Bleacher Report - Charlie Weis

2009 NCAA Football Bowl Projections, Part 12: The Independents

Lou DiPietro — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 14:07:47 -0500

With the final part of the Bowl Projection Series, we spotlight the Independents.

And it’s very easy to do.

There are only three: Army (5-6), Navy (8-4), and Notre Dame (6-6). All of them could be bowl eligible, but only two at most are going anywhere.

That’s because the Fighting Irish have decided that they will not accept a bowl bid. In the wake of Charlie Weis’ firing, the Golden Domers decided that it would be better to stay home than take a makeshift staff to a bowl.

They’d probably lose money anyway, as their “best” prospects were the EagleBank or Little Caesars Pizza Bowls, neither of which has the kind of payout Notre Dame would want.

On the flip side, Navy is eligible and knows where it's going. The Middies are tied to the Texas Bowl this year, where they will play the Big 12’s No. 8 selection—most likely Texas Tech.

As for Army, it’ll need to beat Navy to reach six wins and be eligible. If the Black Knights do get the win, they will be tied to the EagleBank Bowl and will play the No. 4 selection from the MAC—which should be either Bowling Green or Northern Illinois (probably the latter).

If they lose, Marshall will likely take their spot on a contingency agreement…and if I were the Thundering Herd, I’d get ready to travel.

The Midshipmen have won the Army-Navy game seven times in a row, and even though these aren’t the same old Black Knights, Navy will take pride in knowing it can ruin its rival's big rebound year.

And with that, all the bowls are accounted for, and all that is left to do is sit back, wait, and see how well these predictions mirror what actually happens.

I hope you enjoyed this series and I also hope you enjoy my favorite season of all: Bowl Season!

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Why Charlie Weis is a Classless Jackass

Amy Lamare — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 03:35:42 -0500

Hello Football Fiends,

It’s late and it’s been a hard day of football—hell, it’s been a hard season of football for this Trojan—but I cannot let this pass by.

In an interview posted on Rivals.com , former Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis makes some very inflammatory accusations about USC Coach Pete Carroll’s personal life.

Let us not forget, Weis has famously controlled all media access to his family and his special needs daughter. He’s declared them off limits.

So why the heck is he going on a national forum to tell stories about Carroll’s personal business? It’s not even about whether it is TRUE or not. It’s Carroll’s business, not Weis’s. It has nothing to do with Pete’s ability to do the job he was hired for. It is a non-issue to anyone outside of PC’s own family.

And as to WHY Notre Dame might have a problem with Weis swearing, let alone carrying on an alleged affair—well is he really that stupid? He was employed by a Catholic University with very high standards. Did he really think he wouldn’t be held to a higher standard of behavior than coaches like Carroll or Nick Saban or Les Miles or Jeff Tedford or any number of FBS coaches at non-denominational universities?!

And REALLY, if Carroll were doing what Weis has alleged he is doing, BELIEVE ME, PEOPLE WOULD KNOW. Not that it is any of our business.

Ridiculous.

Link to Fan House Story in case Rivals (wisley IMO) edits their version of things.

-Your Gridiron Goddess, who prefers not to think about this four-loss season right now, thanks.

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Brian Kelly Will Listen to Notre Dame If They Come Calling Next Week

Dan Scofield — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:29:09 -0500

According to Irish Sports Daily , Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly will agree to talk to Jack Swarbrick next week if approached about the vacant coaching position in South Bend.

Even though he has ignored and put off the Notre Dame questions from the media this past week, Kelly never indicated that he had no interest in the position. Instead he called it a distraction and focused on the Bearcats' game against Pittsburgh this afternoon.

Jack Swarbrick reiterated again this week that money would not be a factor in getting a new coach to South Bend, so expect him to approach Kelly and other candidates, including Bob Stoops and Urban Meyer, with a blank check.

However, Stoops told The Sun Times today that he "will not be the next coach at Notre Dame." With that being said, expect the Irish to make a full push to make Kelly Charlie Weis' successor.

Being an Irish Catholic from the depths of Boston and with South Bend having a familiar backyard on the recruiting trail, the Notre Dame offer will look very appealing to Kelly, along with a large pay raise.

Kelly led his team to a come from behind win against the Panthers just hours ago, winning the game 45-44 after a last minute touchdown pass and a failed extra-point attempt by Pittsburgh.

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NCAA Football: It Is Hard to Believe...

Gary Brown — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:41:13 -0500

Looking around the college football landscape it is always difficult to predict all that will occur in a season.From class to no class this year has not been a disappointment in providing plenty of thrills and drama for fans to enjoy. Here is one random list of items from 2009 that are hard to believe.

Begin Slideshow

Brian Kelly Decides to Coach Cincinnati And Notre Dame Next Season

John Breech — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:33:47 -0500

(Fake News)

Two hours before today's Big East showdown against Pittisburgh, Cincinnati head football coach Brian Kelly made a stunning announcement: he plans to coach both Notre Dame AND Cincinnati next season.

In a statement released by the school, Kelly had this to say:

"As most of you have noticed, I am bored. Over the last three seasons I have treated the Big East like Michael Jordan would treat a homeless basketball league. I have absolutely dominated.

I have racked up a 32-6 record against inferior competition and because the competition is so poor, I'm only in the coach's office on UC's campus about three hours per day.

So last night, I did the math. If I only have to spend three hours a day coaching Cincinnati, this means I could can put nine hours a day towards coaching Notre Dame and God knows they need it and then I could put three hours towards the Cincinnati-South Bend commute—which I will make in a Black Hawk helicopter that Notre Dame will provide. This would then give me three hours to hang out with my family and six hours to sleep."

Later in his 72 page statement, Kelly took a jab at some past Notre Dame coaches.

"People think that there is a problem in South Bend. There is a problem, it's called horrible coaching. I have more coaching talent in my elbow than Tyrone Willingham or Bob Davie had in their whole body.

And Charlie Weis, sweet Mary Magdalene, you give me Tom Brady and the Patriot offense and we would score 72 points a quarter, minimum. My infant son could have coached Notre Dame to nine wins this season and Weis only pulled off six."

When Kelly's statement was released at 10 a.m. this morning, many thought it was a joke. However, Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick confirmed the hiring in this statement released to the media just before 11:30 a.m.

"We've been turned down by Bob Stoops, Urban Meyer, and Gary Patterson, so at this point we're in a desperate situation that only Tiger Woods could possibly understand. We told Coach Kelly we would do whatever it takes to get him and at that point, he made a list of three things he wanted:

1. A Black Hawk helicopter
2. For me, Jack Swarbrick, to stop referring to myself in the third person
3. To still be able to coach the Bearcats.

Of course we said yes, no, and of course. Coach Kelly will be taking over on Tuesday December 8. He will coach the Bearcats from 9 a.m.-noon as they prepare for their bowl game and then he will fly to South Bend to practice with the Irish from 1:30-10:30 p.m.

Thank you for your time, we will comment further on this development next week."

For all things Cincy, check out It's Never Sunny in Cincinnati

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Charlie Weis, Notre Dame Staff Still Doing Their Recruiting Jobs

Dan Scofield — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:56:21 -0500

South Bend is a special place.

After being fired Monday from Notre Dame, Charlie Weis had a decision to make. And with that decision, he proved the above statement to be true.

Would he drop all responsibilities of keeping together a top-ten class after being laid off, or would he continue what he started, encouraging all 18 commitments to stick with the Irish?

After Weis chose the latter, some Notre Dame fans might want to rethink their opinions recently shared on Charlie.

With his latest choice, he has shown respect and commitment to his alma mater, even after being let go following three consecutive disappointing football seasons.

Even with the names of Bob Stoops, Urban Meyer, and Brian Kelly being echoed throughout the streets of downtown South Bend, Weis picked up the phone and began calling 18 verbal commitments, along with numerous others still left on Notre Dame's big board, including Anthony Barr, Seantrel Henderson, Kyle Prater, and Dietrich Riley.

It was a fantastic choice to hand Rob Ianello to run the football operations until a new coach is named. Ianello has been responsible for pulling in numerous five- and four-star recruits single-handedly and will find a way to keep Notre Dame listed as favorites on a few elite recruits' short lists.

In the mean time, Weis is still at work, too.

His first call went to wideout Daniel Smith, a hometown product.

"He got me fired up to play for the new coach and to know who he is,” said Smith. “Up until now, I was just trying to get used to the first adjustment, the loss of my coach. But after talking to coach Weis, I think I'm more comfortable now with looking ahead.”

Any true Irish fan can remember the days when Tyrone Willingham devoted his last weeks to hitting the links at least once a day, forgetting that recruiting was a part of being a head coach in college football.

Because of that, Weis was left with a major hole in his team with minimal productivity coming out of a class that he had to fill up quickly with no help from Willingham.

Whoever the next coach to take the throne at Notre Dame will be, they will be thankful for the effort Weis and his staff are still giving. Because of these efforts, the Irish still have a chance to haul in another top-ten class to give to Weis' successor.

Assistant coaches have been flying all over the nation, visiting each commit in their homes, making sure they are sticking with the Irish. All but one player (DE Chris Martin) have reaffirmed the staff that they will remain solid.

The staff has already made a few commits cancel visits to other schools (most recently Spencer Boyd), and even gained a commitment on the same day as Martin's decommitment in DT Louis Nix.

This verbal may be an ever bigger one than that of Manti Te'o, given the timing and necessity of his commitment.

In this single commit, the Irish get an impact player from Florida, give the recruiting class momentum going forward, and get a run-stopping tackle to stick in the front of their defense.

But what exactly do the words of Weis and his staff mean to these high schoolers if they aren't even going to be around next year?

More than one would think.

“Coach Weis calling, though, just made my day. It's just like him to do something like that. I felt privileged to get to know him. He's such a great guy. I wish I would have had the chance to play for him.

"You know, I was recruited for a long time. You build up close relationships with all the coaches. But he made me realize I could have that with the new coach, too.” says Smith.

Charlie Weis may be in need of an apology come Feb. 3, 2010.

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Notre Dame AD: Playing With The Cards He Was Dealt

Brendan Collins — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:09:40 -0500

The Notre Dame Head Football coach hire is far more complex than the Internet hype on Stoops, Meyer, etc would indicate. The saying "he's a winner" carries less and less weight in college football as coaching salaries have gone from five to seven digits and high school recruiting rankings are almost as important as the win—loss record. So when ND athletic director Jack Swarbrick and company go into their private jet and head around the country interviewing candidates, there are several moves he will have to get right in order for Notre Dame to prosper in the future.

In essence Swarbrick is playing Texas Hold'em Poker and in order to win the hand, which would be landing a coach that brings long term success to a struggling program, then he will have to play his cards perfectly.

Swarbricks first move was to fold his open-ended flush draw (Charlie Weis) even though he had $18 million in the pot. He decided that he did not have a great deal of confidence that the next two cards, the turn and the river, were going to complete his flush and win the hand so he folded and took the loss.

His next move is to post the big blind as he has no choice in the matter, Notre Dame needs a head coach so regardless of the two cards he recieves from the dealer, he has to play them. This week he and the firm they have hired have been all over the country interviewing candidates for the head coach job at Notre Dame.

While Swarbrick waits for everyone to post the blinds so that he can get a look at the flop, everyone at the table is saying he has pocket aces or pocket kings (Stoops and Meyer speculation), but at the end of the day those two cards are face down and will not be flipped up until the hand is over (when the decision is made).

Once the dealer flips up the next three cards not only Swarbrick, but the rest of the table have a much better feeling of how the hand is going to shape up. He may not have liked his cards before the flop, but given the cards that were turned over he is now reaching for chips. On the contrary, he may have had a low pocket pair and fell in love with it before the flop but with a suited ace and a suited king on the board he may not be as confident anymore.

The Flop: Ace of Spades, 5 of diamonds, King of Spades

The player to his right makes a bet and Swarbrick is now left with some decisions: how much is this going to cost me to play, how much should I invest in my hand, am I taking a short term risk (chasing a flush or straight) or am I making a long term investment (slow playing the tree of a kind). Is there a chance at hitting a big hand or is this the best I have. In the end he has to decide whether he is going to call, fold or raise. Folding would mean he would have to spend the spring without a head coach which is devastating to a college football team, calling would show he is not overly optimistic but he is not out either and the raise would show that he is confident in the cards he possesses. It is only he that knows what cards he has as the rest of the table watches him, guesses at his hand, waiting for him to make a bet.

Once Gruden signed his extention with ESPN and Meyer and Stoops both told the media they are not leaving the schools, that would lead me to believe that Swarbrick liked his pre-flop hand (im guessing pocket 10's), but he knows he is in trouble. Feeling pressed for time and knowing that he just lost $18 million on the previous hand without seeing it play itself out he decides to call. He is worried about the flush and the potential stright draw but he has a small level of optimism in the next two cards.

