Sign up or login to track your favorite teams

Sign Up for Bleacher Report

As a registered user you can subscribe to your favorite teams, post comments, write your own articles, and much more.

You must register in order for that functionality to work!







Validating sign up form ...

Bleacher Report articles are written by fans like you

Do you want to cover your favorite sports, teams, and leagues?

Processing writing preferences ...

Great, , you're signed up!

i.e. Big 10, LeBron James, USC Football

Selected Tags:

Logging in ...

Last year for the Irish was painful, especially for a Head Coach who erected a banner in the training facilities after his first year that said “9 and 3 is Not Good Enough”...

Why 3-9 Isn't 9/11 for Notre Dame Fans

by Michael Collins (Analyst)

102

11,597 reads

Sports

May 15, 2008


Last year for the Irish was painful, especially for a Head Coach who erected a banner in the training facilities after his first year that said “9 and 3 is Not Good Enough”.  Yet to many Notre Dame fans, players, recruits and their parents, Notre Dame is becoming great again in college football.  Could ESPN be getting this wrong?

 

While hearing rumors of a premature Irish demise, Notre Dame instead is expectant this year—rather like Charlie Weis’s first year.  The same, but different. 

 

Remember 2005?  An “offensive genius” from the New England Patriots and his hand-picked coaching staff with considerable experience in college and the NFL brought the Irish back from oblivion.  Oblivion is:

-         when the students and alumni were becoming disconnected about ND football

-         when high school coaches and recruits, especially in traditional ND recruiting grounds such as Chicago, Ohio, Pennsylvania and the East Coast are going elsewhere

-         when the offense is predictable and the defense is mistake-prone and the players

hang their heads 

-         when, in recruiting, ND could not attract a top 25 team for three years

Track this Article on My B/R
Flag This Article
Share This Article

102 comments Last one added 9 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Trey Bradley about 1 year ago

    Look at the schedule... ND is going to be 9-3 this year, right on the cusp of another BCS berth. We'll hear all the same arguments (they lost to all the A-list teams on their schedule, who did they beat, they've haven't won a bowl game, etc.). But if Charlie goes to the BCS 3 times in 4 years, and this time with a QB not named BQ, that will be hard to argue with.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  2. R Lehr about 1 year ago

    Great write-up. Too bad the haters and hair pullers will never understand.

    2008 - will be good
    2009 through 2011 - will be great years.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  3. Gordito Mojito about 1 year ago

    Unless of course, Trey, the Irish beat Michigan at home and role into Boston College 8-0 with a little chip on their shoulder for the Turf Trophy.

    VERY INTERESTING FACT: When Weis arrived at Notre Dame, he had less than 70 players on scholarship, historically worse than any program who received the NCAA’s “death penalty” except Miami and Oklahoma. WILLINGHAM had recruited only four offensive linemen in three years, including two in 2005 - the year he left.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Trey Bradley about 1 year ago

      I have no doubt they'll beat Mich at home. I think they'll win the first two, split the next two with MSU and Purdue, then could roll all the way to USC Nov 29.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  4. Chris VanDevere about 1 year ago

    --or turn off your ESPN. Thanks for setting the record staight. I hope ESPN jumps on the bandwagon and in similar fashion recognize the "genius" of the program, Kevin White. Maybe the pundits can help propel him to bigger stages on the west coast, or better yet providing color commentary for men's fencing or women's diving on the Big Ten Network.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  5. Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

    Charlie Weis is the most over rated college coach. They blew it when they got rid of Willingham. There is a reason that Weis did not have a head coaching job prior to Notre Dame. Stop drinking the Notre Dame kool-aid and look at throgh an objective fans eyes. Until he wins with his players you can't give this guy credit for being a good coach. He took players somebody else has recruited and called him a genius. By the way, selling Notre Dame football is about as hard as selling mice to a starving cat. The product will sell itself. Their three wins came against teams with a combined record of 11-26. I won't be convinced til I see some results with his guys.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  6. M Ryan about 1 year ago

    Willingham couldnt win with his own players but Weis did and you fault him for that? Weird reasoning Chris.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

      Willingham never had a chance to win with his players. He got three years to work there, and they cut him loose. He was the scapegoat because Davies left Willingham high and dry.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Trey Bradley about 1 year ago

      Love the Willingham backers... first 3 years at Washington: 11 wins.

      First Washington coach to have 3 consecutive losing seasons.

      Yeah, the Irish blew it there.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Josh Shackelford about 1 year ago

      Chris, if you think Willingham didn't get enough of a chance to work with his players, how come you won't extend Charlie the same chance. You say that Charlie can't win with his own players, and then you immediately say Willingham didn't have a chance to win with his players because he only had three years. Charlie has only been there for three years. You can't argue that Willingham didn't have enough time to be successful and then say that Weis overrated and can't win with his guys when they both had three years.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Ryan Borchers about 1 year ago

      Chris-

      1. Tyrone Willingham took ND to the Gator Bowl his first year, which isn't a BCS game. So, in answer to your question "What does that say?" it says Willingham never took the Irish to a BCS game.

      2. Notre Dame has played Army three times in the last 20 years, so they don't play them every year. Navy has been a bowl team for the last few years, so if ND beats up on them to get into a BCS game, then they're beating up on a bowl team.

      "... look at the facts and you will see that."

      That's good advice, you should try it some time.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  7. Michael Silva about 1 year ago

    @ Chris

    I'm honestly curious how you can say ND "blew it" when they got rid of Willingham. The man is a wrecker of programs due to his shoddy coaching and lackluster (to be generous) recruiting. It's not like he walked into UW and starting destroying the competition. UW's program is on the precipice of a melt-down of epic proportions; Locker's undeniable talent is all that's keeping them in some games. I'm no Husky fan, but if you were to stop by their message boards, there isn't exactly a lot of love for the Molder of Men.

    Regarding your comment about "other people's players", you should realize that Quinn, a solid 4 star recuit I believe, was a projected 2-3 rounder before Weis stepped on campus. Stovall was servicable but hardly a star. Samardzija was a complete unknown. The leap in his performance in 2005 can be directly attributable to Weis' coaching, as can the quantum leap in offensive production. He simply did a much better job developing the talent he had on the team and outcoaching the competition than the prior regime did. Granted, he did have the benefit of experienced players on the offensive line, but that same team went 6-6 the year before so it's not like he could just walk in and win without being able to coach.

    I do agree with you that we need more time to evaluate Weis' performance at ND. But to call his tenure a mistake by labeling him "overrated" is premature. 2007 shook the faith of all Irish fans, but ND was two BCS bowls the two years before due in large part to Charlie's coaching. If that's "overrated" I don't know what you would define as acceptable.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

      Notre Dame gets a free pass to any BCS game. All they have to do is finish in the top 12 of the BCS and they get an automatic bid. Poor reasoning with the BCS games. They don't have to win a conference or anything. They pummel Navy and Army every year, and get a BCS game. Second Willingham took ND to a BCS game his first year as well. What does that say? Third when Weis stepped on campus, Brady Quinn was a sophomore, so no one knew what kind of draft pick he would be. Willingham brought in all of Weis's players. How is he a detroyer of programs? Had Willingham an opportunity outside of three seasons, then maybe he could have produced similar results. You know Bob Davies left the cupboard bare for Willingham. Again look at the facts and you will see that.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Blair Goheen about 1 year ago

      Chris,

      First of all, ND did not go to a BCS game in Willingham's first year, they went to the Gator Bowl. Second, if you are going to use the argument that Weis won w/ Willingham's players, then the same has to be said for Willingham. In 2002, Willingham's first year, ND started out 8-0 then finished 10-3. The majority of the major contributors on that team were recruited by Bob Davie. After starting out 8-0, Willingham went 13-15 the rest of his short career at ND. I do think ND fired Willingham too early but your argument's are not based on facts.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  8. Joe Kretschmer about 1 year ago

    Great, positive, thorough and intelligent article. I hope sooner than later ND whips the big boys again, especially Boston College who have it coming. I look for 2009 to be great and I look for it to get better and better each year after.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Michael Collins about 1 year ago

      Thanks, Joe. I, too, look forward to the BC game. Instead of getting pushed around, this ND team is learning what it takes to do the pushing around.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  9. Burt McCracken about 1 year ago

    To Chris...

    Willingham did not take ND to a BCS bowl game. They went to the Gator Bowl because they were blown out by USC in the last game of the regular season.

    Before telling others to look at the facts, you should do the same.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  10. nicholas mahrt about 1 year ago

    davies did not leave the cupboard bare he actually had good recruiting classes that willingham used to get to his bcs bowl. if you take the time to look, ty's classes were getting worse each year so that shows you two things; 1) Notre Dame does not sell itself, especially with so much negative press (ESPN and Mark May), and 2) Ty was a bum when it came to recruiting. also BQ was a junior when weis got there. don't talk about things you don't know

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

      nd does sell itself, thats why they are so stubborn to have their own liscencing agreement. don't talk about stuff you don't know. and espn is the notre dame network. the only reason they got down on the irish is because the offensive guru's offense scored 13 points over their first three games. plus he had the Jimmy Claussen who was the most talented qb in the 2007 recruiting class. i don't know why i both arguing because until any person who defends a team that gets a bcs berth if they finish in top 12 simply because they are ND is blind when it comes to college football. You keep scheduling like navy, syracuse, stanford, and san diego st. sisters of the poor could win one of those games.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  11. Stephen Hunter about 1 year ago

    A very positive and "moving in the right direction" article. Optimism is always high in May, but I do agree that we are going to be much better this year. The piece of the Charlie Weis puzzle that I don't think has been addressed is, how good of a motivator is he ? Rockne, Parseghian, and Holtz were masters at the art of getting maximum performance from their players when it was needed most.
    I question Charlie's ability to motivate. I question his ability to get his players "up for a big game".
    I haven't seen this from ND since the USC game in 2005.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • omaha domer about 1 year ago

      Chris -- Michigan, Penn State, Purdue, Georgia Tech, UCLA and Navy are all teams that ND has beaten over the last three years who ended the season with winning records. Additionally Stanford, Pitt and Tennessee were all prevented by their loss to N.D. to having a .500 or better season.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  12. Pete Franklin about 1 year ago

    Just let the season play itself out in a couple of months til then get alife people. Who cares in May???

