They began their careers with one of the worst seasons in Notre Dame history. They will end them with one of the most successful stretches in those more than 130 years, presuming they manage to beat Boston College on Saturday.
One may have begotten the other.
Of course, in the midst of going 4-8 as freshmen, the current Irish seniors did not see three 10-win seasons on the horizon, a reality now only two wins away. Nor did the coaching staff, the few pieces of it that remained after that 2016 debacle.
“Certainly there were some residual benefits,” head coach Brian Kelly said Monday.