The Turn Card: 10 of diamonds

Here is where Swarbrick most likely is today. There is a straight possibility, there is a flush posibility but he hit the three of a kind (if my guess is correct that he had pocket 10's). We, like everyone else at the table, have no idea what his two cards are and that card may have made him, crushed him or may have no impact.

What is important to realize however is that he has no control over many of the variables that are at play for him to win the hand. The next card the dealer flips is random, what the other players are holding for there two cards is out of Swarbricks hands and how they bet is also not something he controls. Its now a game of chance, but he has to make the best of the cards he is dealt. The guy down the table throws down a big bet, hinting that he may have hit the straight with the 10. Swarbrick has another decision to make.

This decision is not just about whether he thinks he can win this hand, but whether these same two cards would win the hand in the long run. He also needs to look at how much the bet is going to cost him, how much he can win from the pot if he succeeds and most importantly he has to know the people he is playing against and how their strategies.

The dealer looks Swarbrick straight in the eyes and says, "its your turn," he pauses and ..... (to be continued)

Notre Dame fans across the country wait anxiously for his next couple of moves.

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No Bowl Could Be Blessing In Disguise For Notre Dame Football

Teddy Mitrosilis — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:09:32 -0500

The Fighting Irish officially pulled the plug on all bowl consideration Friday, announced athletic director Jack Swarbrick, and that’s the best news that can come out of South Bend if you care about Notre Dame.

“After meetings involving our coaching staff as well as the leadership group representing our football team, we have made the decision to remove ourselves from consideration for any postseason bowl game this year,” Swarbrick said in a statement.

The Chicago Tribune first reported the story Friday morning, and when confirmation came from Swarbrick in the afternoon, it hardly surprised.

Notre Dame had a possible opportunity to participate in a bowl game later this month, but, really, what was the point? At 6-6, the Irish had to wait for all of the teams with seven victories to finalize their bowl plans before Notre Dame could circle their date.

At that rate, Notre Dame would be picking from the bowl game scraps. Golden Domers, how does the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in Detroit sound to you? Or, Touchdown Jesus, can we interest you in the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala.? Those were the two most likely options for Notre Dame if they were to accept a bowl bid. I’d rather stay home for winter break, too.

Bowl games offer additional revenues and exposure for the programs that participate, but neither of those factors are enough to entice the Irish. They don’t need more national attention, and with an unparalleled TV deal, they certainly don’t need to be chasing pennies.

For some programs, any bowl game is progress. For Notre Dame, the only positive that could have come from heading to Detroit on Dec. 26 is a locker room full of free pepperoni pizzas after the game. That’s it. If they win, who cares? They are “Notre Dame,” they are supposed to win. If they lose, it only confirms how far this program has seemingly fallen from national prominence.

It was a lose-lose for a program, and university, that carries itself with pride and incessantly works to uphold history and tradition. Give credit to Swarbrick for making the best decision for the program during a time when one of the most immaculate logos in college sports isn’t gleaming in its custom gold.

If Charlie Weis had not been canned following a fifth season, then Notre Dame probably would have remained in consideration for a bowl game. But after the circus that followed Weis around from the start of training camp in August to the end of another uninspiring season in late November, Swarbrick had no other choice to make.

It would have been too difficult to get the team ready to compete in a only a few weeks after Weis cleaned out his office. Prolonging the firing and allowing Weis to coach one last bowl game in South Bend would have been irresponsible.

“The unique circumstances surrounding our program at the current time prevent us from making the commitment required to compete in a bowl game,” said Swarbrick. “If the landscape had been different, we would have been thrilled to take part.”

With those last words, Notre Dame football will hibernate until next fall, but Swarbrick needs to remain front and center this winter. As ugly as things have looked at Notre Dame in recent seasons—and losses to the likes of Navy and Connecticut will stink for a while—I’m one of the few people who believe that Notre Dame isn’t as far away from regaining national prominence as it seems.

Yes, the program that is supposed to be competing with USC and going to BCS bowls is coachless. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen is all but headed to the NFL Draft come April (with only a senior season left and a new coach on the horizon, what incentive is there for Clausen to return?). Golden Tate, Clausen’s best receiving target, may take the pro plunge, too.

But these are holes that can be filled rather quickly if the right foundation is in place. That foundation is in the hands of Swarbrick. Notre Dame doesn’t need to find Weis’ replacement by tomorrow, but they need to find the right guy this time around. Forget the “sexy” name. Swarbrick needs to get in touch with what makes Notre Dame football unique, and then he needs to find a coach that is cut from the same cloth.

Swarbrick needs a guy that is tough, can coach defense, can put the right coordinators in place to complement his own football philosophies, and can recruit. These are essentials. But most importantly, Swarbrick needs to find a guy that is drunk on the South Bend mystique and is courageous enough to implement his own values in a program that has lost itself.

For the right guy, Notre Dame is still a dream job. The academic tradition is rich, the campus is pristine, the alumni are passionate, and, oh yeah, the Fighting Irish and NBC are tied at the hip. Notre Dame shouldn’t be a tough sell for potential recruits. If a kid is worried about the expectations and the pressures of turning this ship around, then he probably isn’t the type of player the Irish need, anyway.

Notre Dame isn’t USC, Florida, or Texas. They have a hole to dig out of before they can even sniff that level of national competence. But Notre Dame doesn’t need a coaching bigwig to get there.

Brian Kelly has sworn by his Cincinnati Bearcats in recent weeks, and Jim Harbaugh has repeated how much he loves Stanford. Maybe one of those tunes will change by the time the holidays pass, but it doesn’t much matter. Those two names aren’t the only shows in Notre Dame’s bag of tricks.

Notre Dame has simply gotten soft since the days of Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardzija, and Tom Zbikowski. The Irish don’t need players who enter boxing matches in their spare time, as Zbikowski once did, but they absolutely need to regain some of that attitude.

No bowl this year is a blessing in disguise for Notre Dame if Swarbrick uses his time wisely. He ought to take the next week or two to flip through the Notre Dame history books in an attempt to reconnect with what once made this place a podium for national recognition.

If Swarbrick can find the right coach to return the football program to its roots, then there won’t be any Domers complaining about no bowl game in 2009 in the years to come. Why?

Because Notre Dame is still a university and program that, if done right, can become inundated with postseason games in a hurry.

You can reach Teddy Mitrosilis at tm4000@yahoo.com.

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Notre Dame's Decision Not to Go to a Bowl Game: Good or Bad?

Alex Ferguson — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:48:00 -0500

Notre Dame's decision not to go to a bowl game with a 6-6 record because of the "unique circumstances" following the end to the Irish's somewhat heartbreaking season in which they could quite easily have either run the table or ended up 3-9 stunned the world of college football.

Well, it probably didn't stun the world of college football, but it stunned me.

But was it a good or bad decision?

BAD

The Irish's second straight postseason appearance after the win against Hawaii would have been a good swan song for Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate, and could quite easily have shown the world that Notre Dame Football hadn't given up on the essentials (i.e., playing football in front of thousands of adoring fans who probably couldn't get to South Bend or any of the 'away games').

The Irish would have recouped some of the cash from a very expensive severance pay agreement with Charlie Weis, and possibly won over more fans to come and watch them.

Not only that, but winning the game would have been a wonderful answer to the critics and a great way to overcome the horrors of November/December.

GOOD

The Irish's decision not to go to a bowl game was probably not a bad model to mediocre 6-6 teams that suddenly felt they were "bowl eligible" despite inconsistent seasons.

A loss, and a 6-7 year, would have made everyone (including the incoming coach) feel "down on the program" and would have made hiring and recruiting more difficult.

And there's also the matter of money. While we understand that Notre Dame don't need the cash, spending an extra $100,000 odd for a 'football vacation' when you've just had to pay out well over $10m to your departed coach probably wouldn't go down to the well with the people in charge of the capital.

No bowl game would have gained you an extra $10.1 million, regardless of which game you played in.

Not only that, but the decision not to go draws a line under a miserable season and says to the world that Irish football is rebuilding for the better.

What are your thoughts?

Here's a memory of the Irish's last BCS game. Turn away now, Irish fans...

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Charlie Weis Going To Washington? Why Not?

Jarrett Carter — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:54:18 -0500

Here’s the problem with Redskins fans that would laugh off the possibility of Charlie Weis coming to Washington; it’s that same kind of situation that got your team and your emotions into this mess in the first place.

Let’s go over the facts about this gloriously hypothetical scenario. Vinny Cerrato, the GM that can’t do enough to get fired, has Notre Dame ties. Let’s assume for a moment that these ties wouldn’t be enough to put ND alum Weis in line for the ‘Skins gig.

You still have the reality of Daniel Snyder wanting to chase down every new hot name in a sweatshirt and head phones to coach this team.

And Weis has always maintained privately that he had plenty of options, most of which are back in the NFL. We all know that when somebody has options, coach or player, the Redskins are usually the kid in front with their hand up high saying “Ooooh! Ooooh! Pick us! We got lots of money to put in it!”

Why wouldn’t the Redskins at least be intrigued? Weis is a credible offensive coordinator and has as many Super Bowl titles at that position as the Redskins have in franchise history. Of the hot coaching prospects out there, only Mike Holmgren can make the same claim.

Since when are we above putting unorthodox coaching hires above Snyder and Co.? Snyder and Cerrato are crazy enough to hire Weis just to gain additional leverage in the Jimmy Clausen sweepstakes, of which they are the only eager contestant as it stands now.

Most ‘Skins fan may take this as a joke, but hiring Weis as the next head coach of the Washington Redskins is a very real and tangible proposition under this leadership group. And even though it is a hilarious proposition, it’s also one that you couldn’t classify as totally insane from the prospect of improving the team.

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Pittsburgh Steelers Should Pursue Charlie Weis at Season's End

Todd Fleming — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:27:10 -0500

There is a general consensus forming that the Steelers will likely have an opening for a new offensive coordinator following this season. I think that will be the case even if the Steelers make a deep playoff run, which is certainly still a possibility.

And a prominent name is now on the market.

Charlie Weis had a relatively bad run at Notre Dame, at least by historical Notre Dame standards. That is a fact.

But I’m not convinced that should have any bearing on an NFL team in a market for an offensive coordinator. For one, I’m not at all convinced that any coach can be as successful at Notre Dame as the legends of the past.

The school simply does not have the draw for the top recruits that it once possessed. And it competes with one hand tied behind its back by at least marginally enforcing academic standards among its players. That is something that most of the national powers simply do not do.

I found it laughable when initial speculation suggested that Urban Meyer and Bob Stoops were the leading candidates to land the next head coaching job at Notre Dame. Why would either one of them possibly want to leave their current football factories to try to achieve the same level of success in a much tougher environment?

Urban Meyer is a certified coaching genius, probably the best coach in college football today, but I’m not even sure he could pull it off. I fully expect whomever Notre Dame hires to be a complete failure.

And the coach after that will also be a failure, even as Lou Holtz confidently predicts each one of their teams will win the national championship while a bemused Mark May looks on.

I don’t think Notre Dame will comfortably settle on a coach until the expectations for what a head coach should be able to accomplish matches the reality of their situation. Notre Dame is a relatively small private school with high academic expectations that does not play in a major conference.

The only thing Notre Dame offers is the mystique of a long and storied past, which just doesn't carry the appeal that it once did.

Right now, the expectations and the reality could not be any further out of whack. Few blue chip recruits are going to want to go there when an easier path to success is offered by so many other schools from the major conferences.

And to expect Notre Dame to be able to compete against the elite power conference teams on a consistent basis while losing the recruiting battle is foolish.

Notre Dame still carries plenty of prestige, even in their diminished state, enough prestige that the team should be able to recruit talent enough to average about seven wins a year while playing a moderately difficult schedule.

That is the reality as I see it.

The other factor that should be considered is that the NFL and college game are entirely different animals for many reasons, ranging from the maturity level of the players to the types of schemes that will work. For example, the triple option, which can give college teams fits, cannot succeed, even with the best potential personnel in the pros.

Some coaches are much better equipped to excel in one environment or another. Pete Carroll was a flop in the NFL but is easily one of the best head coaches in college football. Steve Spurrier also comes to mind as someone who excelled at the college level while failing miserably in the NFL.

Weis is the flip side of that coin; he's a guy that has proven he can get it done in the pros while coming up short of expectations in the NCAA ranks.

With these considerations in mind, I think anybody that pays even the slightest bit of attention to Weis’s failed tenure at Notre Dame to exclude his consideration for a pro job is making a huge mistake. As an NFL offensive coordinator, he has three Super Bowl rings. That is indisputable.