    Pete

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  13. Domer Life about 1 year ago

    Chris, you're lost. Every typical blind Irish hatersays the same crap you're writing - they just spend less of their precious time doing it. AND his name was DAVIE. Have a great weekend.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  14. Bill O'Meara about 1 year ago

    To Chris,

    Since the inception of the BCS there have been 9 teams that have received BCS bids with three losses. For the record Notre Dame has never received a BCS bid with three losses. In 2004 Notre Dame beat ACC Champ 4 loss Florida State at home. Notre Dame finished the regular season with two losses and was ranked higher than Florida State. There have also been plenty two loss at large teams that also got BCS bids. Does ND get preferential treatment. Yes they do. But at least they have to be in the top twelve when conference champs don't.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  15. Whiskey Foxtrot about 1 year ago

    Chris,
    Do yourself a favor and if you want to discuss recruiting statistics, what coach is playing with who's class, and in general your eveluation of CW's tenure, at least do a little bit of research so your comments don't sound so ignorant. In a few short posts, you have made clear the depth, or lack thereof, of your football understanding.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

      I know very much about college football sir. You seem to offer no statistics or retort to my comments outside of saying they are wrong. Doesn't seem like a very sound argument to me.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  1. Roderick about 1 year ago

    Four words...Chris, your an IDIOT!

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Chris Eckes about 1 year ago

      It should be "Chris, YOU'RE an idiot." You're is a contraction for "you are" whereas your implies ownership of something. It doesn't look as good calling someone an idiot when you don't use basic english grammatical rules.

      And I actually agree with Chris. Notre Dame gets a free pass into the BCS with a marginal record every year (or nearly every year... even the BCS couldn't squeeze them in with a 3-9 record), and there is no skill involved in recruiting at Notre Dame because, well, it's Notre Dame. I feel like I could coach Notre Dame to a 3-9 record with all the hype, TV contracts (I believe NBC is actually the Notre Dame network, didn't they televise every ND game last year to the point of nausea?) and simple recruitment of 5 star prospects that they currently enjoy.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      If there was no skill involved in recruiting at Notre Dame because it's, Notre Dame then why couldn't Willingham recruit well at Notre Dame? If that were also the case then why do so many recruits who aren't serious about academics go elsewhere despite the TV contract and hype? You'd think ND would have a #1 class every single year with all of that. But we haven't. However, it took Charlie some time but he's restored ND recruiting back to where it needs to be. On another note...if you were the coach we wouldn't be 3-9. Instead we'd be 0-12!

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  2. Roderick about 1 year ago

    Who's your favorite team anyway Chris? Must be one of those brainwashed OSU fans because you sound just like them. Always have something to say about something you know nothing about!

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

      I'm sure the ND fan base loves having a skilled debater like yourself in their corner. You changed my opinions with your sound reasoning and skilled mastery of debate. When you pose a factual argument instead of insults, then maybe we will have something to discuss.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      You know what? It was just a simple typo. We all are entitled to mistakes and can be excused from them right? After all, I excused you for being a mistake!

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  3. Roderick about 1 year ago

    Well when you have correct facts instead of crap the media has conjured up then maybe, just maybe something intelligent might come out of your mouth. But then again I doubt it! You have to have intelligence to be able to speak intelligently!

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  4. Roderick about 1 year ago

    You sitll didn't answer the question...Who's your favorite team?

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  5. Dick Murata about 1 year ago

    I agree with the last few posts from Domer, Bill, Whiskey and Roderick and even you Chris....you have no life !!!
    Domer54

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  6. Roderick about 1 year ago

    You know what? If you continue to avoid the question and say negative things you only make yourself look bad and my point is made. Obviously you're an ND hater due to either not being able to get into ND, or ND beating your sorry team down so your only resolve is to bash ND. You're PATHETIC!

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  7. Roderick about 1 year ago

    You know what? If you continue to avoid the question and say negative things you only make yourself look bad and my point is made. Obviously you're an ND hater due to either not being able to get into ND, or ND beating your sorry team down so your only resolve is to bash ND.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

      For the record my team pounds yours the past three times we played ND. And I forgot you ran the website to tell me I wasn't welcome.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  8. Roderick about 1 year ago

    Just go away. You are not welcome here dude!

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

      And I recall after we beat you in 95 and 96 ND chose not to schedule us anymore because ND was embarrassed. That happened with the offensive guru's team in 2006 Fiesta Bowl.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • John Fennelly about 1 year ago

      ah yes, Ohio State...the think tank of America... I keep them confused with MIT and the University of Chicago......they are more like an experiment in inbreeding .....the gene pool is very shallow

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

      ah yes a wall street advisor who doesn't know anything about college football.....i keep confusing you with a real fan of college football....stick to stocks and bonds

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  9. Roderick about 1 year ago

    Just like I said...I knew you were one of those brainwashed OSU fans. I live in Columbus so I know your type. And just for the record - ND plays anyone unlike your 55% graduation rate football team. (38% among your black athletes) It's so funny how you were too ashamed to say who your team is. You tried to tip around it but I'm too smart for that guy. I know OSU fans when I hear and see them. Listen Concentrate more on graduating players and academics more than what happens at ND. And you talk about embarassment...how about soft-scheduling w/cream-puffs 2 years in a row to get to the NC only to get beat the hell down twice. What a joke of a university. Furthermore, if it weren't for Cooper's recruits, Tressel wouldn't have gotten that NC in '02' that he still had to cheat Miami out of to get. OSU has been cheating since his regime and cheated us in the BCS bowl! And contrary to what you think, it was a rebuilding year for us. Yet your alumni felt they had to cheat due to fear of embarassment from our prolific offense of '05' that WEIS instilled. Just so you know, they paid the refs off all of 2002.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  10. Aaron Meyer about 1 year ago

    You Notre Dame fans are completely blind. How can you not see the writing on the wall? You are irrelevant to just about anyone who hasn't been raised at the teet of the Golden Dome. You can't attract blue chip recruits at any position save offensive line and quarterback (positions that you need intelligence and quick thought to play). Charlie Weis is completely unlike any of the best recruiters in the country. He's ugly, fat, and surly. The top recruiters are young, good-looking, and savvy. Who's got the best recruits in the country? USC, Texas, and Florida. Why? Because they are in sunny areas, with lots of good-looking women and easy classes for the aspiring NFLer in their areas. Who was the last Notre Dame player to win a Heisman? I betcha most people outside of Indiana couldn't tell you, but I know it was 30 years ago. When did you last win a National Championship? Do I hear 20 years? A bowl game? 10 years? What's that spell, Domer Gomers? A steady and increasing decline in quality of play and recruiting. And the arrogance of the Notre Dame administration in thinking they don't need to join a conference and the idiocy of the BCS in putting them in a bowl automatically almost every year (then in the ultimate case of punishing them for showing up, putting them in a bowl with whatever SEC team got jilted out of the championship game) is enough to make me want to spit. Get over yourself, join the Ivy league, and fade away. That's right, I said it. Join Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Brown over there in the "We were great in the 1920's" conference. Hey, think of it like this, Notre Dame joins the ivy league, crushes all their conference foes every year, gets the BCS bid, and goes to a bowl game anyways. Everybody wins!

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • John Fennelly about 1 year ago

      Why aren't you working in television? That response just might be the best one to any article I've read lately

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • OCIrish about 1 year ago

      Did you think of this on your own, or, did you by chance catch this on the Cowherd show a few weeks ago. Seems to me that's exactly what he was saying on his radio show not to long ago. Please come up with some of you own material instead of passing off someone else's work.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  11. Roderick about 1 year ago

    There are coaches that are way fatter than weis like Kansas' coach and Maryland's coach. You don't talk about them. Why not? I think it's fear of ND's return. You don't worry about them because they're irrelevant to you. Top recruiters? You talkin' about Carroll? Maybe Tressel? Or Meyer? Let's see...Meyer's a liar, and both Carroll and Tressel have their players paid to go to USC and OSU. You call that top. I'm so glad Weis isn't like them. He get's talented intelligent athletes who aren't thugs and can read and write. And for the record...we now match those teams with the recruits so know your facts before spewing out ignorance here. Although it's taken 20 years since ND's last NC, how long will it be before your team catches up to us? We have 11. How many does your team have? Oh, that's right...you're hiding behind your ignorance and failed to mention your sorry team.

    You better come correct when you come here because I'm on guard duty!

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Aaron Meyer about 1 year ago

      Kansas? Maryland? You've got to be kidding? Maryland is irrelevant, has never been relevant, and I'm judging, will never be relevant. Kansas has been good for one, count it, one year. And you obviously have nothing better respond with than insults to my wife and I, which is completely off topic. I don't have a "favorite" college football team, I watch the best college football games. Those usually occur with USC, Texas, and SEC teams involved. Watching Notre Dame vs. Ohio State is liking watching USC vs. Florida on half-speed. Boring.

      By the by, intelligent athletes who can read and write don't win championships anymore. Recruiting is where you win championships, and you Golden Domers have got your taste of his recruiting ability. It's obvious from last season that his top recruiting classes have been vastly overestimated. Claussen looked as wide-eyed as a doe in headlights last year, and can you say that Darren McFadden had almost as many touchdowns all season as your entire offense. Wake up and smell your football team, it may be full of people who are going to graduate, but not a one will sniff the upper echelon of the college football arena. You can call yourselves good most years, but when ND still schedules Air Force, Army, and Navy to go with a mostly soft schedule, you don't get to call yourselves elite. USC goes on the road to a tough non-conference foe every year, and plays at least two more good non-conference games. And wins. That's why they are elite, and ND is not.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  12. Roderick about 1 year ago

    You just want ND to join the Ivy and go away. Why don't you just do it for us instead! BUSTA.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Aaron Meyer about 1 year ago

      You misunderstand, I'd love to see Notre Dame be what they were in the past, it would make the TV contracts and automatic bowl berths worth it. But the fact remains that they cannot recruit in the big football producing states: Southern California, Florida, and Texas. Those universities own those players. Go down the list of players Notre Dame snags on a yearly basis and tell me how many come from those areas? I bet most are from the midwest, and usually are inferior to the product coming out of the south. Notre Dame is not horrible, they wouldn't win 9-10 games a year most seasons if they were, but they are not elite. That's what I'm trying to get across here. They are more like Syracuse than USC.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      No you're wrong again Aaron. ND recruits nationally so most of the recruits aren't from the midwest but rather all over. But here's the braekdown you wanted...

