Bleacher Report - Jimmy Clausen

Would Jimmy Clausen Stay Another Year with Bob Stoops As Coach?

Bryan Kelly — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:21:19 -0500

As other B/R writers have argued , Jimmy Clausen and Charlie Weis's fates have been inextricably intertwined since the beginning, and it ought to follow that Clausen will depart to the NFL a year early now that Weis is fired.

At first, I thought Clausen would maybe consider staying, considering Stoops' reputation for turning out prolific, stud quarterbacks year after year, season after season, with little alteration of his system.

In fact, it's easy to say Bob Stoops is a quarterback's best friend. Though he's a defensive-minded coach by trade—serving as the defensive coordinator at Kansas State and Florida before taking over the head job in Norman—he's produced two Heisman winners at the QB position (Jason White and Sam Bradford) and one runner-up (Josh Heupel), plus record-breaking touchdown passes, quarterback ratings, completion percentages, All-American freshman seasons...

There is a Stoops system for quarterbacks. And whatever it is, Irish fans might hold out a slim hope that it will keep Jimmy Clausen in South Bend for one more year.

The breaks are certainly stacked against such a return. As though Clausen needed any more incentive to jet early for the NFL, the scary, season-ending injury to Sam Bradford's AC joint likely cost the Oklahoma quarterback millions of dollars and a spot as the first quarterback taken overall. (Tellingly, that position now belongs to Clausen, according to many draft scouts.)

Clausen took 58 sacks as a true freshman in the Irish's miserable 3-9 season in 2007. Unlike Bradford, he has nothing to prove to NFL scouts that he didn't already prove as a freshman from a toughness standpoint. Physically speaking, he's already a far cry from the skinny, slender kid who threw six touchdowns and seven interceptions in his first year. He's added muscle and put on weight to match his size and determination.

Bob Stoops would essentially have to poach Clausen from Weis to get him to stay, because Clausen has been Weis's darling since the beginning. In 2007, Clausen was hailed as the prototypical pocket passer necessary for the success of Weis's pro-style attack post-Brady Quinn.

That prophecy finally started to come true this year. Clausen's numbers have been outstanding: 3,722 yards, 28 touchdowns to only four interceptions, and the most attempts and completions by a Notre Dame quarterback in history.

Learning the Stoops system might be a great challenge if all of Clausen's weapons were going to return. But Clausen would still have to cope with the departure of Golden Tate, who will likely enter the NFL draft a year early. Tate's 93 receptions for 1,320 yards leads the team and is good for fifth overall in the country

Those receptions are a lot of rapport Stoops and his coaches would have to make up in practice.

The only way I could see Clausen returning is if his passion and determination were rooted more in Notre Dame than in Weis; that he wanted to beat USC, Navy, Michigan, and Stanford badly enough to return; that the losses were nagging on him more than we could understand, and he needed to make things right in South Bend again.

To say that, you'd have to argue that Clausen is more loyal to Notre Dame than many of us think he is; that he is a college football player, and not a "pre-professional" football player.

I'm not arguing that Clausen is disloyal. I only think that this kind of faith goes against what Weis preached as a head coach and mentor to Clausen. Because of his background, Weis cultivated a mentality that prepared his players for bigger things at the professional level.

Unlike your Eric Crouchs or your Mike Harts of college football history, the biggest and best things Clausen will ever do are ahead of him, not behind him. He is Joe Montana, not Brady Quinn.

That's really not a terrible legacy for Weis to leave his players, although it sometimes came at the expense of responsible coaching in the moment . It called for Notre Dame's athletes to play beyond their years, to understand ideas even the pros struggle with from time to time.

That's something I don't think you'd see in the Stoops playbook.

No, numbers do not drive Clausen. Though the Stoops system can promise attempts, completions, touchdowns galore—even success, for what it's worth—it's almost definitely too late.

Clausen was a draft prospect before he was a true freshman, enrolling in the Combine before he'd enrolled in Psych 101. No promise of a prolific system will woo him to remain. He's heard those guarantees already, and will hear no more of them as a college player.