He also served under Bill Parcells as an assistant with the Giants, where he grabbed another ring. Perhaps what is even more impressive is that, while serving as offensive coordinator for the New York Jets, he led that offense to a fourth place finish in the league in 1998.

How often were the Jets known for their offensive prowess? How often were the Jets known for much of anything? But Weis coordinated a very dangerous Jets offense in his short tenure there.

While he may come across as a bit cocky at times, Weis is a superb NFL offensive coordinator. And plenty of reputable people speak to his character. No less than Tom Brady recently gave Weis a powerful endorsement, saying, “He’s a great guy and a great coach and any team would really be lucky to have him.” I think he is right.

The Patriots won all of their Super Bowls with him in that role and none since he left. Patriots fans desperately want him back. And that says a lot to me. They are in a position to know him best, since they watched his offenses up close and personal for years.

After Bruce Arians leaves town, how many Steelers fans will ever be pining to welcome him back? Unless the offense devolves to look something like the Browns, I'm guess you'll be able to count them on one hand.

I think Weis could really work with the offensive players on the Steelers, who compare favorably with the offensive players on the Patriots during their Super Bowl runs. The Steelers have a better receiving corps than the ones the Patriots boasted during their title runs, all of which happened before Randy Moss and Wes Welker came to town.

With the emergence of an improved offensive line and a running back in Rashard Mendenhall with the potential to be a game breaker, they have all the tools they need.

Like those Patriots, they also have a smart and very competitive quarterback who can execute a good game plan. I have a hunch Roethlisberger would respond well to Weis.

The teams also play in similar weather environments, so a design that fit the Patriots would likely also fit the Steelers. And Weis’s offenses at New England achieved a good run/pass balance for outdoor harsh weather football and were unpredictable, something that nobody has said about the Steelers' offense since Bruce Arians took it over.

There is speculation that Weis could return to the Patriots, but I don’t really expect that to happen. It could detract from Belichick’s reputation as the evil genius since bringing Weis would highlight his failure to win a Super Bowl since Weis left town.

It is sort of a Shaq-Kobe situation, where Kobe Bryant felt the need to win a championship on his own to vindicate his status. Belichick has pride by the truckload, and that pride will get in the way of potentially bringing Weis back if he suspects that the return of Weis could take the focus off of him.

Of course, there are precedents for such a rehire. Bill Cowher was very successful with Dick LeBeau as defensive coordinator. After a failed head coaching stint by LeBeau in Cincinnati, Cowher certainly welcomed him back, and immediately became a better head coach for making the move.

But I just don’t think Belichick will do it. I’m more concerned that the Kansas City Chiefs might make a run at him; although, the Steelers would certainly be a better option for him based on their higher profile and a roster stocked with more talent.

One objection that is likely to be raised is that the Steelers don’t pursue big name free agents. When you are talking about a troubled player like Michael Vick, I would absolutely agree. I would have been stunned if the Steelers looked twice in Vick’s direction, or Larry Johnson’s, for that matter, although plenty of speculation and rumors surrounded both players indicating that the Steelers might be an option before they signed elsewhere.

When you are talking about a coordinator to run the offense, I couldn’t disagree more. Serving time in prison or fracturing a locker room with constant bad behavior are in entirely different categories than failing to lead Notre Dame back to glory.

Perhaps the biggest selling point Weis has is that his name is not Bruce Arians. That seals the deal for me.

A humbled Weis is ready to reestablish his reputation as a great offensive mind. Pittsburgh is the ideal place, and situation, to see that happen.

Read more Charlie Weis news on BleacherReport.com

Tiger Cheats, Weis Loses, Tebow Wins and Cutler Doesn't... I Need a Break!

TAB BAMFORD — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:05:49 -0500

If I had known last Thursday what I know now, I would have been thankful for peace and quiet!

Where do we begin?

In case you hadn't heard, Tiger Woods likes women. Not the gorgeous one he's married to, of course, but other women. All over the country, apparently, too.

Oh, and Charlie Weis? Yeah, he got fired at Notre Dame. But if you have a television, you saw that coming three years ago when he lost, at home, to Navy.

Speaking of Touchdown Jesus, Tim Tebow's career in the swamp is over. Now he gets to play Alabama for a chance at another National Championship and automatic enshrinement in the All Time ManCrush Hall of Fame in the Urban Meyer category.

If you want to talk about real, already-in-the-real Hall of Fame people, Bobby Bowden "retired" after losing to Tebow's Florida Gators. I'd love to know, though, where someone goes to get big enough stones to tell the godfather of your football program, who has raised MILLIONS of dollars for your university, that he isn't wanted any more? I don't think that was part of Wal Mart's Black Friday sale.

Jay Cutler just got picked off.

Speaking of the Wal Mart sale rack, the New Jersey Nets are doing a fantastic job of recruiting LeBron James away from Cleveland. Apparently they didn't get the memo that blowing the first two months of the season isn't a good selling point, especially when you're other selling point is Jersey.

Sorry, New Jersey.

Did you hear that Roy Halladay would like to pitch for the Yankees? Really? I'm pretty sure there are at least 15 players on 29 rosters that would love to wear the pinstripes, too. In fact, my agent is going to call Bleacher Report's editorial board and tell them that I will only accept a trade to the Yankees or a fresh 20-ounce bottle of Dr. Pepper. Either way, you guys can pick.

Baseball announced all of their post season awards. Two teams didn't have one player receive a single vote for any awards: the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets. The only problem there is that the Mets paid $82 million more than the Orioles did to get shut out. How's that working out for you, Mr. Minaya?

Brett Favre's old. We get it.

His teammate, Adrian Peterson, needs to learn how to read speed limit signs, though. apparently he didn't notice that he was doing 105 in a 55 zone last weekend. I take that back...when you're doing DOUBLE the speed limit, you're not around long enough to read the sign. AP needs to pay attention.

Meanwhile, Eric Mangini is making another quarterback change. This time, he's calling for Jimmy Claussen, though. If I were Claussen, and I had to decide between Notre Dame or playing in Cleveland, I would call Brady Quinn for advice. I'm sure Coach Weis' Rolodex is in a box somewhere.

Cutler just got picked off again.

I'm proposing a cage match: Craig Sager against Jay Glazer. One's a bald midget, the other wears clothes that would have embarrassed Liberace. Smart money's on Glazer.

Word is that Glazer is training for the bout with Sager by running through the streets of Philadelphia like Rocky did; Sager is going to jog laps around newly-unemployed Mark Mangino.

Speaking of Mangino, I'm sure he'll be fine financially. "Ghostbusters" was on AMC last weekend, and he was great while... what? The Stay Puff Marshmallow Man? NO! I could have sworn that was Mangino! My bad.

Al Davis just fired someone. So did Donald Trump. My question is: which has more of their original hair left?

The Hot Seat's on the phone, is Rich Rodriguez available? No? Fine, give the phone back to Eric Mangini.

After a lengthy review, the call on the field is confirmed: Cutler has been intercepted again.

Finally, I would love it if Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher, Tony Dungy, Mike Holmgren, and Mike Ditka all decided to coach high school teams in the suburbs. How great would that be? Cowher can spit further than an average 17-year-old can throw a spiral, and Holmgren's play titles are longer than some English papers. I would pay to watch that happen!

Read more Charlie Weis news on BleacherReport.com

Notre Dame: Weis and Tate To Cleveland, Clausen To Denver

Erin McLaughlin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:16:34 -0500

Is it ever a busy time in South Bend? Notre Dame is not only looking for a new coach, but they are also trying to determine what if any bowl game the Fighting Irish will play in. It is also the heart of recruiting season.

Not only that but the three biggest names associated with Notre Dame are likely to be soon headed to the NFL. It is pretty much a sure thing for former coach Charlie Weis as he will have options as to which team he wants to be offensive coordinator for.

Star quarterback Jimmy Clausen and star receiver Golden Tate are both expected to declare early for the NFL draft as well.

Although Irish fans would love to see them back in South Bend, most feel that the best decision for both of them is to go. Who knows what will happen under a new coach and their stock is high now?

I believe in the saying, "Once a domer, always a domer." Therefore I was continue my interest in Notre Dame players once they are in the NFL. It doesn't matter where they are, I root for them unless they play for the Oakland Raiders. After all, how can you root for a team run by Al Davis?

It is hard to keep up at times but I still enjoy Ryan Grant in Green Bay and Justin Tuck in New York just to name a couple.

Therefore I am very interested in where Weis, Clausen, and Tate all end up next year. Looking at the teams in the NFL, I have come up with the best places for each of them to end up. Not that it will happen like this, but we can always hope.

For Weis, I hope he ends up in Cleveland. There he could work once again with Brady Quinn and hope to help turn his career around. Quinn is in a bad situation there with a lack of playmakers around him and a very inexperienced offensive coordinator. He just doesn't look like the same guy we came to love in South Bend.

We all know the result when Weis and Quinn were together. Unfortunately, we also know the result for both sides since they have been apart. Therefore, a Weis/Quinn reunion would make a lot of sense.

Sure Weis could also go back to New England and reunite with Tom Brady, but what does that prove other than nothing? Going to Cleveland and helping Quinn would restore his status as a great offensive coordinator.

If Weis does end up in Cleveland, I would also love to see Tate go there as well. The reason is that team just lacks playmakers. The only receiver that has shown anything is former Georgia Bulldog Mohamed Massaquoi.

We all know that Tate can make plays. He will make them where ever he goes. However, what better way to start his NFL career than with an offensive coordinator that he knows well. Tate also knows the system inside and out. He will have a quarterback that knows that system extremely well too.

Since Cleveland lacks playmakers, Tate should be able to start right away and make an immediate impact.

Now looking at Clausen, I think there is one team that is the absolute best situation for him. That is the Denver Broncos. Head Coach Josh McDaniels is another Bill Bellichik disciple. He was mentored by Weis. Therefore the system in Denver will be very similar (if not exactly the same) to what Clausen is used to.

Not only that, but they have Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal who can get downfield. We all know how good Clausen is at getting the ball downfield. The receiving corp. is complimented by Brandon Stokely and Tony Scheffler.

Clausen would also be helped with a really good running game featuring Knowshon Moreno and a very good defense.

Another factor that makes Denver the perfect place for Clausen is their current quarterback situation which has former Purdue star Kyle Orton currently starting. The Broncos current mindset seems to be that Orton is not the quarterback of the future but good enough until they get that guy.

That means that McDaniels doesn't have to rush the development of Clausen. He can bring him along at a comfortable pace and continue starting Orton until Clausen is ready.

The biggest barrier to this scenario would be rather or not Clausen will fall that far. I think it is more possible than we realize. Jake Locker will probably be the first quarterback taken. I am not sure if Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford will go before Clausen or not.

Then again if Clausen won't fall Denver can always trade up to get him and he is a player for them that is worth trading up for.

When all the dust settles in South Bend (hiring a new coach, bowl game, recruiting, etc.), This Irish fan will be praying for Charlie Weis and Golden Tate to be Cleveland Browns and Jimmy Clausen to be a Denver Bronco.

Read more Charlie Weis news on BleacherReport.com

Statistically Speaking: Notre Dame vs. Stanford

Anthony Pilcher — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:46:15 -0500

Notre Dame dropped their fourth-straight game Saturday and completed a second-half season slide for the second consecutive season. The Irish finish the regular season at 6-6, the six wins about at the expectation level of the most pessimistic fans.

For the 33 Irish seniors, it was a bitter way to end a season ripe with high expectations. For head coach Charlie Weis it was a final loss to end a five-year coaching tenure. For junior quarterback Jimmy Clausen and wide receiver Golden Tate, it may have been their final game in a Notre Dame uniform.

Offense

This game featured some familiar problems for the Irish offense to go along with improved play in other areas.

The Irish gained 447 yards for an average of 8.1 yards per snap and scored 38 points, second only to the 40 points scored against Washington State. Most of the yardage came via big plays and the offense had only three negative plays, their lowest total of the year.

The pass was heavily favored as only 20 runs were called for running backs and Tate out of a season-low 55 plays. Correspondingly, 76.1 percent of the yards came through the air, very near the season-high against Navy (88.3 percent), while 23.9 percent of the offensive production came on the ground.

The first downs followed a similar trend. Notre Dame moved the chains 21 times in the game (very close to the season-low 20 against Pittsburgh), but only notched six on the ground. The six rushing first downs tied Washington, Navy and Pittsburgh for the least all year.

Weis solved the persistent red zone touchdown efficiency problems by scoring from afar. The offense had two red zone possessions and scored touchdowns both times-once on a five-yard pass from Clausen to Tate and the other on an 18-yard strike from Clausen to wide receiver Michael Floyd. The remaining touchdowns came via big passing plays-78 and 28-yard catches by Tate, and a 46-yard reception by Floyd.