      Florida -

      '06' 3 players. Dan Wenger. Ft. Lauderdale.
      Richard Jackson. Clermont.
      Sam Young. Ft. Lauderdale.
      '07' 2 players Armado Allen. Hialeah.
      Ian Willams. Altamonte Springs.
      '08' None
      '09' None yet
      5 Total Aaron.

      Southern California -

      '06' 2 players. Konrad Reuland. Mission Viejo. (since transferred after 1 season. reason competition)
      Will Yeatman. San Diego
      '07' 2 players. Jimmy Clausen. Westlake Village
      Taylor Dever. Nevada City
      '08' 3 players. Dayne Crist. Sherman Oaks
      Anthony McDonald. Sherman Oaks (Father played for USC)
      Joseph Fauria. Encino
      '09' Cierre Wood. Oxnard (#3 prospect. #1 RB)
      8 Aaron

      Texas -
      '06' 1 player. Chris Stewart. Klein
      '07' None
      '08' 1 player. Kapron Lewis-Moore. Weatherford
      '09' None yet. (real stronghold with the Longhorns and Aggies so we get what we can and when
      we can.

      As you can see, ND recruits very well in those BIG IN-STATE SCHOOL TERRITORIES. Weis and staff has been lighting it up. Please Aaron. Before you come here saying things you know nothing about, do your research first. This link will help you out okay...okay. http://notredame.rivals.com/commitlist.asp

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Aaron Meyer about 1 year ago

      Touche, I stand corrected.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      It's okay Aaron. I hate to come off as so mean but I just don't understand all the ND hatred from outsiders who don't know much of anything about ND. Like this Chris character for example. Aaron, you didn't know before but now you do and acknowledged you were wrong. That's cool man but Chris is one of those brainwashed OSU fans that you can't reason or rationalize with. He will never take the stand you did by saying he stands corrected when it concerns facts that we give him concerning ND. He even referred to me as being bi-polar but his mind is the one that's completely gone! I just hate it when people bash ND without any knowledge about us and it puts me on the defensive. I defend ND like my own family. ND is a family. It is a very special place and people who have never been there before just don't know. I didn't know until I went my first time. It is so peaceful throughout the whole city and almost everyone you cross smiles at you and speaks to you. People who were never fans of ND were so impressed with everything about ND upon going to a game there. It is about treating others well but when people say bad things about ND and don't know what they're talking about it really makes me upset. ND's highest priorities are Religion, Family, and Education. There are 3 buildings that represent those things and they are the highest points at ND. One being the Golden Dome. The other, the cathedral. So Notre Dame Stadium will never be built higher because if so, it will be higher than those 3 points.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      What I was saying about Kansas' and Maryland's coaches is they are way bigger than Weis but I never hear anyone criticize their weight. Give our young men time to develop and ND will be back. The players are in place. They have more experience now just need to start playing with more of a winning attitude. The players they had to look to for guidance for the most part such as the small senior class Willingham left us with would've only been third stringers on the elite teams. ND had to use them in starting roles though because of their familiarity with the system. Our o-line was left very bare with only 4 recruited by Willingham and the key positions were filled with players who were good, but not potential gamebreakers. Our line now has plenty of depth. Similar to the depth when Davie coached and once they find their cohesiveness, our backs will can get those big run plays that they're capable of getting and our QB will be able to play the game the way he was recruited to. We saw glimpses of it at times almost all of last season but there was no consistency. Watch out though because HERE COME THE IRISH!

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Aaron Meyer about 1 year ago

      Listen, I hope you're right about Notre Dame coming back to the fore, I just don't see that as a viable trend, not to the point that they are in the same arena as USC, Texas, Ohio Sate, Florida, etc. It's true, Notre Dame takes the high road. They recruit true scholarship athletes, make them pass real classes and graduate most of their team. It's a feature that should be commended in today's college athletics. But because they don't recruit those players, they are dooming themselves forever to a certain level of performance, a level that is good, but not great. If they keep up the scheduling the way they have, they will perennially win 9-10 games and make a bowl game, but I don't believe, except for a fluke season, that they will contend regularly for a national title or put up anybody with Heisman hopes. It's the reality of the world. That being said, "Rudy" is still one of my all-time favorite sports movies. Still makes me mist up a little.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  13. Roderick about 1 year ago

    Dick says I have no life for defending ND. I thought he was an ND fan himself. I guess not because he also called out other ND fans. His name obviously was given to him for the right reason. It describes him perfectly!

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Dick Murata about 1 year ago

      Hey, I am a Domer. If you read my post, I agreed with your comments as well as Domer, Bill and Whiskey putting down Idiot Chris AND agreeing to his comment that HE has no life. Don't put yourself in his category. Just call me Richard.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      I'm bad Richard. I was all worked up over that idiot's comments and was on the defensive and misread your comment. Can you accept an apology from a Domer who admit's his fault?

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • dick murata about 1 year ago

      This is what distinguishes we Domers, who apologizes and admits fault vs Idiots like Chris. Accepted and GO IRISH !!!

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      Thanks Richard. It's only obvious that Chris cares more about ND than OSU. Sounds like a bitter person who applied at ND and was rejected so he's hatin' on ND as a whole. You read his comment about ND grads I'm sure. He just wishes he was one! He just stettled on OSU. He would've been better off graduating from Michigan! I know OSU has beat them 4 out of the last 5 times, but I do remember Michigan running off at least 10 on them from 1988-2000. Then he brags about 95 and 96 we they finally got the guts to put ND on the schedule during a time when Lou was hospitalized and coached from the booth. He forgot where he and his Worthless Nuts, excuse me, buckeyes came from during Coopers tenure. OSU had their best talent on the field that they ever had at that point during Cooper's era, however, they didn't want to play ND from 1988 - 2004. The Rocket, Bettis, Brooks, Zorich, Young, Watters, and so many others would've beat Dem buckeyes like they stole something. That was ND's best talent to date. But now the tables are turning and although Gene Smith is an ND grad, I'm sure the powers that be are telling him not to schedule ND. You know they certainly don't want to play us in South Bend anytime soon with all the talent coming our way! Even with TP on board, it won't help none. He won't fit into Tressel's system. He love's to run first. Tressel and staff also know nothing about the sread attack needed to complement his style of play and that's why UF and LSU burned them with the same attack. You first have to know it in order to defend it. Furthermore they don't have the kind of o-line to properly run it. Just ask UM why they lost so many.

      See Chris just didn't know what he was getting himself into when he came here to post. We are the "FIGHTING Irish"! Not the passive Irish of Willinghams era. He betta go ask somebody. Don't start nuttin', won't be nuttin'!
      Go IRISH!

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  14. Brad Bunt about 1 year ago

    I really enjoy this spirited debate about ND football. Either you love them or you hate them, theirs no in between. I do believe that ND has the largest fan base in the nation...thank you NBC! I think most programs are jealous of what ND has. National fan base, NBC contract, no conference, only need to be in the top 12 to make it to a BCS game, and a great history. Every program has its highs and lows. ND is on a 20 year drought... (93 is up for debate), but I think people get on ND mroe becasue they have so many NC's its easier for someone to give you crap becasue people expect ND to win. Anyways, just thoguht I would put my 2 cents in. Go Irish

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  15. John Fennelly about 1 year ago

    Weis and Notre Dame are working with different parameters - and different expectations.

    For those say that their recruiting power is waning, I disagree. Every game is televised nationally thanks to NBC. Kids that don't want to go to ND to play football are crazy.

    The only ones that don't want to go are the ones that want an easy time in the classroom, which too many schools are more than willing to accomodate

    This is still COLLEGE after all....

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  1. Tim Casale about 1 year ago

    Chris talks about Notre Dame playing teams like Syracuse, Stanford, Navy and Army, but yet the wonderful Ohio State grad forgets that OSU will not play teams like Akron, Youngstown St and Kent State on the road! No those absolutely pathetic teams have to come to Columbus to play. Are you kidding me? Notre Dame has been playing the service academies for decades. They played them long ago as favors. Yes football is different today, but Notre Dame honors their committment to those great Universities who have proud histories. I also know that people like to hate on Notre Dame for always pointing to our history, but we happen to be very proud of it. It's interesting that those schools I mentioned, along with Washington were your 4 out of conference games last year. Then you throw in the pathetic bottom feeders of the Big Ten, Minnesota and Northwestern and you have just garunteed yourself 6 wins. I will also point out that other than the Kent State game in the middle of the season, those 5 games started your season. So even if you were a young team, you now have 5 WARM UP games that have gotten your team ready for the BIG games at the end of the year. Notre Dame will play anyone, ANYWHERE. Have fun in Ohio, where all you do is worry about Ohio State football. MISERABLE!!!!!!

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

      Let me educate you on the way college football works my friend. There is this thing called ticket sales. Kent St., YSU, Akron-their stadiums hold about a third to at most half of what Ohio State seats in their stadium. In college football, the visitors get a share of ticket sales at these games. So as an AD at Kent St., Akron. YSU and you can make twice as much as you would make playing played at OSU instead of at home against Ohio State, and I know you root for ND so the arithmetic may be tough, but I think I would play at Ohio State, so my athletic budget could get a boost in cash.

      Your second point about the service academies has nothing to do with tradition. I could say the same grand standing thing about Ohio State honoring other in state schools to play them. But realistically I know it is because it is an easy win. I am not naive about that. But you are fooling yourself if you honestly believe ND plays the service academies because its to honor them. It's because most of the time (Navy 46 ND 44 in 2007) it is an easy win. Second of all you make comments about the playing the bottom feeders in our league, well you wouldn't know anything about a league at ND because your athletic department is too afraid to join one. You see in the Big Ten, where the big kids play, each school only can choose two teams it plays every year. Ohio State picks Michigan and Penn St. to play every year, and if I recall correctly, both those teams beat you soundly last year too. As far as the rest of the schedule goes, the conference decides who each team plays. Ohio State has no control over the other six conference games it plays.