He is certainly gone at year's end, Stoops or no Stoops, and with him, and those wide receivers no one could cover, goes the Weis legacy of outstanding talent never fully realized, waiting for a break that never came.

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Run, Jimmy, Run! Good Timing for Clausen to Leave Irish

Jonathan Mathis — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:33:18 -0500

Outside of C.J.’s pub in South Bend, a crazy individual refused to appreciate what Jimmy Clausen has accomplished under polarizing Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis. Instead, that individual expressed his anger and gave the Irish’s starting quarterback a black eye.

Constant debates have been had in the last few weeks on whether Clausen forgoes his senior season and leaves behind the chaotic memories at Notre Dame.

Unsure of his future arraignments, Clausen might walk away from the Irish after becoming a Fighting Irish as he and his girlfriend left the bar, where a sinless individual cowardly punched Clausen in the face.

Then, the heartbreaking loss to Stanford in the season finale on Saturday night before losing to Connecticut a week ago in an upset, is another reason for Clausen to wave bye-bye and ditch school, in which a decision on Weis’ future remains in limbo until an official announcement is made sometime this week.

Amid turbulence at arguably the premier program in the country, tradition has been toppled as Notre Dame is in crisis. Even more pathetic is how Clausen has been faulted, humiliated, and bullied for someone else’s blunders. Before all this, he was popular around campus, and was even worthy of earning his own masterpiece as beautiful as Touchdown Jesus.

Weis groomed Clausen, which reminds us of the direction the fingers should point when accusing someone for the program’s humiliations in recent years. Because the Irish failed during Clausen’s stint doesn’t mean losing is his fault, and most of the pitfalls have been from poor coaching.

Weis’ arrogance is too soft to guide a demanding program comprised of ambition and historic victories. Clausen was too gifted, committing to a preeminent school where his confidence and poise was expected to change the dimension of Notre Dame’s dreadful mockery, a serious crisis describing the Irish’s struggles in the last few years.

After two seasons of miserable plights, Clausen is eligible to declare for the NFL Draft in April. He has nothing to lose, escaping an unbalanced program in need of a compelling coach, inclined to bear a mental challenge to restore an identity within the depleted program.

The Irish, in prior seasons, have been devoid of a national title, but earned a fair share of bowl games. To a school committed to winning on the national stage, earning a bowl game lower than the national title game isn’t reaching expectations.

This season saw the Irish take gigantic steps backwards and own a 6-6 record in which Notre Dame only qualifies for a bowl game if the system runs out of 7-5 teams. It’s a tough situation for a program used to dominating or finishing near the top of the BCS polls.

As chaotic as the BCS system is, the Irish lost out weeks ago when a loss to Navy elicited skeptics, ridiculing the much-dignified program as doubters believed they were doomed. The track record at Notre Dame isn’t pretty, of which the school’s brand name isn’t anywhere near prestige.

Within a five-year span, the Irish interviewed more coaches than a brand name corporation hiring someone to work nightshift positions on a regular.

There was Tyrone Willingham, who lasted only three years before he was dismissed. His departure never settled too well, with many believing it was more of racial bias, not a coaching change to enhanced success in the future.

His predecessor, Bob Davie, didn’t last long either, replaced in five seasons.

Then, Weis arrived as if he was the genius of football, leaving behind the NFL lifestyle to finally go solo in coaching. Seemingly, he’s not nearly as effective when he ran superb offensive systems behind Bill Belichick and Bill Parcells.

When he first arrived to Notre Dame, it seemed he was capable of handling a demanding job.

Early on he averaged a decent winning percentage in his first two seasons. But suddenly, mystique and gratitude crippled America’s football team, bringing forth lingering questions of Weis’ future with the Irish.

It disrupted half of the season, as Clausen’s name early in the year was mentioned as a potential Heisman candidate.

Outplayed in most of the games, the Heisman talk gradually died down and Weis’ job status absorbed spotlight. Most of the season, a circus transpired and created an infamous frenzy surrounding Weis.

Other important aspects were put on the backburner, wondering if Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops is next to coach a distraught program or Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly. Finding a successor is tough, because of the Irish’s demands and values.