In fact, the big plays were a huge part of the offense. Better than 60 percent of the total production came from eight plays (three runs, five passes) that gained 271 yards (33.9 yards per play). Without these eight plays the Irish averaged only 3.7 yards per snap, very near the low mark of the season set against Washington.

Third down was a mixed bag. The offense started strong in the first quarter (four of five) but failed to convert a single third down opportunity through the final three quarters of play.

Rushing

Weis has all but abandoned the run over the last four games as the offense has averaged a paltry 89 yards per game on the ground. Against Navy, Pittsburgh and Connecticut, this was somewhat understandable as the Irish averaged only 3.1 yards per rush.

But against Stanford, Notre Dame gained 107 yards on 25 carries at a rate of 4.3 yards per attempt-a value that climbs to 5.3 when sacks are excluded. This is especially puzzling given that the Irish led for much of the game.

Running back Robert Hughes was particularly effective-albeit seldom used-with 77 yards on only 13 carries (5.7 yards per attempt). On the fifth drive of the game Hughes ran the ball three consecutive times for 24 yards and two first downs. The next play Weis emptied the backfield and passed from the shotgun.

This makes little sense and is indicative of the head-scratching play-calling evident throughout the year. The run was working, and working well. Hughes is a rhythm back that gets better with more carries. Mixing in the pass to keep the opposing defense off-balance is a valid strategy, but using an empty-gun formation telegraphs the pass and completely removes the threat of the run.

Similar to the previous 11 games, the Irish were good running the ball in short yardage situations. There were nine short yardage situations in this game. Six runs were called and four resulted in first downs (66.7 percent). Unfortunately, one of the failed attempts was when the Irish needed to extend a winning scoring drive late in the game.

Three explosive runs gained 54 yards (18 yards per rush). Without these three gains and excluding sacks the Irish averaged 3.5 yards per carry.

Passing

If it was the last game in the Blue and Gold for Clausen and Tate, they certainly went out in style as the Irish passing game was both effective and efficient.

Clausen completed 76.7 percent of his passes (23 of 30) for 340 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions as he averaged 11.3 yards per attempt and 14.8 yards per completion.

Five explosive passes went for 217 yards (43.4 yards per completion) and three touchdowns. The per-completion average for these plays was second only to Nevada(48.8 yards per completion). Excluding these five passes Clausen averaged 4.9 yards per attempt and 6.8 yards per completion-the lowest value of the season.

For the year the Irish signal caller has completed 68 percent (289 of 425) of his throws for 3722 yards, 28 touchdowns, and only four interceptions, averaging 8.8 yards per attempt and 12.9 yards per completion. This performance has been good for a 161.4 passer rating.

What makes these numbers even more impressive is how they have come.

Clausen is responsible for as much of the offensive execution as any quarterback in the country. Additionally, he has no running game to fall back on, has been consistently pressured, and has been restrained by play-calling that makes execution in the passing game extremely difficult.

Tate was his usual, electrifying self. The junior wide receiver generated the bulk of the production through the air catching 10 balls for 201 yards (20.1 yards per reception) and three touchdowns. Floyd added six catches for 85 yards (14.2 yards per reception) and two touchdowns of his own.

Similar to the Navy and Pittsburghgames, the front five couldn't protect Clausen when it mattered most. The offensive line surrendered two sacks, both on the final drive of the game and one when the Irish had no timeouts left to stop the clock. The Irish have allowed one sack per 17.9 pass attempts after surrendering one per 20.3 pass attempts last year.

Defense

The Irish defense had one of their worst outings of the year in almost every facet of the game but played particularly poor on first down.

The Cardinal offense gained 496 yards on 69 plays (7.2 yards per snap) using a run-heavy approach. Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh ran the ball 48 times and attempted only 21 passes to gain 15 rushing and 10 passing first downs.

Nine plays were explosive gains that generated 198 yards (22 yards per play), roughly 40 percent of the total offense. Without these plays Stanford averaged five yards per snap, slightly below the season-high 5.2-yard average posted by Michigan State earlier in the year.

Six of these nine plays came on first down. Notre Dame surrendered eight yards per first down play, allowing 19 of 33 (57.6 percent) plays to gain five or more yards while holding the Cardinal to two or fewer yards on only 11 tries (33.3 percent).

Perhaps more astounding were the number of first down plays that resulted in first downs. Out of 25 total first downs, 11 (44 percent) came on a first down play as the Cardinal offense moved the chains on a third of their play series without needing a second or third down.

When the Irish managed to force second and third down the outcome wasn't much better. Similar to the game against Boston College, the defense surrendered several big gains in long distance situations and allowed 66.7 percent of third downs to be converted. Most of these gains came through the air as co-defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta loaded the box in a futile attempt to stop the Cardinal running game.

Things were just as ugly in the red zone where the opposing offense scored on all six possessions inside the Irish 20-yard line. Five of these scores were touchdowns.

Rushing

If Cardinal running back Toby Gerhart wasn't a Heisman Trophy contender prior to Saturday, he certainly should be now.

Behind a rather small offensive line, Gerhart grew stronger as the game progressed and Stanford's rushing attack posted arguably the most efficient and effective outing of the year against the Irish defense.

The opposing rush offense was dominant and mostly responsible for a 14 play and more than 10-minute time of possession advantage. The former was second only to game against Washington while the latter was the largest possession disparity of the season for the Irish.

Gerhart's bruising, physical running style resulted in three touchdowns and 205 yards rushing on 29 carries, good for a gaudy 7.1 yards per rush.

As a team the Cardinal scored four touchdowns and gained 280 yards rushing on 48 attempts (5.8 yards per rush). Both values are second only to Navy. Without the sack of quarterback Tavita Pritchard the average increases to 6.1 yards per carry.

Five big runs gained 99 yards (19.8 yards per attempt) and accounted for 35.4 percent of the rushing production. Without these plays Stanford still managed 181 yards on 43 attempts, good for 4.2 yards per rushing attempt, the highest allowed this season by Notre Dame.

First down rush defense was just as bad, if not worse. Nearly 35 percent (8 of 23) of first down running plays moved the chains as the Cardinal offense averaged eight yards per first down rush attempt including explosive gains of 18, 18, 28 and 19 yards.

About the only bright spot for the Irish was allowing first down conversions on only five of 10 short yardage rushing attempts.

Passing

It wasn't just the run defense that struggled. Quarterback Andrew Luck completed 70 percent (14 of 20) of his pass attempts for 198 yards and no interceptions to lead a passing offense that was equally as efficient as the Cardinal running game.

As a team Stanford gained 216 yards through the air at a rate of 10.3 yards per attempt and 14.4 yards per completion. The 71.4 percent completion percentage was the highest allowed all year by Notre Dame.

Four passes went for more than 20 yards. These four plays gained 99 yards (24.8 yards per play) and were responsible for almost 46 percent of the production through the air. Excluding these four pass plays Stanford averaged 10.6 yards per completion and 6.9 yards per attempt-the highest value posted against the Irish this season.

Notre Dame allowed 7.8 yards per first down pass as Luck completed six of 10 attempts for 78 yards and three of the 10 Cardinal passing first downs.

Special Teams

Kicker David Ruffer continued to fill in nicely for the injured freshman Nick Tausch, connecting on all five point after attempts and both field goal tries.

However, the special teams problems weren't in the scoring department. Despite a healthy 43-yard punting average by Ben Turk that included a 53-yard boot, the Irish gave away 12 yards in field position.

The biggest culprit was kickoffs as Notre Dame surrendered 10 yards in net kickoff average.

Summary

It is unfortunate, but fitting, that the Weis era would end with a loss similar to so many others. A prolific passing attack was undermined by poor defense and puzzling play-calling that included no commitment to running the football. The latter remains arguably the most baffling aspect of Weis' college coaching career.

If the game against Connecticut didn't prove the value of a running game, this one certainly did. The Cardinal red zone touchdown efficiency, 10-minute time of possession and 14-play advantage, 71.4 percent pass completion rate and efficient pass attempt average, minimal (4) negative plays, and 66.7 percent third down conversion rate are all directly tied to the ability to run the ball. Perhaps more impressive is that Stanford accomplished this with a much smaller line than the front five for Notre Dame.

The result was similar to almost every other contest this season, a close outcome with a chance for an Irish win. Lately that chance has favored the other team as Clausen and company have been unable to produce when it mattered most.

Scoring 38 points should be enough to win a game, but the reality is that the Irish didn't accomplish what they needed to winon either side of the ball. The offense managed to score from outside the red zone but didn't control the ball and spent too much of the day in spread formations attempting to go downfield.

The defense failed to stop the run, despite crowding the box and affording Luck success through the air. Moreover, the Irish front seven failed to penetrate and allowed Gerhart to run downhill for most of the game.

This game marks the end of the Weis regime but his failure was evident long ago. Several off-season changes brought hope of a nine or 10-win season, but these changes were guesses aimed at correcting problems of the past, not solutions of anticipated challenges. The constant change over the past three seasons has prevented player development and consistent performance on the field.

Despite his failure, Weis has left the program in a better state than when he started and a proven, qualified coach should be able to turn the program around in relatively short order. Hopefully athletic director Jack Swarbrick finds him quickly.

Be sure to check back next week for year-end statistical reviews similar to those performed over the bye week this season (offense and defense) and at the end of last year (offense and defense).

Similar Posts

Statistically Speaking: Notre Dame vs. Connecticut

Statistically Speaking: Notre Dame vs. Nevada

Statistically Speaking: Notre Dame vs. Washington

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College Football's Week 13 Awards

Alex Ferguson — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 04:52:00 -0500

Sorry we're late this week. After getting tied up with writing pseudo obituaries for Charlie Weis and Bobby Bowden's careers at Notre Dame and Florida State, as well as giving Al Groh the British "two fingers," we thought we could rest.

But then we remembered our Week 13 Awards for "rivalry week." And boy, was last weekend fun....

Games of the Week

1. LSU 33, Arkansas 30: Redemption lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after getting the clock right and hitting the tying field goal, and eventually winning out in OT.
2. Alabama 26, Auburn 21: Can we get our breath back? Please?
3. Stanford 45, Notre Dame 38: Charlie Weis' game was a fun one. Mind you, haven't most of Charlie Weis' games at Notre Dame been fun.
4. BYU 26, Utah 23: The "Utah Classic" had the boys in Salt Lake City happy, anyway.
5. Texas 49, Texas A&M 39: A&M never gave up.

Now You've Got Your Pink Slip Award (in order-ish)

1. Steve Kragthorpe (Louisville). Just. Not. Good. Enough.
2. Al Groh (Virginia). Throw a massive party in the frat houses—Groh's gone!!
3. Charlie Weis. Hey, Fat Charlie the Archangel—Notre Dame just filed for divorce (Name the song!).
4. Bobby Bowden. Thanks for the years, Bobby.

Early Pink Slip Favorites for 2010

1. Mark Mangino (Kansas): If he stays in 2010.
2. Rich Rodriguez (Michigan): If the Wolverines collapse three years in a row, RichRod's out.
3. Mark Richt (Georgia): The locals are getting tetchy
4. Jimbo Fisher (FSU): I wish I was joking
5. Dan Hawkins (Colorado): He's got one more year. Goodbye in 2010, Dan!
6. [Add coach's name here] (Notre Dame): No pressure is like Irish pressure.

Big Surprises in Week 13 (although there are no surprises in rivalry games, apparently)

1. Georgia beats Georgia Tech 30-23. Didn't think the 'Dogs had a prayer. Helped with Nesbitt's injury, though.
2. Mississippi State blows out Ole Miss: Cue hot band/cheerleader girls.
3. Missouri 41, Kansas 39: How did that happen again?
4. The way Arizona beat Arizona State: Special teams, Devils, special teams!!
5. How woeful Florida State were at Florida: We expected better.

He Should Get The Heisman Award

1. Toby Gerhardt (Stanford): A team was on his shoulders for the whole season. He answered.
2. Colt McCoy (Texas): Great quarterback, but the defense and....
3. Jordan Shipley (Texas): Made this team.
4. Mark Ingram (Auburn): Was a No.1 pick right until his poor outing at Auburn.
5. Tim Tebow (Florida): Coach Tebow's speech to UF players of 2028: "No one will see us lose in 2028. I promise you!"

Early Heisman 2010 Awards

1. AJ Green (Georgia): Quite simply, the best wide receiver in college football.
2. Michael Floyd (Notre Dame): He's quite good too!
3. Jacquizz Rodgers (Oregon State): Piles up the yards like nobody's business—and yet woefully ignored.
4. Matt Barkley (USC): Watch the improvement from Year One to Year Two.
5. Tate Forcier (Michigan): He's already the player of the year at Ohio State, so why not get an award for his own team?