      Now I know Roderick has his big boy pants on now that he is on a message board and thinks he can put every one down, because really he has no argument to say ND is better outside of the usual "oh they pay their players" defense. But this is the last thing I will say to you about the matter. You can make fun of the NC games, or say we pay our players, but all that says to me is you have nothing to back up your argument. Your team was 3-9 last season, and they are probably going to be 3-9 again. You can site graduation rates all you want. Our graduation rates are lower because there is this league called the NFL, and the majority of our talent goes into the NFL Draft. The reason ND players are graduating is because no NFL team wants your "wealth of talent." Look at Mr. Heisman Runner Up Brady Quinn. Sure fire top 10 pick right. Oh wait....try the 22nd pick. Why? Because no one wanted him and he was over rated. That seems to be a theme at ND....over rated.

      Good Luck in the Fall. See You in Miami.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      Let me educate you on the way college football works Chris. You can say all you want about ticket sales but we all know it's just poor excuses not to travel away from the shoe. LSU and may others go to smaller school stadiums with less seats. Why can't OSU? Again nothing to do with ticket sales...just excuses. You say I have no facts. Well Clarett certainly gave a lot of facts. Then in '06' when I went to Enterprise Rent "a" Car, one of your former players from that '02' ND team was working there in an entry-level position. Boy that OSU degree served him very well. I asked him about Claretts statements and he configrmed that he too did see that stuff taking place among OSU star players. You want facts? There's your facts!

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      And another thing Chris. OSU in Miami. The voters aren't going to make the same mistake 3 times. Even if OSU goes undefeated, which I know they won't because USC will crush them worse than LSU did and even more so than they did to Illinois in the Rose Bowl, but if OSU cheats to another 12-0 season, you'll be like Hawaii of '07'. Undefeated with no shot at a NC. Face it, the Big Ten is starting to become similar in power to the WAC from within! You have no competition there so it makes you look good until you play a REAL TEAM. But who knows...you just may be 9-3. And the only overrated (one word Chris, trying to correct me) player in Cleveland is Lebron James, your boy! Shooting airballs at the free throw line in the finals last year and still constantly turns the ball over. They like OSU cheats with refs to get wins like last night but it gotta go back to Boston where LJ's season will come to an abrupt end!

      Well back to the topic at hand. Let me leave you with a quote from Pat Forde. You do know who he is right Chris? He's the one with the real sports writing job and not a wanna-be.
      He states...Because next year's BCS National Championship Game will be played in Miami, and the Ohio State Buckeyes aren't invited. Especially if the Southeastern Conference champion is invited. (Pat Forde)

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      My bad. The '02' NC team. You know, the one that cheat all the way to the title with the sweatervest wearing coach. There won't be any ugly red and gray (dullest colors) sweatervest in Miami this year, thank God.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

      Man don't make fun of school colors, that really hurts. And I'm sure every ND grad goes on to $100,000 year salaries. I forgot your opinion counts more than mine too, because you are an experienced journalist and not some conspiracy spouting hot head who doesn't know a thing about college football. Plus you didn't counter one of my facts with facts just more crazy bi polar rants. You insult people. You are an ignorant person as well as an ignorant sports fan. You have no room to talk 3-9!!!!!! you lost to navy!!!!!! and "You know, the one that cheat all the way to the title with the sweatervest" its cheats. but your grammar and memory are so good since that wasn't me who corrected who before. get back to the counter at the golden arches because that shows how intelligent you are.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

      oh and just to let you know my NC ring, that one we supposedly cheated for, is real heavy on my finger.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      Chris, the only ignorant person here is you. And I'm sure that ring is heavy. Heavy with shame. Remember this...From the span of 1968 to 2002, which was how long it took for OSU to get its 7th NC, ND got 3. Although it's been 20 years since our last one, OSU for some reason still haven't caught up. Where are they sitting at 7? At least 4 away from ND! But Tressel is a great coach though. He gets there by hiding behind MAC teams and a weak conference but gets blown out by SEC teams in BCS NC games. As far as me being bi-polar and working at McD's...you're the one who is scizzo and I'm sure your pan handling job does you well also.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  2. Roderick about 1 year ago

    On the contrary Tim, those 5 warm up games didn't nearly prepare them well enough for LSU as they got completely embarassed AGAIN! But great post. Tell it like it is man! I like that.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  3. Michael Ahern about 1 year ago

    Hey, great website! Liked the insights provided here. I think the schedule will be much friendlier to the Irish this year. In addition, traditional foes ( Michigan, Boston College) are going through major rebuilding years. They could go 9-3 but 8-4 more likely then look out for them as a contender in'09 and beyond.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  4. John Madigan about 1 year ago

    It was mentioned above that Texas, USC & Florida get the best recruits. Here are some interesting facts about Fl. & USC since their current coaches were hired.

    USC

    For the third year in a row, I present my updated collection of all of the available information regarding the scandal, criminality, investigations, embarrassing incidents and other assorted black eyes that have plagued USC since Pete Carroll's tenure began six years ago.

    When this began in April 2006, it was strictly a football affair. In the 2007 edition, however, I included the first entry for Southern Cal's basketball team, observing that "it appears likely that there will be trouble with Tim Floyd's program if he doesn't take steps to avoid the controversy surrounding Pete Carroll's program." Well, he hasn't. So, there has.

    I remain surprised that Southern Cal athletes would be implicated in so many incidents during such a short period of time. Even recently, I actually began to think that Southern Cal might have taken steps to limit additional incidents, or at least conceal them from view. Perhaps they have for the football team. But, clearly, not so for the basketball team.

    Keep in mind, since I first posted this in April 2006, the list of incidents has nearly tripled. One would think that, following the -- and there's no other way to put it -- massive uninterrupted deluge of problems, that USC compliance officials would be like a veteran army, standing ready to take swift and substantial action to prevent further problems. Unfortunately, that does not seem to have happened. Rather, Southern Cal appears to have opted for a strategy of calculated ignorance rather than genuine institutional control.

    As before, I have endeavored to collect as much information as is publicly available. Unfortunately, many of the news stories about these issues are no longer available online. I've provided links where I found them, and relied upon second hand sources to the extent those are reliable. Also, there are some dead links in the text below that I've left there both for posterity, and so you know that I wasn't making anything up.

    I also continue to try to be as objective as reasonably possible. The facts speak for themselves. I see no need to embellish. If anyone has any information that would help make this entry more accurate and complete, please let me know, and I will edit this accordingly.

    Once again, when I first posted this in 2006, a few people disagreed with a few items, but didn't provide any supporting evidence. I offered to publish any such information, and did so again in the 2007 edition. To date, however, no one has contradicted a single entry with any credible facts. That said, if I'm wrong in any way, please tell me.

    Finally, many moons ago, I shared my view that everyone doesn't really do it, and talked about those rationalizing mischief at USC. To this day, some apologists continue to try to explain away the behavior detailed below by claiming that it "happens everywhere." That's fine. And, if you can show me a similar list for every other Division I program out there for the same six year period, I'll consider revisiting my opinion.

    Pete Carroll was hired as head football coach by USC in 2001.
    On August 23, 2001, the NCAA placed USC's athletic department on probation for two years and cut scholarships because tutors wrote papers for three athletes in the late 1990s. The events leading to the probation were before Carroll's time, but I include this for completeness sake.
    In 2002, the father of USC tailback Justin Fargas invited former USC Heisman Trophy winner, and alleged double-murderer, O. J. Simpson to a team practice (he was found not guilty in his criminal trial but was later found liable in a civil trial). After the practice, Carroll allowed Simpson to come onto the field and meet the players and pose for pictures. Carroll defends himself from criticism by claiming that Simpson wasn't invited. In May 2008, Simpson's ex manager alleged that Simpson admitted to killing Nicole Brown Simpson.

    On July 19, 2003, USC Sophomore OT Winston Justice pleaded no contest to solicitation of a prostitute in Long Beach on June 24. Winston was put on 3 years probation and fined $300 for the offense.
    On March 3, 2004, Winston Justice was arrested on suspicion of felony assault with a deadly weapon. On June 15, 2004, Justice pleaded no contest to exhibition of a replica firearm. Justice was sentenced to 60 days of electronic monitoring and three years' probation. Justice was also suspended for two semesters by USC's student affairs committee after his arrest.
    In August 2004, USC starting tailback Hershel Dennis was at the center of a police investigation of an alleged sexual assault. According to sources, the incident took place at a party on August 16, and involved a female friend of Dennis. On August 17, Dennis was removed from practice and suspended by Carroll for "disciplinary reasons," including breaking curfew. On December 13, 2004, the LAPD announced it would not press charges.
    On January 14, 2005, Tim Floyd was hired as head basketball coach by USC.
    In late March 2005, USC starting cornerback Eric Wright was arrested for investigation of sexual assault. Wright was booked on rape charges and bail was set at $100,000 according to the Sheriff's Department. Wright was held out of spring practice, and, in April 2005, the district attorney declined to press charged because of insufficient evidence. Nevertheless, on June 2, 2005, Wright left USC amid possible disciplinary action. On August 25, Wright was suspended by three semesters by USC's student affairs committee, based upon the district attorney's office having found 136 pills of the drug Ecstasy in Wright's room at an apartment he shared with another player.
    In early April 2005, USC tight end Dominique Bird fractured his jaw during an alleged altercation with receiver Steve Smith. Bird, Smith and Carroll reportedly refused to comment on the incident, and no disciplinary action was taken.
    In August 2005, USC defensive end Frostee Rucker allegedly got into a fight with his girlfriend at a party he was hosting in Los Angeles. In June 2006, Rucker was charged with two misdemeanor counts of spousal battery and two counts of vandalism and was scheduled to be arraigned on August 11, 2006. Despite the incident, Rucker did not face any discipline from USC, and didn't miss a game. In May 2007, Rucker pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and vandalism charges stemming from the 2005 incident. As part of a plea agreement, the prosecutors dropped a charge of spousal battery and Rucker was sentenced to three years of probation. Prior to transferring to USC, in April of 2002, Rucker was charged in Colorado with sexual assault and indecent exposure. Rucker reportedly eventually accepted a one-year deferred sentence on a misdemeanor harassment charge.
    On August 13, 2005, 10 veteran USC players were involved in a hazing incident where they shaved the head of freshman quarterback Mark Sanchez. Also, what started out as a water fight between USC players, escalated into an all-out brawl as it spiraled out of control. Reportedly, there was significant damage to the players dorms as players were thrown through walls.
    On October 31, 2005, USC tailback LenDale White played a macabre prank by pretending to quit the team and throwing a dummy off a building on Child's Way. Separately, Pete Carroll apologized to Washington State coach Bill Doba for USC players pushing and bumping Doba while trying to get to the locker room during halftime of their game.
    On November 2, 2005, USC linebacker Rey Maualuga was arrested for investigation of misdemeanor battery after punching a man at an off-campus Halloween party (twice, without provocation). A witness at the scene reportedly quoted Maualuga as stating "I own the police." Carroll took no disciplinary action, and Maualuga played the following weekend against Stanford. One USC pundit observed at the time that "discipline is Coach Carroll's number one weakness." On November 22, 2005, the city attorney's office declined to file charges. Maualuga was defended at the court hearing by controversial and well-connected USC alumni attorney Carmen "Nooch" Trutanich, who has a long history with USC and previously represented both Wright and Dennis.
    On December 21, 2005, USC starting quarterback Matt Leinart had his eligibility temporarily revoked after appearing in a promotional segment on ESPN earlier that month, a violation of an NCAA rule. Leinart was reinstated shortly thereafter. One observer claims the NCAA was just concerned about money.
    On January 1, 2006, reporters from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and CBS Sportline reportedly told the USC football team about potential recruiting violations stemming from visits by USC recruits to Papadakis Taverna, a Greek restaurant owned by former USC linebacker John Papadakis. As of July 2007, the investigation by USC compliance officials continued.

