I think that we need all on one team/at the same time:
1. A dominant, generational talent at QB.
Without disparaging the talents of guys like Hostetler, Bulger and Geno - great players- my view is we
had this 2 times (I'm talking incredibly athletic plus the intangibles)- Major Harris and Pat White. (So, at least in my view we've had this).
2. A Dominant defense. (I'd say we had this 1x in last 30 years: 1996).
3. A very good OL (I don't think it needs to necessarily be best ever, but very good - good enough to protect QB against very good DLs from SEC, Ohio St, FSU etc). Although we had a very good OL in 1988, Major was running for his life vs. ND and to me, it was the biggest mismatch of the game: ND's crushing DL (and LBs) and our inability to give Major any time or any room to run. (Plus they separated his shoulder). I think we may have had our best OL in recent memory when we had the Sugar Bowl team- anchored by Mozes and Stanchek- that was a very good College OL.
4. An experienced, strong gameday coach. (This is the debate that is tough to gauge- was Don at this level at one point? Arguably he was - he pulled off some nice wins. But wasn't able to win in big bowl games - was that an indictment of him or just the teams we had weren't talented enough?) Was Rich at this level? (Maybe, he did it vs. Georgia but couldn't adjust at home vs a one-dimensional 4-7 Pitt).
So, I'd say it's definitely not impossible. But, we'd really need a lot to line up right, at the same time.
to WIN a football national championship?
I say:
1. much better skill position recruiting
2. much better game day coaching
3. Big 12-2=10 to strengthen itself and stabilize which in the end will address 1 and 2 in some manner
Your thoughts?