No later than this week, the job probably will open immediately and Stoops is a household name to replace Weis. Although he has failed to capitalize in big games, he’s a profile coach who's known for changing the mood within a program, as well as Brian Kelly, who’s responsible for the fifth-ranked Bearcats' storybook season and makes less than $1.5 million a year.

Yet, he’s close to leading Cincinnati to a second straight BCS bowl game, with a 33-6 record in three year. Any coach who takes on the job will demand an enormous contract, but thus far, athletic director Jack Swarbrick hasn’t contacted anyone about the position. As of now, Stoops is locked in a contract with Oklahoma through 2015 for an amount of $30 million.

Rumor has it he won’t opt out of his contract to revamp a struggling program.

As emotions and body language described the type of season the Irish has witnessed, Clausen emerged into a high first-round NFL draft pick.

He’ll make the big dollars next season, if he avoids all the troubles in South Bend. He’ll either land with the St. Louis Rams or Oakland Raiders, two teams suffering with similar issues as the Irish.

Equipped offensively, Notre Dame rarely showcased their explosive tandem of receivers Golden Tate and Michael Floyd. To end the season, the Irish were humiliated and pulverized by the muscular and bodybuilder Toby Gerhart at Stanford Stadium.

Did the country forget about Clausen? Absolutely!

He has definitely grown and mellowed as a top-profile quarterback, showcasing better precision and awareness. During a stint when the Irish aren't a viable threat, Clausen emerged into the team’s inspirational leader and athletic figure, completing downfield passes with indescribable arm strength.

Clausen has some competition though. In the same year the upperclassmen depart the campus lifestyle, Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy, or Sam Bradford could be selected after Clausen if he runs away from the troubling mess at Notre Dame.

Now marks the perfect time for Clausen to escape all burdens, and rise to the next level.

Sure enough, the NFL will accept him. It’s a league that greatly appreciates up-and-coming stars, and he is quickly growing. And he has definitely outgrown the Irish, a program in much uncertainty.

At least running from the Irish, Clausen won’t have to deal with the drama.

Read more Jimmy Clausen news on BleacherReport.com

Some Letters From Around College Football on Saturday (Satire)

Ed Yevelev — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:57:15 -0500

Dear Coach Harbaugh,

I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your ringing Heisman endorsement after the Notre Dame win. Also, I want to thank you for giving me the ball late with the game on the line—you know, unlike the week before.

All the best,

Toby Gerhart

Dear Pete Carroll,

Just caught the last moments of your team's UCLA win. What was your deal complaining about me two weeks ago?

Best,

Jim Harbaugh

Dear Charlie Weis,

It's time to talk. I think you know what it's about.

Sincerely,

Jack Swarbick, Notre Dame A.D.

Dear Brian Kelly,

It's time to talk. I think you know what it's about.

Sincerely,

Jack Swarbick, Notre Dame A.D.

Dear Jevan Snead,

You may want to hold off for a year. Just a hunch.

Sincerely,

Mel Kiper Jr.

Dear Mark Mangino,

We have been been getting a lot of heat for our late-game management the last couple of weeks. Thanks so much for taking some pressure off and making us shine by comparison.

Sincerely,

Les Miles

Jeff Tedford

Tom Williams, Yale head coach

Dear Bob Stoops,

Just wanted to write and say thank you for the win on Saturday, you really helped us out.

Sincerely,

Chris Petersen

P.S. Still sorry about that whole Fiesta Bowl thing

P.P.S. Kirk Ferentz and Joe Paterno extend their thanks, as well

Dear Fiesta Bowl Commissioner,

Just a reminder: when making your bowl participant selection, be sure to look back at the calendar.

September 26, 2009 at Beaver Stadium: Iowa 21, Penn State 10.

Sincerely,

Kirk Ferentz

Dear Kyle Williams,

I know it seems unnatural for you to just let a ball drop, but that would have been the better decision on Saturday. Sorry your great game had to end like that.

Best,

Ed Yevelev

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Podcast: Former OL Mike Rosenthal Talks Charlie Weis and Notre Dame Issues

Robert Rees — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:41:47 -0500

Listen to the podcast here.