    On January 21, 2006, USC quarterback Matt Leinart was cited by the Pac-10 for working out with his own coach using school facilities. According to the NCAA, a student athlete cannot utilize the school's facilities to work out with a coach, unless the coach is affiliated with the university.
    On April 21, 2006, the family of USC running back Reggie Bush was implicated by numerous separate media reports as having lived in a house purchased by a San Diego-area man with ties to a sports agent and a tribal casino. Both the Pac-10 and the NCAA have launched an investigation into potential NCAA violations in connnection with this matter, which is pending. More recent reports in this fast evolving story are here, here, and here. Yahoo Sports, which is responsible for much of the investigative reporting on this issue, has set up a page dedicated to its eight-month probe here.
    On April 26, 2006, USC quarterback Mark Sanchez was arrested for investigation of sexually assaulting a female student earlier that same day. Sanchez was released upon posting $200,000 bail, and was ordered to appear in court on May 17, 2006. Sanchez was also placed on "interim suspension" by USC while the case was pending. On June 2, 2006, the LA District Attorney announced that it would not be bring charges against Sanchez due to insufficient evidence.
    On April 30, 2006, it was reported that USC compliance officials were investigating whether an NCAA rule was violated because receiver Dwayne Jarrett failed to pay approximately $10,000 for his half of the rent for an upscale apartment he shared with former quarterback Matt Leinart. USC claims that no rules were violated, though it was initially reported that Jarret may have to sit out a portion of the 2006-07 season. Jarrett ultimately avoided punishment and was the 45th pick in the 2007 NFL draft. After a disappointing season, Jarrett was arrested on March 11, 2008 and charged with driving under the influence.
    In August of 2006, USC defensive back Brandon Ting quit the football team after reportedly testing postive for steroid use. His twin brother, Ryan, also a defensive back on the USC football team, quit the team just days later, claiming that he wanted to concentrate on preparing for medical school, and was never tested. Interestingly, Arthur Ting, father of the twins, is a Bay Area orthopedic surgeon who has reportedly appeared as a witness before a grand jury considering possible perjury charges against baseball's Barry Bonds, one of Arthur's clients. This incident finally triggered some real interest by the LA Times.
    On August 29, 2006, it was announced that former USC quarterback Matt Leinart would be having a child out of wedlock with USC basketball player Brynn Cameron. While not improper in any meaningful way outside of his personal life, this event begins a long list of embarrassing incidents involving the former USC star (not to mention other USC quarterbacks).

    On October 16, 2006, it was announced that then 14-year-old high school freshman Dwayne Polee Jr., who had yet to even play a game at Westchester high, had verbally committed to USC’s basketball team. Though not improper, the early commitment was unconventional, and was repeated in June 2007 when USC announced the verbal commitment of 14-year-old middle school player Ryan Boatright, who, at the time, had not yet even decided upon where he was going to high school. Further eyebrows were raised in June 2007, when USC hired Dwayne Polee Sr., father of Dwayne Polee Jr., as Director of Basketball Operations, amid charges of nepotism.

    On December 4, 2006, former USC stand-out, and former Rams rookie, tight end Dominique Byrd was arrested for allegedly hitting a bar patron in the face with a drinking glass. Byrd was charged with second- and third-degree assault and armed criminal action. He was released shortly after posting a $25,000 bond. In early May, 2008, Byrd was scheduled to go to trial in St. Louis Circuit Court on felony charges of assault and armed criminal action stemming from the nightclub scuffle in December 2006. In March 2007, he was charged with DUI in California. In October 2007, he pleaded no contest to the DUI charge and received three years' probation. In May 2008, Byrd was released by the Rams.
    In January 2007, a federal investigation into extortion claims by former USC running back Reggie Bush and his family revealed the existence of taped converstations that could confirm Bush took cash and gifts while he was playing football for USC. It was also reported that nearly $280,000 in cash, rent and gifts were allegedly given to Bush and his family. The information came to light following the issuance of grand jury subpoenas to multiple witness by the U.S. District Attorney's office in San Diego. Both the NCAA and Pac-10 continue to investigate. Also, more recent articles suggest that Reggie Bush was involved earlier and more deeply than previously reported in efforts to create the sports marketing agency at the center of the continuing controversy. The investigation has, to date, yielded no definitive proof that USC officials had knowledge of Bush's misconduct, though Bush was nevertheless asked not to attend the Trojans' Rose Bowl matchup against Michigan on New Year's Day.
    On February 2, 2007, it was reported that a "stampede of student athletes," including three USC linemen, ex-USC receiver Keary Colbert, and members of the USC women's basketball, volleyball and water polo teams, had improperly attempted to take an academic shortcut around the university's foreign language requirement by signing up for a course at Los Angeles Trade Tech College taught by USC graduate Senora Ross, who promised to give the athletes no lower than a "B." Upon discovering the situation, USC officials disallowed the transfer of credits from Trade Tech.
    On February 8, 2007, it was reported that USC football players had created and joined a racist Facebook group as a "joke." The racist Facebook group was called "White Nation," showed a graphic of a swastika and black baby in handcuffs with the caption "arrest black babies before they become criminals." The group was created by USC linebacker Clay Matthews and was joined by teammates David Buehler, Brian Cushing, Dan Deckas and Dallas Sartz. Coach Pete Carroll responded to reports of the incident by saying he had no plans to discipline the players, and USC later announced that none of the players would be punished. According to Carroll, "[i]t's not a controversy, it's a mistake."
    On February 9, 2007, USC compliance officials announced they were investigating whether an NCAA violation occurred during the Trojans' pursuit of Louisiana prep star running back Joe McKnight. The investigation followed reports that McKnight had told reporters that USC coach Pete Carroll had set up a conference call so he and high school coach J.T. Curtis could be assured by ex-Trojan running back Reggie Bush that USC would not be punished for a separate NCAA investigation into improper benefits allegedly taken by Bush. Carroll later denied that any call took place, and Curtis said that McKnight misspoke. According to NCAA officials, if USC got Bush's help in recruiting McKnight, it would be considered a "secondary violation" of recruiting rules.
    On March 9, 2007, USC basketball recruit O.J. Mayo was arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession in Huntington, West Virginia. Mayo was one of four young males found in a suspicious vehicle by a Cabell County Sheriff's drug task force unit assigned to serve a search warrant at a house nearby. The charges against Mayo were later dismissed by a magistrate judge, after the driver of the vehicle pleaded guilty to the charge (though Mayo's father subsequently had his own difficulties). The incident followed a controversy in January following Mayo's two (some sources say three) game suspension after receiving two technical fouls in a high school game and coming into contact with an official, as well as prior reports of three suspensions by his high school, the last one following an altercation with a female student.
    On April 14, 2007, it was announced that Percy Romeo Miller, also known as Romeo (and formerly Lil' Romeo) had been offered a basketball scholarship to USC. The scholarship offer, to a 5-foot-10 point guard with a bad knee who had never played a full season of high-school basketball, was roundly criticized by national commentators as a thinly veiled attempt by USC to obtain the commitment of Miller's friend, prep star and NBA prospect Demar DeRozan, while ignoring Miller's mediocre at best talent.
    In the first week of August, 2007, there were new developments in the NCAA investigation of former USC running back Reggie Bush, when it was reported that audio recordings that allegedly establish an improper financial relationship between Bush and a would-be sports marketing agent were played for NCAA investigators. The tapes were revealed after Lloyd Lake, a partner in failed sports marketing agency New Era Sports enterprise, filed a lawsuit against Bush and his family, seeking to recoup nearly $300,000 in benefits Lake claims he helped provide. Lake's allegations were further detailed in January 2008, with the publication of Don Yaeger's book Tarnished Heisman, which chronicled various allegations swirling around Bush's USC tenure, including claims that Bush received $47,000 out of an overall $291,000 that went to his family from sports marketer Lake. That same month, published reports contained Lake's (unsubstantiated) allegation that USC coaches knew Bush was taking money in violation of NCAA rules.
    On August 28, 2007, a contributor to Bruinsnation.com unearthed a report from April 1996 that USC running backs coach Todd McNair was arrested and charged with 81 offenses involving the mistreatment of 22 pit bulls being trained on his property for dogfights while a running back for the Houston Oilers. In light of recent press relating to NFL quarterback Michael Vick, the report unleashed a firestorm, with numerous acts of alleged animal cruelty being uncovered in McNair's past, including multiple misdemeanors convictions (via plea bargain) regarding animal cruelty and failure to license, and "all indications" that McNair was involved in dog flighting. McNair, who was previously implicated in Reggie Bush scandal, having allegedly known about Bush's involvement with the New Era venture before USC national championship game against Texas, faced no discipline from USC.