Games we're looking forward to in Week 14

1. Florida vs. Alabama (SEC Championship Game): Biggest. Game. Of. Season.
2.Oregon State vs. Oregon: Civil War by name, Civil War by its on-the-field nature. Oh, and the winner goes to the Rose Bowl. So no pressure then.
3. Georgia Tech vs. Clemson (ACC Championship Game): It was a great game earlier on in the year, and the repeat shouldn't be bad either.
4. Texas vs. Nebraska (Big XII Title Game): So who thinks we'll see Colt McCoy in the fourth quarter? Anybody?
5. Arizona vs. USC: Cheerleaders people, cheerleaders. The coeds aren't bad either.

Now, back to Florida vs Alabama. This is what happened in 2008. We can't wait for more of the same.

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Thank You, Charlie Weis: A Notre Dame Fan Shows His Appreciation

Erin McLaughlin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:42:21 -0500

I want to take this time to personally thank Charlie Weis for all he did at Notre Dame.

There has been a lot of talk about Weis’ failures at Notre Dame. In this article, I want to talk about his accomplishments.

Although it is time to move on, Weis did a lot for the University that fans should appreciate.

I think the first thing Weis did that was impressive was take a previously mediocre quarterback in Brady Quinn and help him become the best quarterback in South Bend since Joe Montana.

Under Weis’ guidance, Quinn became an absolute leader and the face of Notre Dame. He also won the Maxwell Award and was a Heisman finalist. Not to mention, he went on to set 36 passing records in Weis’ system.

At the same time, Weis took a seldom-used receiver in Jeff Samardzija and turned him into one of the premier receivers in college football. Prior to Weis’ arrival, Samardzija was primarily a baseball star.

Weis was able to lead this group to back-to-back BCS appearances in the Fiesta Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. Since the BCS began, Notre Dame has only been in it three times, and two of those appearances came under Weis. That Sugar Bowl appearance was also the first since 1992. In fact, since 1996 Notre Dame has only been in one other major bowl game.

Then when Quinn, Samardzija, and company left, fans were wondering how would they be replaced. Then came Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, Michael Floyd, and Armando Allen. There is no doubt that this unit became one of the most dynamic in school history. Although the wins didn’t come with them, the memories of all the great plays will never be forgotten.

My biggest memory of this group will always be the Hawaii Bowl. It was great to see Notre Dame come out here and play in Aloha Stadium. I never thought I would be able to see it when I first moved to Hawaii a decade ago. It truly was special to be able to be there when Notre Dame was able to break the bowl losing streak.

While haters may discredit the win because it wasn’t a major bowl, it was a victory in a bowl game that hadn’t happened in 15 years. Also let me ask, are the Gator, Independence, or Insight.com bowls considered major? Yet Notre Dame lost those games as well. It was under Weis where the streak stopped.

Weis has also started some new traditions at Notre Dame that I hope the new coach keeps. I love the idea of playing one game a year on a neutral field to give exposure to the program outside of South Bend.

I also hope the tradition of gathering after a home game with the band and singing the Alma Mater continues.

Weis also did a really good job of recruiting. The new coach will be blessed with that even with the likely departures of Clausen and Tate.

If there is one thing I would like to say to Weis, it is this.

“Please don’t take this personally, and don’t think we don’t appreciate all you did at Notre Dame. The reality is what it is. That reality is that it is time for Notre Dame to go in a different direction. This will be good for you to as you can now return to the NFL, and we know you will have options. I know there is talk that you could end up back in New England and work once again with Tom Brady.

“Personally though, I hope you take a less desirable path and go to Cleveland. The reason of course is that our Brady needs you more. Tom Brady has already had a Hall of Fame career, and you were a big part of it. Going back proves nothing.

“Brady Quinn, on the other hand, really needs you. His current offensive coordinator Brian Daboll looks clueless. I know you can turn his career around.

“At the end of the day, though, I know you owe nothing to Quinn. You took his college career to new heights, and he will always be grateful. You do have to make the best decision for you.

“Thank you, Charlie Weis, for all you did at Notre Dame. Good luck with your future endeavors, and you will be missed.”

This article is also posted on http://fightingirishgameday.com/

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Charlie Weis Is Wanted in the NFL

John Lorge — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:32:11 -0500

On Monday, the University of Notre Dame held a press conference announcing that Charlie Weis will not be retained for the 2010 season.

While the college football world speculates if Bob Stoops, Brian Kelly, or Butch Davis will be the next head coach at Notre Dame, my question is where will Charlie Weis go?

Is it realistic to assume Weis will stay in the college football realm?

Notre Dame was the first time Weis coached in college since his four seasons at the University of South Carolina from 1985 to 1988.

Believe it or not, when Weis was hired in South Bend, he had more recently been at the high school ranks (1989) than college.

The man spent over a decade coaching and coordinating for NFL offenses under Hall of Fame coaches Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick. He is spectacular at doing what he does best but overmatched as a head coach at the nation's most demanding college football program.

I would not be surprised if Weis takes a year off to evaluate his options and maybe do some TV. The truth is Charlie Weis doesn't have a face for TV though, he belongs coaching at the pro ranks, and these are his options.

Head Coach

This year 11 NFL teams have new head coaches, and there are five coaches who assumed their role in 2008. That means half of the NFL has been coaching their respective teams for less than two years.

Of the first year coaches, only Tom Cable seems to be at risk of losing his job (yes, it seems that Eric Mangini will get at least another year). Charlie Weis is too old and too smart to work for Al Davis.

Perry Fewell is the interim head coach in Buffalo. He has done a very good job with the defense all year, and the team has been playing competitive football under his command. Weis knows the AFC East very well. I'm not so sure he would be running to coach against his former colleague in New England, however.

The Redskins' Jim Zorn was considered a great signing last season but currently sits on the hot seat. Washington is a high pressure coaching job—something Zorn had no experience with. Notre Dame was a high profile position on Weis’ resume, and he has NFC East roots with the Giants, but the job is not open yet.

Other jobs that could be on the market include Dallas, Tennessee (before they had won a game this season there was the ultimatum—either Vince Young goes or Jeff Fisher goes, right now everyone seems happy), New York [Giants], Chicago, Jacksonville, and Carolina, but no moves have been made at any of these places either.

Overall there projects to be a lack of demand for head coaches in the NFL this offseason compared to past seasons.

If Weis were to take a head coaching position, he would have to reacclimate himself to the pro game, and more importantly, find a coaching staff. At Notre Dame, Weis could not find defensive coaches who were capable of getting the job done. Coaches like Jon Tenuta and Corwin Brown had the pedigree to be successful defensive coordinators but simply could not game plan and call plays to keep teams out of the end zone.

Of course, one obvious option to be Weis' defensive coordinator would be Romeo Crennell, who is recovering from hip replacement surgery. The two made one of the best coach/coordinator combos in the NFL under the Parcells family tree and working together again would almost be like a co-head coaching role.

Offensive Coordinator

Calling all of the shots for the Fighting Irish is a big step up from Franklin High School in New Jersey, which is why the whole ordeal may have been slightly overwhelming for Weis.

The truth is Charlie Weis is an offensive coordinator; it's what he does best. Some coaches are motivators, Charlie Weis is an orchestrator. After giving the head coaching game a shot, Weis may be ready to get back to his bread 'n butter.

Currently Weis' former team, the New England Patriots, do not have an offensive coordinator in place. Still using the same Erhardt-Perkins offensive system that Weis put installed, Tom Brady has been able to lead the 2009 Pats to victories, but overall, they haven't been clicking against elite competition.

Bill Belichick is stressed like never before as a coach after Josh McDaniels left the team this summer. New England needs a real offensive coordinator, and Charlie Weis is the best fit.

The move may seem like Weis is running back with his parents after failing in the real world, but Belichick and Weis have a special relationship, and nobody would fault Weis for going back to what worked.

When the Pats offense is killing like they can, everyone will agree it was the right move.

If not New England, Buffalo's coordinator position would be a better fit than the head coaching position. With two very good running backs and some weapons on the flank, Weis' offense could turn Buffalo into the wildcard of the AFC East.

It might be a stretch for Charlie Weis to work under Eric Mangini in Cleveland because he outranked Mangini in New England. Additionally, Mangini seems loyal to OC Brian Daboll, whom he's coached with since being in New England.

If any coach can get Brady Quinn going in the right direction, it would be Weis, though. The Browns are also scouting Jimmy Clausen for the 2010 NFL Draft.

Any team looking to give their offense a shot in the arm should be calling Weis ASAP. Many teams like to bring QB, WR, RB, and OL coaches up the ranks, but if you are looking to win now, Weis is your guy.

Offensive Consultant

It could be as a QB coach, assistant head coach, or offensive consultant, but there are many team's who would like to have Weis as a part of their brain trust.

Weis might not be ready to take control of the Pats offense just yet, but he could be ready to help them game plan and call plays.

This season we saw Sherm Lewis take over the play calling from Jim Zorn, and the move could have other NFL decision makers thinking that some head coaches who came up calling offense need to focus on all three phases of the game more, not just the one they know best.

Weis' success has earned him respect in every NFL locker room, nobody wants to be demoted, but it's hard to dispute brining in an expert of his caliber.

Where Will Weis Wander?

It seems too good to be true, but the best fit for Charlie Wies is the most obvious one, the New England Patriots.

The Pats need some stability in their offense and their staff is currently a coach short. It would be an extremely quick turnaround, but Weis could join the Pats this season and be calling the plays by the playoffs.

If not this year, Weis could walk into the OC role in the offseason, but he may not be willing to step back in the past at all. In that case expect Charlie Weis to take a year off from coaching, or maybe he could relax at the high school ranks like after his last stint in college.

Follow me on Twitter @JohnLorge.

Read more Charlie Weis news on BleacherReport.com

Weis To Both His Notre Dame Fans: "Don't Cry for Me!"

Larry Burton — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:00:30 -0500

OK, raise your hands on this one. Who wouldn't take a kick in the butt for say eighteen million dollars? So, as Charlie Weis leaves Notre Dame his farewell statement to his two remaining fans should be, "Don't cry for me".

And why should they? Let's look at the reasons...

He'll have eighteen million reasons not to be overly sad.

The NFL is waiting with open arms for Charlie to return. He will be unemployed as a coach only as long as he wants to be.

He'll now have time to do Jenny Craig and land that lucrative endorsement deal.

He'll finally have time to comb his hair.

And he can say with pride that he at least did better in college football than Steve Spurrier did in the NFL.

Charlie Weis gave Notre Dame his best shot. I'm sure of that. He simply was not a good head coach. It's the old case of the Peter Principal. He was promoted to the level of his incompetency as there was arguably not many better offensive coordinators.

Same old tune with a different singer, not all great assistants make great head coaches.

And I certainly don't blame Charlie for Notre Dame's apparent cash flow crisis with his firing. I would point the finger at the administrator who gave him such a lengthy contract extension with so little to show for it.

I remember the day it happened and remember looking around the landscape and not seeing any one else waiving a check book in Charlie's direction. It wasn't like there a fight to keep him there.

Notre Dame may be mired in mediocrity for a few more years while the next coach wades through players left behind and starts building his own team.

Recruiting is tougher now because this is a generation of "NOW" kids. Notre Dame hasn't been relevant since this year's group of five-star high school athletes were in elementary school, and few grew up looking at Notre Dame saying, "Wow, one day I want to play for them."

At least this saga gave something for us writers to kick around while we're waiting for the bowl announcements and that's something. We won't have Charlie Weis to kick around anymore.

Read more Charlie Weis news on BleacherReport.com

Are The Irish Overlooking The D In Dantonio?

Joe Schmoe — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:48:47 -0500

It was defense – or lack thereof – that did in Charlie Weis. It will take someone well versed in that less-appreciated aspect of college football to return Notre Dame to its winning tradition.

We’ve heard no end of potential suitors to replace Weis: Stoops, Meyer, Kelly and whoever else is winning big at the moment. Great offensive coaches all.

But the Irish already had a great offense, ranked statistically tenth in the nation. There was nothing wrong with their offensive coaching or recruiting.

Had Weis’s defensive backfield stopped Tate Forcier in the last few seconds, had the defensive line dug in to halt Navy’s predictable rushing game, and had the same squad put the onus on Dion Lewis’s running game, the Irish would have finished 9-3 and Charlie would still have a job.

Come to think of it, had the Notre Dame defense stopped just half of the Connecticut rushing duo of Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon, the Irish would be 10-2 and still in line for a BCS bowl.

To paraphrase Bill Clinton’s campaign slogan: “It’s the defense, stupid!”

Which brings me to suggest Michigan State’s Mark Dantonio as the South Bend Solution.

First off, Dantonio’s legacy is a balanced attack and a strong defense. No, he’s not a Jim Tressel conservative. His Spartans’ passing offense ranks first in the Big Ten this season, which may not be saying much.