Download the podcast by right-clicking and selecting "Save Link as..."

With rumors surrounding Charlie Weis' pending departure and whether or not Jimmy Clausen will enter the NFL draft, Steve Foster and I decided to talk to a former offensive lineman for Notre Dame, Mike Rosenthal, about the future of Notre Dame football.

Mike currently lives in Austin, Texas, so we also asked him about the Longhorns, his national championship prediction, and his Heisman pick. Mike has stayed close to the program since graduating and provided very insightful opinions.

Discussed in the podcast is the job that Weis has done since being the Notre Dame head coach, whether he'll be fired after the season, or if the Stanford game is a make or break game for him.

Also discussed is Clausen's altercation—excuse me, altercations involve two people—I mean Clausen getting sucker-punched, whether he'll go to the NFL, and how he'll do in the NFL.

The podcast is part of "The Sports Piece" web podcast hosted by Robert Rees and Steve Foster.

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Jimmy Clausen To Enter NFL Draft

Christopher Chavez — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:44:19 -0500

Jimmy Clausen, the lone bright spot in a dark year at Notre Dame, has reportedly decided to enter the NFL Draft. According to the often unreliable Rotoworld.com, Clausen will not be returning for another fall in South Bend.

Rotoworld is citing ESPN's Joe Schad who says that Clausen made up his mind as the Fighting Irish enter their final regular season game at Stanford. Many football scouts and analysts believe now is a great time for the junior to enter the draft because of his current high stock.

As a third-year quarterback for Notre Dame, Clausen has shown improved footwork and has great accuracy when he throws. In his three years at Notre Dame, he has shown an ability to get out of jams in the pocket and release the ball quickly.

Many have said that Clausen could be one of the first quarterbacks off the board come April.

Tim Tebow could have a position change in the NFL and might not be drafted too high because the way he dominates the college game might be different than how most NFL teams operate.

Colt McCoy is one guy that could be picked higher than Clausen because of the fact that he is a great player and is always in Heisman consideration.

Jevan Snead is another good guy but, like Clausen, is a junior and Ole Miss will be waiting for his decision whether to enter the draft or not.

Before Sam Bradford was injured he was in consideration for being the No. 1 overall pick. After that shoulder injury, things could have changed.

The release of the Rotoworld report comes after Clausen’s family’s decision to sell their South Bend home. Clausen's days at Notre Dame could be numbered as the Redskins have decided to send scouts this weekend to South Bend.

Jimmy Clausen might not be the only guy leaving Notre Dame after this season. Charlie Weis has been on the hot seat and will most likely get the ax after the Stanford game this weekend.

Standout receiver Golden Tate also faces the difficult decision to declare or not.

Notre Dame might have to start from scratch next year. They could be breaking in a new coach, quarterback, and go-to receiver all in one season.

Irish fans can only hope that any moves are for the better and they’ll have until next autumn to dream of the days when the dominant program of the land hailed from Indiana.

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Does Anyone Want To Win The 2009 Heisman Trophy?

James Walker — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:42:38 -0500

As we come to the end of the 2009 college football season, it seems that no one is talking about this year's Heisman Trophy race. Usually this late in the season there is one or two candidates that are the true front-runners for the award. That is not the case this season. Regardless, the award will be given on December 12, 2009. Tim Tebow started the season as the front runner with Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy rounding out the top three candidates. However, Sam Bradford's shoulder injury ended his season and collegiate career, and Tim Tebow has not been as productive this season as predicted. Colt McCoy remains a viable candidate, and others have caught the eyes of the college football world. Here is my list of the Top Five candidates for the 2009 Heisman Trophy. These candidates are presented in no particular order especially since the rivalry and conference championship games have yet to be played.

Begin Slideshow

Jimmy Clausen Punches Own Face, Notre Dame Enters Top 25 Boxing Poll (Satire)

Christopher Murphy — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:36:39 -0500

In an attempt to avoid losing to another school people forgot had a football team, Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen was seen punching himself in the face outside a bar at 2 a.m. It was the best use of his arm Notre Dame fans have seen all season.