    On September 27, 2007, it was reported that USC sophomore point guard Daniel Hackett would be sidelined at least six weeks after suffering multiple fractures of his jaw when he was struck by the "elbow" of teammate O.J. Mayo during a pickup game. Shortly thereafter, it was reported, based upon several sources, including a member of the basketball team, that Mayo punched Hackett during the game. The player was quoted as saying "Yeah, he punched him," "They changed the story for the media." Despite later denials by Floyd and others, this version of the events was confirmed on multiple occasions.

    On November 3, 2007, convicted felon Suge Knight was given a sideline pass to a USC game. Knight joins O.J. Simpson and Snoop Dogg as USC's esteemed guests.
    In early November 2007, USC forward Davon Jefferson was suspended for the team's embarrassing season-opening loss to Mercer. Jefferson, who required two years to meet the NCAA's minimum academic requirements and was kicked out of prep school before he joined USC, was also later benched for much of a narrow loss at Stanford and also suspended for a loss to Washington State. After clashing with Floyd, Jefferson did not even inform the school of his decision to turn pro.
    On January 21, 2008, USC freshman guard O.J. Mayo was alleged to have violated NCAA rules by accepting complimentary tickets from Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony to a Lakers-Nuggets game at Staples Center. Coach Floyd subsequently took the blame, and Mayo was ultimately required to donate the value of the tickets to charity.

    On March 2, 2008, USC defensive tackle Fili Moala was arrested for resisting and obstructing an officer after a melee at a Newport Beach bar was broken up by police. Moala was released after posting $500 bail, and on March 13, the Orange County district attorney's office declined to press charges.
    On March 5, 2008, USC recruit Maurice Simmons was arrested for robbery in Compton, after he allegedly pointed a handgun at a man and demanded his belongings. Simmons, a linebacker from Dominguez High School, was initially held at the Los Angeles County jail on $50,000 bail, and then released after posting bail of $85,000. Simmons was arraigned on March 7, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 15, 2008. To date, USC has not indicated whether or not it intends to honor its commitment to Simmons. Developing.
    On April 1, 2008, USC head coach Pete Carroll, in an attempt to make light of the Trojan's extensive past history of criminality, invited members of the LAPD to play a prank on defensive end Everson Griffen, who was said to have "physically abused a freshman" and was threatened with arrest during a team meeting.
    On April 6, 2008, USC sophomore tailback Joe McKnight was held out of the team's scrimmage and it was announced that he would miss the final week of spring workouts because he was academically ineligible to participate. McKnight had dropped a class, leaving him without the 12 units required for eligibility.
    On April 27, 2008, the NFL draft ended with USC guard Drew Radovich remaining unselected. Expected by some to be a mid-to-late round pick, Radovich's stock allegedly dropped based upon character concerns.
    In late April or early May, 2008, a video was posted on Pete Carroll's website starring his son, Brennan. The video, replete with profanity and questionable behavior, was widely ridiculed, and was allegedly used against USC in recruiting. In mid-May, the video was removed from youtube.com, with Carroll explaining that it was just a "spoof."
    On May 2, 2008, the judge in the civil litigation between former USC running back Reggie Bush and Lloyd Lake ordered the parties to appear in June 2008 for their depositions, and denied Bush's attempts to impose a "gag order" to prevent the deposition transcripts from being shared with the NCAA. The judge also set a trial date of March 13, 2009.
    On May 4, 2008, former USC tight end Fred Davis failed to attend the final practice of the The Washington Redskins minicamp because he overslept after a late night out. Besides giving a poor first impression, Davis confirmed concerns about his commitment to football dating back to his time at USC. Davis was suspended for two games his freshman year at USC for coming back late from his home in Ohio, and missed the 2005 Orange Bowl.
    On May 6, 2008, it was announced that USC's men's basketball team was the only major athletic program in the Southland penalized with scholarship losses as the result of a poor performance in the NCAA's academic progress rate. The Trojans were penalized in part because Lodrick Stewart, Nick Young and Gabe Pruitt stopped attending class after the 2007 season, and because three players transferred within the same season. USC's APR score of 804 was 121 points below the minimum-acceptable mark, and stemmed from various academic problems, including Gabe Pruitt's academic ineligibility for the fall 2006 semester, and his ineligibility again following the spring 2007 semester. USC served the penalty during the 2007-08 season.
    On May 13, 2008, ESPN aired an episode of Outside the Lines that contained extensive, well-documented allegations that USC guard O.J. Mayo received improper benefits from a sports agent (BDA Sports) and that agent's runner (Rodney Guillory) both before and during his one season at USC. It was alleged that Guillory received benefits in excess of $200,000, while Mayo received $30,000 in benefits, including cash, clothes, cell phone service, and a flat screen television for his dorm room. USC immediately faced a storm of criticism, with several prominent commentator calling for sanctions, including the so-called "death penalty." The criticism of USC intensified as it was reported that Guillory was given largely unfettered access to Mayo and the athletic department, after a highly unusual recruitment process, despite USC knowing of his involvement with agents, including a prior scandal with USC's Jeff Trepagnier, for many years. The Pac-10 and the NCAA have launched investigations. Developing.
    There are additional allegations swirling around out there, but I have not included anything I could not verify in at least two places. I've also left out "on the field" misconduct, including various stories about blatant personal fouls and possible cheating. Again, please provide any (verifiable) information or links you may have in the comments section.

    Finally, let me address something that comes up every year. As I've said above, this is a list of "scandal, criminality, investigations, embarrassing incidents and other assorted black eyes" affecting Southern Cal. It's broader than just criminality. So, dearest Southern Cal apologists, please spare me the arguments about how something above isn't really a crime, even if many of the items above do involve serious, sometime violent, criminal behavior.

    Florida

    In todays (5/16) Palm Beach Post there is an article that list those that have been arrested since Meyer got there.

    2005 2 arrested
    2006 4 "
    2007 6 "
    2008 1 " so far. If there is a pattern they will end up with 8 in '08.

    On top of that 2of those arrested (Marcus Thomas & Jarvis Moss) both failed drug tests and ended up on the Denver Broncos.

    One player Dee Webb was found with 2 assult rifles but he owned them legally so no arrest was made.

    The charges varied from: drugs, felony credit card fraud, battery, burglary, domestic violence. Well rounded thugs.

    The mantra for UF is suppose to be to take only the top 1 percent of the top 1 percent, I think they may have fallen short.
    Will Meyer catch up with Carroll..only time will tell since Carrol has 4 years on Meyer.

    Granted all schools will have some problems but the two above appear to go looking for "knuckle draggers"

    So a question to ask is; if your son is about to accept a scholarship.....who do you want him to have as teammates and a coaches?

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  5. John Maxwell about 1 year ago

    This is a very rosy assessment. I continue to be amazed by the FIERCE loyalty of ND boosters to CW in the face of his performance and his self-admitted misjudgements about preparing his team for the season. It simply defies explanation

    A couple of things. First The number of coaches who went from 10-3 in their first year to 3-9 in their third year.....and kept their job is small. If anyone has an example on one who accomplished anything after that kind of swan dive I'd be fascinated to read about that.

    Second, this mantra that Charlie Weis's third year performance is Ty Willinghams fault needs to be reconciled against the ability of Ty Willingham to take over a Washington team that was 1-10 when he arrived and then win more games than Charlie Weis in 2007, with less talent and the Washingtons #1 most difficult schedule in the country(Sagrin).

    If you giveup the idea that Charlie Weis is a "genius", and you look hard at his resume....would he have earned the right to coach...or continue to coach ND?

    As Bill Belichick said: "You are what your record says you are." Charlie Weis is 22-15 and is 0-2 in bowl games.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      Fool! Willingham only won one more game than Weis did last year. But Weis hasn't had 3 losing season at ND as willingham had at UW. Willingham did have good players there when he got there according the recruiting class rankings so don't blame his losses on talent. And yes we have loyalty to CW who graduates his players and ensures they do well in class. I wonder who you show loyalty to? I'm sure a coach who barely graduates half his players and only cares about what they do one the field. Yes i'm talkin' to you John.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  6. Jeremy about 1 year ago

    ND just needs to schedule more balanced and not play all the cream puffs or play all of the big guns each year. I do agree they have it easy when getting into a BCS game which they were waxed in the last few they have been to. ND should have to be either top 8 or top 10 to get an auto bid instead of 12 for that berth.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      Jeremy, you have the nerve to talk about cream puffs anyway. Thee entire Mountain West, including Utah is CREAM PUFFS. And your boy Alex Smith was a total WASTE!

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  7. Stove Pipe about 1 year ago

    Notre Dame is finished as a national power house in College football. From time to time they may be competitive with big state school programs and may even compete for a BCS championship once in a blue moon but the glory days are over. ND is more likely to play in the Poulan weed-eater bowl than a BCS bowl. Start thinking Syracuse, Stanford and Northwestern as far as expectations go ND fans, because that seems about were they are headed.

    If the opening paragraph seemed harsh, it is only meant as a wake up call to the legions of ND fans who delude themselves into thinking that anything about the competitive realignment of college football is going to change. Urban Meyer turned down the job when he was told he couldn't recruit "his kind" of player. He decided not to enter the gunfight that is NCAA football armed only with a knife and went to Florida were no such issues existed. And who can blame him? He has one goal, to hector young, impressionable "athlete-students" into fodder for the NFL. ND has bigger goals as an institution and rightly didn't succumb to the temptation to do anything possible to stay in the game.

    The coach isn't the problem, and Urban Meyer wouldn't have been a savior. A hard or soft schedule won't make any difference either. The simple fact is that big state schools have and will continue to have for the foreseeable future a huge advantage in recruiting. ND still has the "ND mystique", which will still bring them close sometime, but is no substitute for the lack of standards at big public state schools enjoy.

