college program, not like they are today. The Irish had won national titles in 1966 and 1973, both under Ara Parseghian, and in 1977 under Dan Devine. They claim 11 national titles and have had seven Heisman Trophy winners (but only one since 1964).

"While Faust ended with a 30-26-1 record despite inheriting a very solid core of athletes, the program fell rapidly, falling so fast in 1985 that he resigned when they were 5-5 and before the season had ended.

"The priests at Notre Dame learned their lesson and hired Lou Holtz to succeed him, and the Irish mystique was gradually restored. By 1988, the Irish had won another national championship."

Brian Kelly's problems at Notre Dame

The actual reality is that the Notre Dame job is not open, at least not yet. Kelly struggled through a 4-8 season, his worst in seven years in South Bend, Ind. However, the Notre Dame A.D. still supports him, as does the president, since he led the Irish to the college football national championship in 2012. His team was annihilated by Alabama, but the Irish were back in the national title picture for the first time since the days of Lou Holtz.

In addition, Notre Dame won ten games last year, so one bad season is not that devastating.

Academics

What is more troubling for Notre Dame is the recent academic scandal, something that neither Kelly nor any of his staff were involved with or knew anything about when it occurred. Nevertheless, though initiated by a trainer, it involved football players.

This is embarrassing for a university that claims to have the best academics for athletes in all of Div. I-A. [Stanford may argue that point, but both are tops.]

The NCAA, in another overreach, has recommended that Notre Dame forfeit games from 2012 when they went 12-1 and the following season in which two players who were allegedly involved played. Notre Dame is appealing it while condemning the action of the NCAA.

Notre Dame président, the Rev. John Jenkins, wrote this in response to the NCAA recommendation: "We are disappointed in the actions of students who engaged in dishonesty, but we are gratified that the NCAA investigation confirmed the conclusions of our own internal investigation: Notre Dame acted honorably throughout," according to ESPN. "As soon as professional staff suspected academic dishonesty on the part of a student, the matter was reported promptly, investigated aggressively and thoroughly, and adjudicated in accord with our Academic Code of Honor procedures and norms."

Jenkins went further in condemning the action of the NCAA. "We disagree with the decision of the hearing panel to impose, at its own discretion, a vacation of records penalty. In past academic misconduct cases, the Committee on Infractions has imposed this penalty only when it has found serious institutional misconduct, such as actions with the direct involvement or knowledge of a coach or academic personnel, a failure to monitor or a lack of institutional control. The NCAA enforcement staff and the hearing panel agreed with Notre Dame that no such institutional misconduct occurred in this case. Indeed, the only reason the NCAA reviewed the matter was because the misconduct involved a former fellow student who happened to participate in the University's student trainer program -- an activity which involved no responsibility for the academic work of student-athletes."

Yahoo reported Kelly has been looking elsewhere

While Notre Dame is unlikely to relieve Kelly of his duties regardless of his current problems, Yahoo sports columnist Pat Forde reported that the Irish coach was actually seeking potential opportunities after Notre Dame.

"Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly has reached out through representatives to explore coaching options outside Notre Dame," Forde wrote on Nov. 26, quoting sources. He notes that these sources indicated that Kelly was looking for other options prior to the release of the NCAA report on ND academics.

Forde noted that Notre Dame fans were vilifying Kelly during the season, but that Notre Dame A.D. Jack Swarbrick has supported him through the debacle.

Wheeler's future

So, the first part of this rumor rests on the Notre Dame job being open, the second on the idea that Notre Dame or any other Div. I-A school would offer a head coaching position to a high school coach.

Justin Wheeler will likely receive numerous requests about his coaching availability over the next few months. He may choose to remain at BG, or he may look at the offers. Most will be from high schools, perhaps some small colleges. The more likely route for a high school coach would be through the academic powerhouse conferences like the Ivy League or Patriot League, but even if these schools have openings, they will have reservations about hiring a high school coach regardless of how many titles he has won.

The Gerry Faust experiment resonated beyond Notre Dame. Even if Kelly leaves, Notre Dame will not come calling for Wheeler, despite his incredible accomplishments.

Accomplishments are impressive

Nevertheless, this is a tremendous accomplishment for any coach. Wheeler has written his name into the Pennsylvania high school football annals. He will at some point be inducted into the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Hall of Fame [to join another former Lilly Raider coach, Emil Salony].

For now, however, as a coach in his 40s, he has some years left. He has been employed at Penn Cambria for probably more than 20 years. Will he leave there and take a full-time coaching job elsewhere? It is an exciting time, one in which he will have to make decisions.

Or he may just rest and enjoy Christmas with his family. That is the more likely avenue right now. The decisions can be made in the future.