But those who savor a Charlie Weis look-alike need to remember that the passing game only gets you so far. After all, the 6-6 Irish rank fifth nationally in passing yardage. Only one of the top BCS teams – Cincinnati - falls into the top ten passing ranks with Notre Dame.

Passing is not necessarily the forte of national championship teams.

Dantonio’s defensive squads at MSU haven’t quite lived up to his feats at Ohio State in 2002 and 2003, when he was Jim Tressel’s defensive coordinator. His squads were one of the reasons the Bucks won the national championship in 2002, and ended up ranked fourth in 2003.

He has been criticized for the Spartans’ mediocre record this season. But his bright spots have included seeing junior linebacker Greg Jones, second in the FBS with 141 tackles, named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

And given the recruiting advantage of being head coach at ND, he would have the potential to develop a splendid defense to take a load off those storied Irish offensive squads.

There is a more compelling reason for the Irish to consider Dantonio. Somewhere gathering dust in the back of the athletic director’s safe is a paradigm, a yardstick that this superb program misplaced many years ago.

It should be used to measure candidates against the coach who best exemplifies Notre Dame’s success in the modern era – Ara Parseghian.

The comparisons between the two men are easy to find. Ara is Ohio-born. So is Mark. Both coached Ohio teams, Ara at Miami University and Mark at Cincinnati. Both are versed in Big Ten coaching, but not necessarily big winners there.

Parseghian came to Notre Dame with a 36-35-1 record after 8 years at Northwestern. While there he beat the Irish four times. Dantonio is 22-16 at Michigan State in three years. He handily beat the Irish two times and lost this year’s match up in a squeaker that could have gone either way.

Dantonio has beaten Michigan two out of three. He has vanquished Purdue three straight times. And why is that important to Notre Dame? Because those two Big Ten teams and MSU are 25 percent of the Irish ongoing football schedule.

Both Parseghian and Dantonio picked up pointers from men who understood the importance of balanced offenses and strong defenses- Ara under Woody Hayes and Dantonio under Earl Bruce and Jim Tressel.

Neither man graduated from Notre Dame, although Parseghian, a Miami University grad, was named an honorary ND alumnus at the end of his career there. Dantonio graduated from the University of South Carolina, and returned to Ohio to coach.

You say Mark is too old at age 53 to start with another team? A fine ND coach named Lou Holtz, who won a national championship there, was 49 in 1986 when he arrived in South Bend.

You say he’s too expensive? Considering what Notre Dame will pay to buy out Weis, any compensation required by Michigan State for Dantonio’s piddling annual $1.8 million in overall compensation and paltry $2 million longevity bonus would be a drop in the bucket.

Religion? Ara was a Presbyterian when he began his career at Notre Dame. Dantonio is an unabashed Catholic who sees his career as a ministry. He’s a religious man whose focus is on the welfare of his players and assistant coaches.

Are there other coaches out there who can provide the missing D in Notre Dame’s game plan? Could be. But how do they measure up against the Ara Paradigm?

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Charlie Weis and Notre Dame: The “What If” Era

Jim Miesle — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:13:55 -0500

When a coaching change comes, it’s hard not to look back (in this case, over five years) and wonder what might have been. In the case of Charlie Weis, I think it is especially apropos.

While I am sure the list I compiled is by no means all-encompassing, it’s a start:

2004 – The Coaching Staff

It would be difficult to start in any other place. Weis took the job after a lengthy search by then AD Kevin White, and by all accounts wasn’t at or near the top of anyone’s wish list. Guiding the New England Patriot offense to a third Super Bowl title in four seasons, Weis was forced to assemble his staff hastily on top of his prior job commitments. Proclaimed as an “exceptional, talented and experienced group of assistant coaches ” one has to wonder about if Weis had more time to assemble his initial staff, where the team (and program) would be today.

A few notables:

David Cutcliffe, Assistant Head Coach (offense) and quarterbacks coach. Known as the guy who coached the Manning brothers, he resigned due to health issues in June 2005. He was replaced by Peter Vaas.

Rick Minter, defensive coordinator. Not much that needs to be said here other than the defense was the weak link during the 2005 Irish season, which would become a recurring theme during the Weis era.

Of the original nine assistant coaches hired by Weis in January 2005, only three would survive his five year tenure (Rob Ianello, Bernie Parmalee, and Brian Polian).

2005 Recruiting Class

In the wake of the Willingham dismissal, Weis was left to pick up the pieces of a nonexistent recruiting class. Signing only 15 players, the lack of depth would become evident during the 2007 season, as the team was missing key upper class leadership. What if Ty had put in a bit more effort in recruiting and left Weis with a bit more than six verbal commits at his departure?

2005 Regular Season

One has to wonder about the 2005 season, one that was probably the best overall during the Weis era. With only two regular season losses by a total of six points (one coming in overtime to Michigan State and the other on the “Bush Push” against USC), Weis looked to have the Irish headed for the pinnacle of the college football world.

What if the Irish pulled out the victory over the Spartans after rallying from 14 back in the fourth quarter? What if Matt Leinart didn’t complete the 4th-and-9 pass? How would that team have matched-up with Texas?

2006 Regular Season

After transforming an average offense to record setting, the 2006 season started with sky-high expectations. After an early season blowout loss at home to Michigan, expectations were tempered somewhat. With holes appearing in the defense, along with a lack in overall team speed, Irish fans were forced to sit through more close wins (Georgia Tech, Michigan State, and UCLA) then was comfortable. What if this team had a few more difference makers? What if the proverbial cupboard wasn’t so bare?

2007 Regular Season

I would prefer to believe that the 2007 season never happened. Fielding a roster with only 24 scholarship seniors and juniors (the aforementioned 2005 recruiting class), too many underclassmen were forced into service before they were ready.

Preseason predictions placed the Irish somewhere around .500, with anything less beyond the worst nightmares of Irish fans everywhere. The offense couldn’t move the ball (starting three different QBs), and the defense was struggling with a change in identity (the new 3-4 defense brought in by Corwin Brown).

What if this team had additional junior/senior support (especially on the OL)? What if Weis brought in a different DC? What if Darius Walker hadn’t left a year early for the NFL draft (and consequently went undrafted)? What if Demetrius Jones didn’t fumble on the first possession in the opener vs. Georgia Tech?

2008 Regular Season

The 2008 season is where a lot of the big questions about the Weis era began to emerge. For the most part, following back-to-back BCS berths fans were willing to concede the 2007 season as a rebuilding year.

After an all-too-close opening win over San Diego State, the Irish seemed to be heading in the right direction with a 4-2 start (including a come-from-ahead loss at North Carolina). Finishing the regular season at 6-6, rumors started to circulate about Weis being fired.

You have to wonder about what would have happened had the Irish held on to double digit leads over NC, Pitt and Syracuse? What if CW brought in new line coaches a year earlier and had an actual running game? What if Jimmy Clausen took better care of the football, especially against Boston College and USC, instead of throwing 17 INTs?

2009 Regular Season

Simply put, there are a lot of scenarios that could have played out during this season. In each of the six losses (and four wins), you can go back to a few plays and wonder about them going a different way.

What if the kickoff team hadn’t allowed two kickoff returns for TDs (vs. Michigan and Connecticut)? What if a kicker who had made 15 straight field goals doesn't miss two straight vs. Navy? What if the defense stepped up and made a play or two (vs. Navy and Stanford)? What if the offense made one more play or avoided key penalties (vs. Michigan, USC, and Pitt)? In the wins, they were one play away from losing to Washington, BC, Michigan State, and Purdue. What if one of those plays went the other way?

Overall

The biggest question one has to ask themselves about the Weis era is pretty simple—what if he had a defense to go with the record setting offenses? Ultimately, we will never know how that would have played out.

It’s never a good thing when someone loses their job. There should be no joy taken in that, regardless of how you feel the program was run over the past five seasons. The guys at BlueGraySky said it better than I possibly could in their Thank You to Coach Weis . I echo their comments and know that he will have no shortage in job offers in the coming weeks (including possibly being reunited with Brady Quinn in Cleveland, or elsewhere).

Thank you Coach Weis for your tireless work and leaving the program in a better place than you found it. Your true contribution may never fully be realized, but this Irish fan will try not to forget that you brought the program from life support to a place with a brighter future than five years ago. It’s just hard not to wonder what if…

Read more Charlie Weis news on BleacherReport.com

Charlie Weis Hired as New Jersey Nets Coach (Satire)

Christopher Chavez — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:10:59 -0500

In a stunning turn of events the New Jersey Nets have hired former Notre Dame football coach, Charlie Weis. Weis was fired by Notre Dame and hired by the New Jersey Nets in less than 24 hours.

Weis is the first college football coach to be hired by an NBA team as a head coach. The New Jersey Nets' Rob Thorn said, "We are very excited to have Charlie on the sidelines for the team. We hope that he can connect well with our players and turn our season around in a positive direction."

When asked to comment about his new coach, Devin Harris said, "Experience isn't everything. Sometimes all you have to do is know what you are doing. Charlie knows exactly what he wants to do. I smell an NBA Finals appearance under Weis."

Charlie Weis is expected to hold a press conference early Wednesday morning at the Izod Center, hours before his team takes on the Dallas Mavericks. Right from his first game he will try to avoid setting an NBA record for most losses to start a season with 0-18.

In a statement released by Charlie Weis and his agent he said, "New Jersey Nets fans expect more from their team. 0-17 is not enough. If the Nets hired me to go .500 or below, they got the wrong guy."

Sound familiar? Weis made a similar statement when he was hired as the head coach for the Fighting Irish.

According to multiple reports, Charlie Weis is expected to make $24 million for four years. The Nets wanted to agree on a similar contract to that of the Knicks' Mike D'Antoni. The money is coming straight from the pockets of their soon-to-be owner, Mikhail Prohorov.

It will be interesting to see how this scenario plays out for the Nets. They have an inexperienced coach with a young team. The Nets had other options in Avery Johnson and Byron Scott but they elected to go down this road.

In the minds of the Nets' front office they see LeBron James, Devin Harris, the 2010 No. 1 overall draft pick, and Charlie Weis all under the lights of their new arena in Brooklyn.

Will this all come true and sell seats? Or will it just explode and remain a dream in the minds of the Nets' people? Only time will tell.

Read more Charlie Weis news on BleacherReport.com

The Charlie Weis Legacy: The Good, The Bad, and the Oh-So Ugly

Marc Halsted — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:09:34 -0500

Charlie Weis has been fired from Notre Dame, Urban Meyer has re-dedicated himself to the University of Florida, and Bob Stoops has denied that he has any interest in becoming the next Notre Dame head coach.

While we wait for Brian Kelly's stunning announcement that he'll leave an undefeated, and BCS-bound Cincinatti program to become the next Irish head coach, it would do us all well to take a final look at the Charlie Weis legacy.

The Weis legacy must be remembered for the roses and the thorns. There have been exceptional highs and unfathomable lows. There have been wins, losses, outrageous disasters, and unquestioned radiance.

It most assuredly has been captivating—just ask Mark May, Chris Fowler, Tony Bernhart, and the rest of the national media that has tried to tell all of us that Notre Dame has become irrelevant.

Here's to Charlie! Thanks for the memories, no matter how vivid and painful they've been.

Back-to-Back BCS

Most Notre Dame fans would triple their alumni payments to get back to the days of 9-2 and 10-2 and a pair of appearances in BCS bowl games against high profile opponents like Ohio State and LSU.

Of course, a 75-34 total score in two losses against said BSC bowl game opponents in Charlie's first two years, is not something many Irish fans want to remember. But, at least he helped get them into the bright spotlights of a New Year’s Day Bowl and made us all think for a moment, that 1988 wasn't really that long ago.

Stunning Losses

There is no way around shocking home losses to Syracuse, Air Force, Connecticut, and Navy, twice.

There was no way to ignore a period of nearly three years without a win over a team that finished the season with a winning record not named Navy (yes, they actually beat the Midshipmen once or twice during the Weis era).

There is no way around blowout losses to Georgia Tech (33-3), Michigan (38-0), and USC (38-0) in 2007.

There is no way around blowout losses to Boston College (17-0) and USC (38-3) in 2008.

Finally, there is no way around the fact that six-plus losses for three straight years is both unforgettable and unacceptable for the throngs of Notre Dame supporters.

Charlie, Hannah, And Their Friends

Speaking personally, I’m sick of the character assassinations. Yes, Coach Weis has been arrogant and yes, he’s proved to be unsuccessful as a head coach.

But Charlie Weis is a good man with a great heart.

Charlie Weis was loved by many of his players. Walking onto the field for his final home game, locking arm in arm with his captains, was a stirring and powerful display. The tears reminded us that this is an emotional game and that the intensity of relationships between coaches and players is so much a part of college football.

