As I understand it, Stanford has assumed something more like that model as well.
I actually like that we want our athletes to graduate in four years with a four year degree, but I would not be averse to allowing it to be stretched out to four and a half or five years.
I have heard stories from athletes at colleges like Georgia Southern where once you are a starter, you do not actually do any schoolwork anymore. One guy was a three year starter on the O-Line, he flat out said I got a four year degree and only did the work my freshman year. But at least he got a degree. I have also read articles before about the athletes who did not make it at places like Auburn, who end up off scholarship, and end up with no degree. I would not want that to happen at Notre Dame.
I also did not attend ND.