Notre Dame fans cheered the fight between Clausen and himself, saying it was the greatest boxing match in the history of fighting. Surprisingly enough, Notre Dame moved into the ESPN Top 25 College Boxing poll soon after the scuffle.

"There is just so much tradition and his outfit was so cool," one fan said. "It's Notre Dame. They have to be in the Top 25."

When reminded that Notre Dame hadn't been relevant in boxing in 20 years, the fan said, "So? They are Notre Dame. Clausen, his face, and his fist are the greatest trio in college history no matter what facts say."

The red-headed, freckled fan then proceeded to dance a little jig while drinking Guinness and talking loudly about beating his wife.

Mobs of Fighting Irish fans are swarming together, however, to hunt down Jimmy Clausen for fighting Jimmy Clausen.

"We don't know the facts, but we are positive Clausen sucker punched himself," Timmy O'Toole, the leader of one of the mobs said.

"Although they are awful, we must stick with the players, talk about their potential and the higher standard Notre Dame has for them, and, more importantly, deny facts against them."

When asked what he thought about evidence saying Clausen brought the fight against himself on himself O'Toole said, "A Notre Dame player never does anything wrong."

O'Toole then proceeded to pound the table with his hand while laughing hysterically at his own jokes.

ABC bought the rights to Notre Dame boxing and will have a rematch of Clausen vs. Clausen on Thanksgiving.

Read more Jimmy Clausen news on BleacherReport.com

Notre Dame Under Charlie Weis and Beyond

Michael Collins — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:15:58 -0500

In the cacophony of opinions and numbers shouted in the media by long-time Charlie Weis-haters and Notre Dame detractors, Notre Dame Nation is best served by reviewing where we were in 2005.

Students and alumni were detached from the football program. High school coaches had been shunned and were reluctant to recommend their players to choose Notre Dame. Potential recruits were choosing other summer football camps. Irish football was hurtling toward mediocrity.

Few will argue that those trends have been reversed under Weis and his assistant coaches.

The success of Notre Dame football approaches a religious intensity rivaled only by emotions at Alabama and Texas. No buffer zone of conference championships exists at Notre Dame as it does for Bob Stoops, Jim Tressel, Mark Richt, or Brian Kelly.

We expect a BCS game frequently, and a national championship once every five years. High expectations, constant scrutiny and criticism are part of the job Weis has embraced. As Charlie says, “Welcome to my world.”

To his credit, Weis always accepts the blame for any loss and defers any credit for a win to his players and coaching staff. “No excuses” and Weis’s emphasis on outcomes—wins and losses—were a breath of fresh air in 2005.

We had heard repeatedly from the prior coach, “We had a good game plan. The players just did not execute it.” Ty rarely made changes at halftime and, realistically, did not have the heart and energy to commit to Notre Dame football.

In a prior article , I detailed the difference in offensive line recruiting under Willingham and Weis, and how it impacted 2007 and, to a lesser extent, 2008. Weis’ long days and tireless work habits on behalf of his alma mater have been examples to his staff and players.

Expectations

Clashmore Mike quantified Irish expectations prior to the season. Our readers’ average expectation: nine wins. As an alumnus, Weis sets the bar higher—"9-3 is not good enough." We were enthralled as four-ring Charlie turned a mediocre quarterback into a Heisman candidate and a second-string receiver into a two-time All-American. Yet during Weis’ tenure, the defense has always been the millstone around Irish necks.

With a mature offensive line and the maturity of skill-position players, our offensive production this year has exceeded most expectations, though knowledgeable Irish backers contest its limitations. Again, this year we have a Heisman-caliber quarterback, an All-American receiver, and an offense averaging almost 30 points per game.

The Challenges of History

Another Clashmore Mike article discussed the problems with hype and history. Coaches and players come to Notre Dame to be in the spotlight and commit to the glare whether we win or lose. Is eight wins not good enough to keep the job?