Beyond the field, Coach Weis poured millions of his own money and hours of his not-so-free time to build an extraordinary living center for young people with special needs. His unselfishness and complete dedication to "Hannah and Friends" will always be more important to the greater community of South Bend than anything he did on a football field.

Unfulfilled potential

Charlie Weis arrived at ND with Super Bowl rings, an offensive resume of great repute, and an ego that ran the length of the Jersey Turnpike. What we soon found out was that he also came with a tremendous work ethic and both the passion and ability to recruit the nations finest players eligible to meet the lofty Notre Dame academic standards;then it all went wrong.

The Irish Nation and the rest of the college football world, discovered that NFL success does not always parlay itself into on-campus brilliance. The reduced practice hours allowed and absolute need for the daily motivation of 19 and 20-year-old young men, haunted Weis from day one.

With the semi-professionalism of Brady Quinn and Jeff Samardjiza, he excelled but with the immaturity and confused emotionalism of Jimmy Clausen and Brian Smith, he struggled.

Unfulfilled potential haunted Coach Weis. His preordained offensive brilliance became entrapped in youthful inexperience (2007), abject predictability (2008), and the pressure of increased need and volume (2009).

Finally, it came down to something as simple as player development. He brought in three top-ten recruiting classes full of four and five star athletes, yet failed to put two CFB standards on the field over the past three years: a dependable running game and a serviceable defense.

The Hand-Off

The final component of the Weis Legacy rests in what he left behind.

When Brian Kelly (or whoever the Irish hire) arrives in town, he'll find a depth chart full of talent and athleticism, at least two gifted linebackers, a surprisingly deep and maturing defensive line group, two dynamic wide receiver talents, a day-one NFL draft tight end, and a full stable of highly touted running backs.

Sure, Jimmy and Golden may be off to NFL riches, but Weis left more talent in the cupboard than either of his predecessors. ND will be able to win in 2010 and their schedule will certainly help the cause.

Charlie Weis did not win like he should have and he did not succeed like he needed to. He did not make Notre Dame into what he said he would.

But Charlie Weis leaves with character, integrity, an exceptional 96 percent graduation rate, and a full depth chart for his successor.

Charlie, thank you. Best of luck in the future and enjoy turning the Browns offense into, well, an offense.

Now look Brian, we need at least 10 wins next year, okay?

Read more Charlie Weis news on BleacherReport.com

Thank you, Charlie Weis

Alex Ferguson — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:07:00 -0500

Charlie Weis is gone and now Notre Dame can look forward to the future.

Before we start to look for the future coach of America's biggest college football team (Kirk Herbstreit's pronouncement on College Gameday that Notre Dame was an 'irrelevant' program was absolute rubbish—do you hear us talking this much about Al Groh, Steve Kragthorpe, or Bobby Bowden?), we'll look at the past.

Penn State faced Notre Dame during Charlie Weis' reign. Brady Quinn took them apart in South Bend in 2006, and Penn State returned the favour in front of the legendary 'White Out' crowd on a beautiful fall evening in 2007.

Notre Dame's record against USC was an 0-5 disaster, but the first game and final games of that series were incredibly close.

He ended the Irish's woeful bowl record with a hammering of Hawaii earlier this year, and he's made Jimmy Clausen potentially a top five pick (hell, Cleveland, St Louis and Buffalo all need a Hawaii), and Golden Tate and Michael Floyd will also be choice first rounders in the future, too.

The problem with Weis is that Notre Dame fans have this unbelievable expectation that they should be challenging for a National Title every year. Considering they play USC every year—plus Michigan (if they are doing well it's a nightmare), that's not easy. They manage to avoid playing SEC teams—or do SEC teams avoid playing the Irish?

And if we're honest, this season we could well have been talking about a national title. Every game the Irish lost was a heartbreaker or made you giggle—depending on your sympathies.

The coach with the biggest future is, sadly, the coach who can persuade Notre Dame's academic staff to loosen up the rules a little for their athletes. Why? Because players would rather go on a four-year SEC, Texas or USC vacation where they can concentrate on playing "ball" rather than actually go to difficult classes.

I'll say this: Notre Dame fans need to be good. But College Football needs Notre Dame to be good, too.

Anyway, here's a memory of the greatest game of Charlie Weis' career—in 2005 against USC. It's no surprise that Notre Dame lost the "close one" was it?

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Charlie Weis Finally Fired by Notre Dame: No Fight in This Irishman

Nick Mordowanec — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:07:56 -0500

It was supposed to be a match made in heaven.

Charlie Weis was a big contributor to Super Bowl runs for the NFL’s New England Patriots, instructing quarterback Tom Brady on the intricacies of the professional game after Drew Bledsoe was knocked out of commission. He was one of Bill Belichick’s right-hand men.

But after savoring Super Bowl championships, Weis wanted to be a head coach. He got his wish. Although it wasn’t in the NFL—it was for his alma-meter, Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish had been a program struggling to find consistency and championship seasons. Ever since Lou Holtz left the program, neither Bob Davie nor Ty Willingham could bring Touchdown Jesus back to prominence. That was where Weis fit—at least that was what most people thought five years ago.

Weis inherited players like Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen, but the results were less than favorable. For a storied program which had not seen national championships, expectations were high and losing was never an option.

Yet, a lack of victories was part of Weis’ legacy at Notre Dame. He never defeated rival USC and never reached a BCS bowl after his first two seasons at the helm. He endured a 35-27 record over his career and a .565 winning percentage, which was worse than both his predecessors in Davie and Willingham.

Once Quinn left the program, the ground in South Bend began to grow a little shaky. Weis only went 16-21 after Quinn’s departure.

Clausen was highly-touted out of high school and expected to be one of the greatest quarterbacks in Notre Dame history, but his performance has been inconsistent and not quite at the potential others expected of him. A lackluster defense and some bad losses, such as losing to Navy two out of three years, put a nail in Weis’ green and gold coffin.

Weis’ last game as the Irish head coach was a crushing loss to Stanford, viewed intently by Notre Dame’s athletic director Jack Swarbrick. The loss completed a four game skid and ultimately proving to be the demise of the man Notre Dame fans expected to save the program.

All hope is not lost for Weis, though.

He still possesses a strong football mentality and can run offenses as well as the best coordinators in the business. Many expect Weis to return to the NFL, to his roots, and become a coordinator or even possibly a head coach for a struggling franchise.

As for Notre Dame, names like Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly and Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops have had their names thrown around for weeks. It is unclear what direction Notre Dame will take, but they will assuredly go for a big name in the college football world.

The five-year experiment has concluded and the Fighting Irish are in a similar position they were in before Weis was ever hired—struggling to find an identity and not being able to win a big game.

One thing is for sure: these are not your father’s Fighting Irish.

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Charlie Weis Fired from Notre Dame, Jack Swarbrick Begins Coach Search

Dan Scofield — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:19:07 -0500

The past five years in South Bend have been bumpy, to say the least.

The first two years of the roller coaster ride led Charlie Weis and his team to two BCS bowls on the arm of Brady Quinn.

The past three years have been filled with disappointment, flashes of promise, and squashed optimism.

Today, Nov. 30, the end of that same entertainment ride ran off the tracks and will not be fixed. Weis was fired from his position at the University of Notre Dame.

According to a member of the current coaching staff, Weis informed his coaches that he was let go after a meeting with athletic director Jack Swarbrick on Tuesday.

An interim coach has not be named yet due to the fact that the players have yet to vote on whether they desire to play in a bowl game or not. The most likely destination for the Irish would seem to be the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, formerly known as the Motor City Bowl.

Recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach Rob Ianello will take over the recruiting until a new coach is brought in. Luckily for Irish fans, Ianello has a track record of being an excellent recruiter, and things don't look too gloomy regarding their current class. All of the current commitments that have been contacted have said they would stick with the Irish no matter what Weis' future would be.

With rumors of Bob Stoops being contacted by Notre Dame in the past couple of days, expect rumors to be flying even more so than ever. Stoops still seems like the perfect match for the Irish as of right now, and the most logical.

Read more Charlie Weis news on BleacherReport.com

Charlie Weis Fired From Notre Dame!

Will Ayers Jr. — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:24:17 -0500

According to the New York Daily News, Notre Dame has fired Charlie Weis. Notre Dame finished the season at a disappointing 6-6, far from the preseason hype of a possible BCS bid. The Fighting Irish finished the season with four straight losses, including a 45-38 loss to Stanford last Saturday.

Weis' 35-27 record in South Bend is worst than Bob Davie and Ty Willingham, both of whom were previously fired. Cincinnati's Brian Kelly and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops seem to be at the top of Notre Dame's wish list to replace Weis.

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For Charlie Weis and Irish, All Quiet at Notre Dame

Mike Muratore — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:38:03 -0500

Things are strangely quiet this morning in South Bend.

With all the reports swirling regarding office cleanings and clandestine jet trips to Oklahoma, I fully expected a press conference to have been announced by now.

Surely the decision is made. Right?

The Irish limped to a more-than-disappointing 6-6 record, dropping it's last four games to Navy, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, and Stanford.

The Irish defense parted like the Red Sea for anyone carrying a football all year, and forgot how to tackle all together for the stretch run.

Jimmy Clausen is now making headlines for altercations outside CJ's pub rather than for his play, and both he and Golden Tate are almost certainly headed into April's NFL draft.

The program has descended into despair, again, and even Weis states that he would have no argument with his own dismissal.

So why the wait?

Is it to toy with ESPN? Maybe to see just how many hours of coverage can be eaten up speculating about who will replace a coach who hasn't actually been released yet?

There are several articles about what Weis will be doing next year (please come to Cleveland, Brady Quinn needs you) before he is available.

The world has decided. Now we are waiting.

But what if Jack Swarbrick hasn't decided.

What could be the hang up?

Is it that he wants to make the right hire, not just a big name coach? Could it be that he wants to make sure that the next coach is truly a better candidate than the current coach?

Is it that he doesn't want to be "Meyered" by a Chris Petersen or Brian Kelley who may use Notre Dame as a red herring to up an offer from another big school?

Is it because Charlie is taking a hard line on his contract buy-out and negotiations are stalled?

Or is Swarbrick legitimately unsure if he will or will not fire Weis?

For Notre Dame fans, this would be the most terrifying thought.

If there isn't a decision on Weis' future at this moment, what could possibly happen between now and the Little Caesar's Bowl that could sway him one way or another. Would another meaningless third-tear bowl blow out over a MAC school renew Swarbrick's faith in Weis?

As the hours continue to roll by with nothing but silence and speculation spilling out of South Bend, tension and attention is mounting.

We are all eagerly waiting for something.

But waiting for what?

Maybe they will actually announce that Bob Stoops has accepted the Notre Dame job before announcing that Charlie Weis has been terminated.

At least that would live up to the hype!

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Bob Stoops Won't Say No to Replacing Charlie Weis at Notre Dame

Trey Bradley — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:13:14 -0500

None of the comments matter until someone is actually fired.

There's a code of conduct among college football coaches. You don't express an interest, or a lack of interest, in a job that someone else still holds.

Until just moments ago, Charlie Weis was the head coach at Notre Dame.

Meanwhile, published reports—which only amount to published rumors—swirl, as Irish faithful forward them to family, friends, and anyone who will listen. Where there's smoke, there's fire. So why not try to spark a coaching change with billows of soot?

Oklahoma's Bob Stoops is the man of the moment.

He maintained the coaches code. But with Stoops, reading between the lines is even easier than breaking through his depleted offensive line.

It started when the Chicago Sun-Times cited a source close to the 11th-year head coach, who made it clear that Stoops would be interested in talking to Notre Dame about its looming vacancy.

Stoops' response was swift; it was emphatic.

"That's ridiculous. I have no idea what you're talking about," Stoops told reporters two weeks ago. "Some confidant, huh?"

Notice what he said...and what he didn't:

The story is ridiculous. I don't know what confidant you're talking about, and clearly he's not much of a confidant since he tipped a newspaper writer.

However, denying the validity of a report is much different from denying the validity of what is being reported. If you are unable to grasp that distinction, please stop reading now. I assure you the rest of this article will only frustrate you further.

Saturday, a pre-game broadcast speculated that Stoops would be on his way to South Bend as soon as Sunday to pursue the Irish position.

During the Notre Dame-Stanford contest, ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit said he spoke to Stoops by phone before and after his Bedlam shutout of Oklahoma State. Stoops made it clear that neither he nor his agent had been contacted by Notre Dame.

Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick patently denied that he, or anyone authorized to speak on his behalf, had contacted any coaching candidate.

I believe both men are being truthful. I also know that nothing they've said to date precludes them from having a very important conversation later this week.

Why would Stoops insist that Notre Dame hasn't come to him instead of insisting that he isn't going to Notre Dame?