    Lax academic standards, lower graduation expectations and an evolving era of specialization (kids being groomed and trained only for the next level) are all conspiring to disadvantage schools with higher standards, ND being chief among them. None of this is anything to be ashamed of, on the contrary it should be applauded.

    I think ND fans should get used to the facts at hand and enjoy the years in which the Irish overachieve instead of coming up with convoluted theories about how to recapture the glory days. Beating Michigan and USC once in a while should be reward enough for a school that has so much more to offer than it's football program.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  8. Roderick about 1 year ago

    Well Stove - you say ND is finished as a national powerhouse in college football. It's obvious you haven't checked our recruiting classes under Weis. People said the same thing before Lou brought us back. He brought in the top recruits just as CW is doing and it will only be a short matter of time before ND has it's 12th NC. Every team goes through down times. It's happened at USC, Oklahoma, Florida, Alabama, FSU, OSU, PSU, starting at UM, and of course ND. But one thing all of these programs have in common is that they all rise again. Unfortunately as the article states bad recruiting and coaching from previous regimes has kept ND down longer that it should've. Your comments to the contrary only indicates that you realize a revival is happening in South Bend that you don't want to see! As far as big in-state schools having the big recruiting advantage, I wonder how we beat every in-state school in recruiting last year except for Alabama? They only beat us due to having more signees. Let's see how recruiting has been for ND the past several years...The class of '06' was ranked #5 and #8 by the top two recruiting sources in the countr - Scout and Rivals. Same as the '07 class that landed ND with the #1 overall recruit and QB Jimmy Clausen who shunned in-state USC for the Golden Dome. The Class of '08' was ranked #2 by both Scout and Rivals and ND got another top caliber QB who also shunned USC for South Bend. As a matter of fact he, who's name is Dayne Crist, was the #2 QB and resided in the heart of USC territory - Los Angeles, California. I wonder why they as well as Anthony McDonald, whose father played for USC, chose the Fighting Irish over the Trojans? Let's take a look so far at this years recruiting...With Weis not being able to travel recruiting this year, commitments have been coming at a much slower pace than the previous two years for ND. (Just might be a conspiracy to keep ND from getting top prospects) However, the #3 recruit, RB Cierre Wood of Los Angeles chose the Irish over the in-state and in-city, Bruins and Trojans. I wonder why? My, my...ND just can't get the most talented players who are intelligent and needs to recruits the type of player Meyer would recruit. You've got to be kidding me. Have you seen the mess down in Gainesville the past 3 years? That's why ND told Meyer he couldn't recruit his type of players to ND. Look at they type of players he recruits. He did ND a huge favor by not coming here. Thank you Urban! Then he says not being able to travel hurts his ability to judge a prospects character. What about the last 2 years when he did travel to a prospect and analyze their character? The porblem's he's been facing is with the characters already in his program that he had the chance to judge face to face, one on one. Not the ones yet to be recruited.

    And as for the idiot that said ND schedules cream puffs...Obviously you know little because ND's schedule is always ranked among the toughest every year and ND plays 6 games on the road every year while 95% of those powerhouse teams only play five. And those poor Mac teams can't even get a home game against OSU. I think even Big East team and in-state D-1 Cincinnati finally gets a home game against OSU in their own stadium after too many years of traveling to Columbus. As far as cream puffs on ND's schedule goes - 10 teams were in bowl games; Navy can and does beat many major conference teams, and Air Force beat UW in '05' and lost to UT by one point in '06'!
    Call our schedule weak if you want. However, do you say anything about UF playing the Citadel? Or FSU playing Troy? Miami playing FIU? Even Ohio State will be playing against ARMY and Navy in the near future, as well as the lowly Mac teams they annually face that probably can't even beat the top high schools programs in the country. But will you be as critical on them? Probably not because of your hypocrisy!

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Chris Schmidbauer about 1 year ago

      Let's break down this comment shall we:

      1) "And those poor Mac teams can't even get a home game against OSU. I think even Big East team and in-state D-1 Cincinnati finally gets a home game against OSU in their own stadium after too many years of traveling to Columbus."

      As I stated earlier, there is this thing called ticket sales. Kent St., YSU, Akron-their stadiums seat about a third of what Ohio State seats in their stadium. In college football, the visitors get a share of ticket sales in non conference games. So as an AD at Kent St., Akron. YSU and your school can make twice as much off of ticket sales playing at OSU instead of playing at home against Ohio State, and I know the arithmetic may be tough, but I think I would play at Ohio State. That way my athletic budget could get twice as much money and get a boost in cash.

      2.) "Let's see how recruiting has been for ND the past several years...The class of '06' was ranked #5 and #8 by the top two recruiting sources in the countr - Scout and Rivals. Same as the '07 class that landed ND with the #1 overall recruit and QB Jimmy Clausen who shunned in-state USC for the Golden Dome. "

      So if Charlie Weis is an awesome coach how is it with all this talent he went 3-9 last year? Shouldn't he have been in at least a bowl game of some sort? Just wondering, because as you say they are still an elite program.

      3.) "With Weis not being able to travel recruiting this year, commitments have been coming at a much slower pace than the previous two years for ND. (Just might be a conspiracy to keep ND from getting top prospects) "

      Just funny that anyone would think that

      4.) "Have you seen the mess down in Gainesville the past 3 years? That's why ND told Meyer he couldn't recruit his type of players to ND. Look at they type of players he recruits. He did ND a huge favor by not coming here. Thank you Urban!"

      Yes he just has a NC over my Buckeyes in which he walloped us, and a Heisman Trophy winning QB in his tenure. Plus he is 31-8 overall and 2-1 in bowl games. Charlie Weis is 21-15 and 0-2 in bowl games. My what a mess in Gainseville.

      5.) "Ohio State will be playing against ARMY and Navy in the near future, as well as the lowly Mac teams they annually face that probably can't even beat the top high schools programs in the country."

      This line makes me smile

      6.) "Navy can and does beat many major conference teams, and Air Force beat UW in '05' and lost to UT by one point in '06'!"

      First off Navy beat one team in a major conference last season. They lost to one of those lowly MAC teams and they lost to Delaware who is a 1-AA team. Now you said earlier that "as well as the lowly Mac teams they annually face that probably can't even beat the top high schools programs in the country" and if Navy lost to a MAC team and beat ND, what does that say? Can ND not beat a mediocre high school program? I mean it is your logic. Second of all you can't say Air Force beating Washington establishes them as a good team, when you clearly stated "Willingham only won one more game than Weis did last year. But Weis hasn't had 3 losing season at ND as willingham had at UW." You established that UW and Ty Willingham are by far inferior in your mind, so how is Air Force's win a good win and how does it justify them as a good opponent.

      7.) "As far as big in-state schools having the big recruiting advantage, I wonder how we beat every in-state school in recruiting last year except for Alabama? They only beat us due to having more signees."

      I'm not really even sure what this means. You don't define how they beat other in state schools. If you mean by rankings you can find tons of sites where ND's class was below in no particular order Miami, Alabama, OSU, Oklahoma, USC, Clemson, and Florida.

      Here's the link: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/football/columns/story?
      columnist=luginbill_tom&id=3233826

      Here's one where they are 4th: http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/2008-recruiting-classes

      See the thing you forget is there rankings are opinions. No one is an expert. Your opinion that Rival and Scout are the two best is not fact. These writer opinions are not stone cold facts. But I'm sure you already knew that.

      8.) "Your comments to the contrary only indicates that you realize a revival is happening in South Bend that you don't want to see!"

      This was in references to Stove's comments, even though he states:

      " The coach isn't the problem, and Urban Meyer wouldn't have been a savior. A hard or soft schedule won't make any difference either. The simple fact is that big state schools have and will continue to have for the foreseeable future a huge advantage in recruiting. ND still has the "ND mystique", which will still bring them close sometime, but is no substitute for the lack of standards at big public state schools enjoy."

      As well as this:

      "a school that has so much more to offer than it's football program."

      Yet you still rip the guy even though he clearly is an knowledgable ND fan who is complemeting the schools academic standards.

      9.) "ND plays 6 games on the road every year while 95% of those powerhouse teams only play five."

      Lets see until last season college football teams only played 11 games but lets look at how ND scheduled six road games every year

      2004: 5 away games
      2005: 5 away games
      2006: 4 away games
      2007: 5 away games

      So every year? Did they play games we didn't know about. Are there any secretly scheduled games that the rest of college football didn't know about?

      You just have some factual problems you might want to clear up.

      Good Luck in the fall and we will see you in the Orange Bowl for sure.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      Didn't I tell you before that no one is going to invite your beloved Suckeyes to Miami. USC is going to beat the living daylights out of your no class having team! They can't even lose to Illinois without wanting to fight, bunch of sore losers. This again is the full quote from Pat Forde. " If you see a silver helmet and a sweater vest coming, contact authorities.
      Because next year's BCS National Championship Game will be played in Miami, and the Ohio State Buckeyes aren't invited. Especially if the Southeastern Conference champion is invited." (Pat Forde)
      The closest you and your classless team will get to any Orange Bowl will be to go to the supermarket, buy a large bowl and fill it with oranges!

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

    • Carlos Siu about 1 year ago

      Chris, why are you such a troll? Did you even read the article? I'll just give you one example. For your point No. 2.. Willingham only recruited 4 OL in 3 years... The O line takes time to develop.. you should know that.... We all knew that the past season was gonna be tough.. we HAD to play a ton of underclassmen... It couldn't be helped.... Why don't you just respond to the article and stop repeating the same things that every ND hater always says... The article is pretty clear on all your points...