When Bob Davie was the head coach, he joined a bunch of students for a ceremonial trip to Knute Rockne’s grave for an Irish whiskey, and to leave a shot for Rock. The students were shocked into silence when Davie addressed Rock with “Rock, why did you have to set the bar so high?” It's not just Rockne—who won 88 percent of his games—Bob, but Jesse Harper (86 percent), Franke Leahy (85 percent), Ara Paraseghian (83 percent), Elmer Layden (76.9 percent), Lou Holtz (76.5 percent), and Dan Devine (76.4 percent) who have all exceeded the 75 percent (9-3) bar. That's seven coaches.

Historically, only Michigan’s five coaches—Bo Schembechler (85 percent), Lloyd Carr (77.9 percent), Fielding Yost (77.8 percent), Fritz Crisler (77.8 percent), and Gary Moeller (77.5 percent)—come anywhere near ND ’s coaching success.

That success—its history and hype—is what each Notre Dame head coach must face head on. To fail against those expectations is to stand on the shore trying to stop a tsunami.

BCS Bowls, Weis’ Records, 2005 Coaching Hires

In the last four years, only Jim Tressel (four), Pete Carroll (four), and Bob Stoops (three) have taken their teams to more BCS games than Weis (two), who is tied with Joe Paterno, Mack Brown, Urban Meyer, and Frank Beamer for fourth. Brown and Meyer will play in another BCS bowl this year.

Since Weis measures himself in wins and losses, let’s see how he stacks up against other coaching hires in 2005.

Of 23 coaching hires, seven coaches have been fired and one deceased. Five others have losing records. Only 10 of the 23 have winning records. Four—Meyer, Les Miles, Kyle Whittingham, and Bronco Mendenhall—have excellent records (greater than a 70 percent winning percentage). Six others—Mike Gundy, Dave Wannstedt, Skip Holtz, Weis, Bill Cubit, and Steve Spurrier—have comparable winning records.

Subtracting wins over FCS teams, Weis is the winningest coach of those BCS coaches (35-26, 57 percent), Gundy (31-25, 55 percent), Wannstedt (30-24, 55 percent), and Spurrier (30-27, 52 percent). Of all of these 2005 coaching hires, only Weis is discussed as being on the hot seat and with a job imminently in jeopardy.

Arguably, Whittingham, Mendenhall and Holtz, though very good coaches, may not have had the same success at BCS schools. Utah’s BCS win over Alabama is notable, yet BYU’s loss to Arizona, and Boise State’s loss to TCU may be more reflective of records against tougher competition. Comparing Whittingham’s and Mendenhall’s records to Meyer’s and Miles’s success would be a difficult argument to make.

All of which means that, of the 23 new coaches in 2005, Weis has the third-highest winning percentage among BCS coaches—eliminating FCS games. Not good enough at Notre Dame?

In Search of the Next Rockne

Could Meyer, Miles, or Saban have done better at Notre Dame? Before you answer, think of the substance in the arguments that Notre Dame must attract prospects to Indiana and pass admission standards. Ask yourself how many players at Florida, LSU and Alabama could be admitted to Notre Dame?

Among Weis’ proudest accomplishments is his team’s academic successes. Grade point averages and graduation rates are at an all-time high. In two of his five years, Notre Dame has won the trophy for highest graduation rate among all FBS schools. He and his staff commit to four-year scholarships for his players. If one is unable to compete due to an injury, he is switched to another scholarship, so that he can complete his degree at Notre Dame. If academics dip, that player does not play due to “personal reasons” in order to work on his grades. Weis and his staff have generated a great deal of loyalty from their players.

Which coaching hire has done better since 2002?

Comparing Weis’s record with all coaches hired from 2002-07 (88 total), only Nick Saban, Jeff Tedford, Brett Bielema, Chris Petersen, Brian Kelly and the four previously mentioned—Meyer, Miles, Whittingham, and Mendenhall—have had better winning percentages than Weis. Tedford, Bielema, and Mendenhall have not taken their teams to BCS bowls. Petersen, Whittingham, Saban and Kelly have coached their teams in one BCS bowl each. That leaves only two of 88 coaches hired since 2002 who have both a better winning percentage and more BCS bowl appearance record than Weis—Meyer and Miles. To say Notre Dame has higher expectations is an understatement.