He may or may not have a sincere inclination to leave Norman for South Bend, but Stoops is absolutely playing the game.

The Ohio Catholic could have squelched speculation about his interest at any point during the past 14 days.

Instead, he narrowly focused his denial on whether or not he's already communicated with the Irish, permitting observers to parse his words.

He's after something.

More money? Stoops is already the head of the highest-paid staff in college football.

More security? His president and athletic director already cherish his services.

A change of scenery? He has been in Norman for 11 seasons.

Maybe he's just leveraging Notre Dame against a segment of an Oklahoma fan base that forgets how bad it was before he arrived at OU. That would be an awfully high-stakes game to play with message board goons.

Or perhaps he really does see himself under the Golden Dome.

Whatever his motivation, Stoops isn't naive. He didn't close the door on the Irish because he knew Notre Dame's coaching search hadn't officially begun.

Now it has.

Read more Charlie Weis news on BleacherReport.com

Notre Dame's Coaching Search: Avoiding the Availability Bias

Anthony Pilcher — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:30:03 -0500

Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis' failure was evident long ago. His lack of experience with the college game and as a head coach made him unable to anticipate future problems and incapable of implementing changes to correct them.

His list of shortcomings is long and condemning, but painfully reiterating what the on-field product clearly shows adds no value other than venting frustration at the most readily identifiable target.

He deserves better.

In 2005, Weis took a job no one wanted. Notre Dame had a reputation as a program that couldn't recruit. The Irish offense was a trainwreck. And the secondary was among the worst in the country.

During his tenure, Weis developed two Heisman Trophy candidate quarterbacks in Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen, and morphed the Irish offense into a modern, pro-style unit. While the production of his offense has been overstated both last year and this season, these accomplishments are far from trivial.

Perhaps more important was his work on the recruiting trail. Weis and his assistants were tireless in their efforts, scouring the country from coast to coast to find talented players like Clausen, Ethan Johnson, Michael Floyd, Golden Tate, Kyle Rudolph and Manti Te'o. The last of these Weis recruited on crutches with two knees that desperately needed surgery.

His teams have performed well in academics, there have been very few disciplinary issues off the field, and he was an excellent steward of the players. Stories like "Pass Right" will forever be inscribed in Irish football lore.

There is no questioning his effort, devotion or love for his alma mater, and that is ultimately what separates him from his previous two predecessors. Weis did everything he could, and for that his legacy deserves to be remembered better than that of Bob Davie or Tyrone Willingham.

But with a 6-6 record in year five of his tenure, his best simply isn’t good enough.

It's Time To Move On, But To Whom?

So who should athletic director Jack Swarbrick hire as the next coach at Notre Dame? First, let's examine the situation surrounding Weis' hiring.

It is human nature to focus on recent and negative data. Negatives are viewed as the cause of failure and the latest evidence and experiences often seem to be the most pertinent, especially when emotion is involved. This is known as the availability bias and the natural consequence is seeking a corrective action that compensates for these deficiencies.

In many ways, Weis’ hiring reflected this philosophy.

Much of Notre Dame Nation, myself included, didn't see this at the time. While I wasn't sold on Weis, I was impressed by his success in the NFL and partially won over by the “hard-working, intelligent, nasty” team promised at his introductory press conference. I was more impressed when he turned the once-dormant Irish offense into a scoring machine. And I was even more impressed when I read his book "No Excuses," and heard the things he said to the team upon his arrival at Notre Dame. Eventually, I moved from skeptic to believer.

I did this mostly because many of Weis' strengths were the weaknesses of Notre Dame’s previous two coaches.

Weis is brash, confident (almost to a fault), and direct. Willingham was timid, guarded, and lacked transparency (also almost to a fault). Davie seemed to always have a canned response. Davie and Willingham fielded offenses that lacked explosion and production. Weis' offenses set record after record. Neither Davie nor Willingham "got" Notre Dame and what it stood for. Weis not only “gets it,” he is an alumnus who embraces it. Willingham was lazy, Weis never stops working. Willingham couldn't recruit, Weis has hauled in several highly-ranked recruiting classes.

But does that mean that Willingham and Davie didn't do good things during their tenure in South Bend? Furthermore, does it mean that Weis is infallible? It was nearly impossible to foresee his failure at the time of his hiring, but the past three seasons have certainly proven it.

The lesson of Weis’ failure (and Davie’s and Willingham’s) is that Notre Dame needs a coach who does many things well, not one that excels in a few areas that have been lacking over the recent coaching regimes.

So this begs the question: who should be hired as the next head football coach at Notre Dame? There is no simple answer. Notre Dame is a unique place that has unique coaching challenges. What works for other programs doesn’t necessarily apply.

The Criteria For Success

The list below doesn’t answer this question with a specific name, but rather with a specific set of criteria. To ensure success, the following criteria (in no particular order) must be satisfied:

He must have head coaching experience. Notre Dame is not a place where you learn on the job. The margin for error is small, and even small mistakes are unforgiving. Prior head coaching experience is necessary to develop requisite leadership, organizational and time management skills.
He must have experience in a college football program with consistent success. Too often coaching hires are based on the performance of one or a few seasons. A coach must be proven through consistent success. Hot coaching names come and go (see Turner Gill), but consistent success in the past is the best indicator of succeeding in the future. It is preferable that this come as a head coach, but many assistant coaches have learned what it takes to succeed from their superiors.
He must have offensive or defensive coordinator experience. Part of being a head coach is allocating time and effort of the assistant coaches and players. A head coach must have a first-hand understanding of the effort level and time needed to prepare and implement a game plan in order to properly and effectively allocate resources.
He must be able to relate to younger players and adapt to their changing needs. One of the primary jobs of a head coach is having his team emotionally prepared for each game. To effectively motivate and lead, a head coach must connect with young adults and understand the challenges college students face. Additionally, a freshman is not the same as a senior. The head coach must adapt his approach as each player matures.
He must be able to recruit well. There is a litany of things that go into this-proven success, being able to relate to high school players, forming relationships with high school coaches, working tirelessly, and hiring a staff who can also recruit. At Notre Dame this also means casting a nationwide net. Academic standards make the number of potential recruits much smaller than at other schools. The only way to combat this problem is to delve into every available talent pool.
He must be able to recognize and hire assistant coaches who can develop and utilize the talent he recruits. Talent is synonymous with athleticism and proportional to potential. Players who excel at the high school level frequently do so by being more athletic than their peers. This is not sufficient at the college level when teaching fundamentals that maximize potential becomes far more important to success. Assistant coaches must be able to teach and instill fundamentals, as well as put players in positions that maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses.
He must be disciplined, well-organized, and consistent, and he must maintain a team with those same qualities. With few exceptions, players take on the attitude and persona of their coach. Discipline minimizes turnovers and penalties. Organization minimizes poor game and clock management. Consistency ensures continued success and sustains player development. The lack of consistency over the past few years has severely hampered the progress of many Irish players.
He must have goals that are aligned with Notre Dame’s athletic department and administration. This is more important at Notre Dame than perhaps any other program. The head coach at Notre Dame must “get it,” and embrace what the Notre Dame family represents. He must work well with the administration and maintain a vision for the program that is consistent with the aspirations of the University.
He needs to have a well-defined and complementary offensive and defensive philosophy. This doesn’t mean he has to be a play-caller on either side of the ball, but it does mean he needs to hire offensive and defensive coordinators/coaches who are capable of implementing schemes congruent with the philosophies of the head coach. Moreover, these schemes need to complement each other such that the strengths of the scheme on one side of the ball accentuate those on the other.

In Closing...

The next few weeks will be filled with speculation as hot names like Bob Stoops, Urban Meyer and Brian Kelly dot the headlines covering the Irish coaching search.

Some candidates may be disinclined to take the job. Many of the coaches that exhibit the criteria listed above are in established programs where success is more easily achieved. Taking a more difficult job like Notre Dame isn't necessarily appealing, even with the unparalleled praise that comes with leading the Irish back to the top. But these candidates are not the only ones that can succeed.

There are other coaches that possess most of the items above. To maximize the chance of success Swarbrick must find a candidate with as many as possible, and a well-defined plan to minimize risk in the others. Additionally, more emphasis must be applied to some of the criteria-e.g. head coaching experience and recruiting prowess-than to others.

Weis will leave the program in a better state than his predecessor. While they may not rival USC or Florida, the Irish boast plenty of talent on both sides of the ball. With better fundamentals and improved coaching, Notre Dame can certainly succeed at an elite level.

It is Swarbrick's task to find this coach and bring him to South Bend. His legacy will be defined by it.

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College Football: Baby's Losers for the First Week of December

BabyTate — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:37:30 -0500

The first week of December provides the opportunity to watch numerous championship games while jockeying for bowl position continues at a high level.

Baby's Losers

1. The Civil War: Oregon State @ Oregon (*See Important Note Below)

There are some games that are always full of adventure, excitement, and surprises. The Civil War is one such game, which is why we feel it is necessary to include this match in the predictions and picks for the week.

Former Alabama star cornerback Mike Riley will have his Beavers ready to repay the Ducks for knocking them out of the Rose Bowl in '08.

Baby's Loser: in a thriller, Oregon State

2. Big 12 Championship Game: Texas vs. Nebraska in Arlington, Texas

Colt McCoy will secure his Heisman Trophy with a victory over the Cornhuskers, but this will not be easy. Expect Nebraska to hold the Longhorns to 21 points or less.

Baby's Loser: Nebraska

3. ACC Title Game: Georgia Tech vs. Clemson in Tampa, Florida

Clemson had every intention of winning this game until Steve Spurrier showed the world how to control C.J. Spiller last week in Carolina's 17-point win over the Tigers.

Baby's Loser: Clemson

4. Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh

Everyone wants another unbeaten team to go to the BCS. In this corner we have a supporter of Pitt all year, but can they score enough to defeat Cincinnati?

Baby's Loser: close, Pittsburgh

5. Arizona @ Southern California

Respect for sportsmanship would not be a description of what Pete Carroll did to UCLA in the final minute of their game last week. The Wildcats had best be prepared.

Baby's Loser: Arizona

6. California @ Washington

Before the Huskies are written off here, look at the situation: The Bears are set to go bowling and have little incentive.

Sarkisian just might have UW ready for an upset.

Baby's Loser: tight, Washington

7. Wisconsin @ Hawaii

One of the reasons the Outback Bowl is hesitant to invite the Badgers is because of this game and the possible impact on attendance a month later in Florida.

Baby's Loser: Hawaii

Saturday's Tough One

8. Conference USA Championship Game: Houston @ East Carolina

Skip Holtz is being talked about as a coaching possibility for many of the positions that are opening. He'll have his Pirates ready, but the Cougar offense is too formidable.

Baby's Loser: East Carolina

Game of the Week

9. SEC Title Game: Florida vs. Alabama in Atlanta, Ga.

The teams in this clash are equal and know everything about each other.

Alabama has a true advantage in their ability to create and convert turnovers. The Crimson Tide players think they can beat Florida, but the Gator players know they can beat Alabama. That just could be the difference.

Let's go with history to repeat itself.

Baby's Loser: Alabama

Last week, Baby Tate went 6-3, missing Ga.Tech, Pitt, and Ok.St. (84-33 for the year)

9-0: No One

8-1: Zodiac, Kimberley, Ga Dawg, Taylor B., Connor, Jared, Boulder, and Fanatic.

7-2: Michael C., 007, Kevin M., Alex, Daniel H., Tom O., Scott R., Ryan H., Carl S., Mark F., Jim M., and Sean.

6-3: Baby Tate, Ronnie, 12, Dan B., Tim C., Brandon H., Daniel S., Kent, Mosang, Iceman, Mark S. Bill B., Cliff, Ryan, Blake B., and Tyler L.

5-4: Hokie Hogg, Matt S., James W.

Below Baby Tate's Mendoza Line: Red Raider, Ryan R., Josh M., and Wil

Congratulations to Kimberley who had her finest week ever as her beloved Bulldogs put it to Ga. Tech on national TV.

Same for Ga Dawg. We see he is feeling his oats this week with a fine article recapping the burning of Atlanta.

This is one of the best results record-wise we've seen as an overall group. I'm certain Zodiac will claim that he is responsible.

A tip of the hat to the first-timers who all did well.

Taylor, Connor, and Jared outdid themselves with their fine work during holiday week.

We had 43 participants for this past week. Keep up the great work.

A note of thanks to Bill B. who spent the week telling everyone how Georgia would beat Ga Tech.

*Note: In view of the importance of the Oregon State-Oregan clash, (and since it is the final week of the regular season) let's make an exception this one time only and include a weeknight game. Please have all of our picks in by Thursday night, prior to the Civil War kickoff at 9PM Eastern Standard Time.

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