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  9. Roderick about 1 year ago

    I see you're still here Chris posting non-sense. Please excuse me for my oversight. I forgot there were only 11 games played prior 2006. And you're wrong again. There were 5 road games in '06' for ND. Well there are 6 this year. But in '02' OSU played a total of 13 games. Four of which were on the road. Why only four? Because they weren't allowed to play 10 home games and were forced to play 9 instead?
    Again you mentioned Meyer who only won with as many games as he has with Zooks recruits for the most part. And as far as all the talent that Weis has brought in, ND doesn't redshirt. Nor does ND take in JUCO transfers like OSU and the majority of universities out there. Our freshmen, if good enough play right away while most freshmen at other schools ride the bench for a year or two. Or they are redshirted either as a freshmen or sophomore. If you read the article properly you'd notice all of the freshmen and sophomores at key positions who had no experience last year, went up against seasoned players on opposing teams. It does take time to make the transition from high school football to college football. If you truly knew football you'd know that. Just the same as a lot of rookies to get adjusted to the NFL game.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  10. james dougherty about 1 year ago

    get charlie under oath before the senate judicary committe - ''we wont recruit hoods and thugs ''-did the big burrito cheat to win -is this a notre dame man? is this the head coach teaching little charlie to spot for da ''drooling like arthur newman "" ?

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      What are you even talkin' about James? Listen people...don't post here unless you make sense or have facts to back up your statements upon researching matters first!

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  11. Stove Pipe about 1 year ago

    Hey Roderick, in response to your comment if you read my post carefully you find that I have the same take on Meyer as you do. Also while I believe that big state school programs now have and will continue to grow their recruiting advantage it doesn't mean that ND hasn't or wouldn't ever land any blue-chip athletes. Nor did I state that. I do however stand by my prediction, the worm has turned and until the NCAA returns to the day of "student-athlete" schools that value academics equal to or above sports will be disadvantaged. ND just has the farthest to fall, being the most successful.

    Personally, I'm not sold on Weis as either a master recruiter or head coach and I doubt that he'll lead ND out if the wilderness. Clausen may end up being a decent QB, and some of the recruits he's landed may even turn out to be complete package players. Where I think he's lacking and will have a hard time making up the deficit is in places the game is now being decided: Speed rushers, wide receivers, earth-moving interior linemen (off and def) and big, agile offensive tackles. I don't think anyone working under the constraints that ND has could much better, but I also don't believe in the cult of personality around this guy.

    ND should always be in the ball park as far as recruiting the best QB's go, and Weis helps there. But the big state schools turn a blind eye to academic and social problems that some of the better players bring as baggage. And because of lax standards, big schools have a more conducive atmosphere for the 2-3 years and out kid, the game changer shooting for the next level.

    ND will always have a nice team and will compete from time to time but I can't for the life of me see those years as anything but an anomaly. The ability to woo a certain player from USC, or OSU or wherever not withstanding, those schools attract more players of higher talent in more positions than ND. Results on the field tell me that, not someone judging the relative value of high school player A vs. B for USA Today or College Football Weekly. Ty Willingham was not the cause of that problem and Charlie Wies can only offer at best a temporary fix.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Jerry Noonan about 1 year ago

      Stove, Coach W. recruited 4 OLineman in his tenure. I know you know what that means. Coach W. should have been fired for that reason alone. You cannot play football without OLinemen and that is essentially what Coach W. and his staff tried to do. Coach Davie (who I refer to as Lou's revenege because he endorsed the hire) thankfully recruited enough OLinemen (barring injuries) to sustain the program for a while. Now think about it from a pure numbers standpoint. 4 Olinemen in 3 years. You need 5 for every play. Did Ty think the OLinement he inherited could play for twelve years?

      2005: MOST experienced OLine in ND history (not the most talented, just the most experienced). Weis had enough material where he could dictate the flow of the game (see SC game that year). Had SC not had Bush ND wins by two TDs.

      2007: LEAST experienced OLine in ND history. Why? Someone forgot to recruit OLinmen for years. Trying playing FB without OLinemen.

      I think Coach W. did the best he could and it was a disaster.

      4 OLinemen in three years would have killed SC or any other program. Less than 70 players when Weis arrived was equally the fault of Coach W.'s staff and Dr. White in my book.

      Boss to me: Jetson, what is going on in Cleveland? Sales are down 50%!

      Me to Boss: Half our sales staff left and we forgot to get more. I guess our competitors got our business.

      Boss to me: Don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out, Jetson.

      You cannot overlook 4 OLinemen in three years.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  12. Roderick about 1 year ago

    Well Stove. You've made some good points. However, I do think Weis is the right guy to bring ND to elite status. The first thing he recognized upon taking the coaching job is that the team needed student, alumni and faculty support more so than ever. It had been lost and trampled under foot during the Davie and especially Willingham era. He's reconciled all of that, bringing in former superstars like Montana, Zorich, Young, Rocket, etc... He's met with students in the dorms for gain proper support and also bridge the gap between players an the student body in general. They now share the same dorms for the most part. Afterwhich he's constantly evealuating the program and even his own self performance to see where change would be best fitting. The result is, he has taken himself away from play calling duties to evaluate the team and staff as a whole...not just the offense. He was an offensive coordinator so that was his main focus or area of concentration. He didn't see the whole picture because as OC, you game plan so much more than a DC and it consumes most of your time and effort. Now he's coaching as he should. He's coaching every aspect of the team. Basically it's mostly fine tuning things as he's trusting his staff to do the majority of the work since they are finally on the same page due to not having to worry about the boss staring them down causing them not to teach as effectively as they should. Clausen on the other hand I feel will be better than Quinn due to having more time under Weis and Powlus than Quinn had. By his senior year I have no doubt he'll be the best QB in college football! We do now have speed rushers coming off the ends and obviously you didn't see that with our two freshmen phenoms, Neal and Smith last season. We have even more coming in this fall from our #2 ranked class that was more of a defensive recruiting class than an offensive one in terms of numbers. You also must not have heard about Golden Tate, Deion Walker, or seen Michael Floyd in action from his highlights all over Youtube. We do have earth moving O-linemen who played all of last season. However, due to their inexperience, they didn't look that way against the competition ND faced. (Duke and Stanford being the exception of course) They are all coming back this year, however, with a vengeance though sense they took the brupt of the criticism and are out to prove that are can be the offensive line that they were recruited to be. They were considered the best set of O-line recruits in '06' from any class. Yes, you're right, we have yet to get that earth mover on the D-line though. We had one who was set to sign since summer of last year but that liar, urban meyer has a thing for letting ND evaulate excellent D-lineman then coming in and stealing them away with his lies about our coaching staff, our system, and ND itself. I guess since the players from his own evaluations turn out to constantly get arrested, he'd rather let ND's staff do it for him. Even more so now that he said not being able to go on the road and meeting face to face with recruits keeps him from judging character. I say this...you can't properly judge character if you have no character! Chris is a prime example of that point for sure. I hope our commits this year will see through that snakes lies and mongooses his a$$ instantly.
    The things I did like about Willingham though was his no non-sense approach. However, Weis is the same in that regard. I disagree with you saying Willingham wasn't the problem in evaluating talent though. If you remember correctly, all the media was saying prior to Willingham losing his job was ND doesn't have the talent to compete with the best teams. ND players weren't fast enough. They were right about that because those players were brought in during his era. They said the same thing in Weis' first year. Whiel they still weren't fast enough, ala Wooden getting burned to set USC up for the winning score, Weis instilled a desire to win in that season and the players played with more passion and zeal than at anytime during Willingham's tenure. Thus the 9-3 record when yhe year prior was 6-6 in '04'. The '03' season was 5-6. I know last year was 3-9. We heard about too much. But look at who Weis had to use. Moslty his own NEW recruits due to a huge shortage of upperclassmen and talent left by the gaping whole that was Willingham. However, if 2009 isn't an undefeated season with the talent level we now have, or at worst 1 loss, then I'll be looking at Weis asd staff! But I'm sure the renaissance is in place.
    Well enough said.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  13. Michael Collins about 1 year ago

    Thank you all for your comments. OCIrish, if yours was directed to me, I have never heard of the Cowherd show. These are my thoughts.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  14. Stove Pipe about 1 year ago

    Roderick,

    Point taken. I guess we'll all see if the changes Weis has instituted make the difference over the long haul. Remember, that's what I'm talking about, the long haul. And my point wasn't to absolve Willingham from responsibility for recruiting failures, it was that I think the task transcends most if not all coaches.

    Full disclosure: I'm neither an ND hater or fan. I'm an SU season ticket holder (football) for the last 15 years. My team is going to have the same problem while trying to rebuild, if they can even do it. A big enough task on its own with a level playing field, ND at least has more history to build upon. I don't think it would matter for SU if Schwartzwalder came back to coach them and they landed Jim Brown again.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

    • Roderick about 1 year ago

      Well best wishes with that Stove. By SU I'm guessing Syracuse which is a team I want to see back to the days when they had McNabb and Harrison. Let alone our man the 'Rockets" younger brother Quadry Ismail. They were a force to be wreckoned with back then. I think the Big East needs them to produce to once again have the respect as a conference they had UM, VT, and BC bolted for the ACC. Hope they come back to prominence though.

      Edit Comment Cancel

      Reply
      Great Comment (
      0
      )

  15. Stove Pipe about 1 year ago

    Thanks Roderick, Syracuse it is. I've been to every big game they ever had at the Dome except for ND
    in 2003 (sold my tickets, it covered my cost for the whole year!) I keep my hopes alive each year that we'll get back into it somehow. McNabb was great fun to watch and Harrison was the single best college football player I ever saw live except for Michael Vick and there were some great ones that came through there. Those were the good days at the dome my man, good days indeed.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  1. Michael Bell about 1 year ago

    OSU 2007 Out of Conference Schedule:

    Youngstown State
    Akron
    @ Washington
    Kent State

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  2. dick murata about 1 year ago

    Amen, Roderick....GO IRISH !

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

  3. Andrew Nuschler 9 months ago

    Again man, nice work.

    And again, I might have chopped it up a bit into smaller installments.

    But that's a stylistic choice that doesn't change the merit of the column.

    I appreciate fellow fans who understand that being realistic about your team doesn't make you any less loyal.

    Keep preachin' it.

    Edit Comment Cancel

    Reply
    Great Comment (
    0
    )

Leave a Comment

  • You must register to post a comment.

    • Want to write for Bleacher Report

    We are a community of fans who write about sports. And we're growing.

    Learn More and Sign Up »

    Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Getty Images.
    Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Getty Images is strictly prohibited.