It was a season to forget for the Notre Dame football team and its fans.

For the first time in school, the Irish lost 9 games in a season.

Notre Dame President Emeritus, Father Theodore Hesburgh, has seen it all. From National championships to 2-win seasons, Father Ted knows what winning and losing at Notre Dame is all about.

"What people sometimes forget is that we've had seasons in the past that have had eight losses and two wins," Father Hesburgh explains. "I was part of some of those seasons and I didnt enjoy them."

"But I don't think football is like eternal salvation. It's a sport, it's a diverting thing in our lives. I think we ought to do it as well as we can. We ought to do everything we do in life, whether it's marriage, education or business, as well as we can."

Hesburgh says while he certainly follows every football season, he doesn't worry about the program.

"We're going to have ups and downs," he says. "That's part of the game. But it's not a matter of life and death."

"I suffer through bad seasons like everybody else does, but I also enjoy good seasons and we've had our share of those."

"We've won more National Championships that any university in the land, so we're not in a position to complain if once in a while we have a bad season."

For more on the President Emeritus' thoughts on other aspects of Notre Dame and the world, be sure to join Maureen McFadden for "Conversations with Father Hesburgh."

The feature airs Monday nights at 11 on Newscenter 16, beginning January 7th.