Notre Dame Coach Expectations

Using Charlie Weis’s record as not good enough, let’s see what Irish fans expect of any coach:

Continued academic success without lowering admission standards
Recruiting nationally and getting top-10 talent each year
Three BCS games in five years
A national championship once in five years
Five bowl games in five years
A 70 percent winning percentage against BCS competition and Top 10 rankings regularly
Winning records against Top 25 teams and other teams with winning records
Finish at least 9-3, yearly
Minimize losses to traditional rivals, home losses
Continued commitment to the ideals of Notre Dame

Did I miss anything? I could throw in an improved defense and running game. Anything less would fall short of expectations by Irish fans.

A new coaching staff needs to replace the recruiting talent reflected by Rob Ianello’s four years in Rivals Top 25 recruiters, Corwin Brown's two years in the top 25 recruiters, and Brian Polian's one year in the top 25 recruiters. Mike Haywood was chosen as Assistant Coach of the Year in 2005 with Bill Lewis among the final candidates for the same honor one year as well. Frank Verducci has made great strides in improving the offensive line and the running game has improved under his and Tony Alford’s coaching.

What Has Been Missing?

One thing Rockne, Leahy, Parseghian, Devine, and Holtz had that Weis does not is a dominant defense. Defense wins championships and saves your job. Whether the criticism has been poor tackling, poor run defense, poor schemes, or lack of aggressive secondary play, it all comes down to close games this year and trying to outscore our opponents.

Except for Nevada (No. 1 rushing offense), every Notre Dame loss this year has been to highly-ranked rushing offenses, including Navy (ranked third), Pittsburgh (29th), Michigan (31st), USC (34th) and Connecticut (42nd), and each loss has been in the last minute, or in overtime. Stanford (ranked 12th) is upcoming.

Notre Dame’s rushing defense this year ranks 80th, the worst its been in Weis’s five years, except for 2007 (96th).

Notre Dame football has decisions to make that require analyzing whether they throw out the baby with the bathwater. Should Weis be fired, there will be blood-letting. Clausen and Tate may depart for the NFL .

Some very high quality assistant coaches may quickly find work elsewhere. Committed and interested prospects for this recruiting cycle may look elsewhere. Emotional ties between players and staff would be broken. A new staff may take a year or so to implement its offense and defense, longer to put in place some personnel it may need. Michigan’s lesson with Rich Rodriguez cannot be ignored.

While all the publicity brings smiles to a Jim Saunders’ or Mark May’s faces and drives ratings at ESPN, Notre Dame needs to decide if something less than major surgery will fix the direction of the football program.

An Alternative Way of Proceeding

An alternative might be to hire a high-profile, successful defensive coach like Will Muschamp, Charlie Strong or a defensive-minded coach at a non-BCS school like Gary Patterson to provide guidance to a young defense.

Such a selection could be designated as a “head coach in waiting,” so the coaching transition could be smooth. The new coach in waiting could concentrate on the defense, evaluate current talent and assistant coaches, and get used to the pressure and visibility of the Notre Dame head coaching position, with national demands of recruiting and the school's alumni.

Clausen and Tate would naturally move to the NFL after next year, and benefit in another year under Weis’s offense.

If Notre Dame can afford to buy out Weis’ remaining years, they can afford the kind of salary required to lure such a coach away from his current position, especially if it costs one buyout-year less from Weis’ contract.

Similar Posts

For Better or Worse: Re-Evaluating Irish Expectations (Part 2)

Facing an Angry Mob: The Future of Charlie Weis at Notre Dame

Should a Rivalry Dictate a Season?

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College Football: Defending Clausen vs. Arrogant Irish Fan

Lisa Horne — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:26:00 -0500

As I checked out the comments section of the South Bend Tribune Sport's section today, something jumped out at me: the arrogant and delusional Notre Dame fan.

Don't get me wrong. Delusional fans are good for football. They keep butts in seats and ensure a great alumni base. See Florida for proof.

But when your delusional fans are so arrogant that they refuse to see the light, it causes the haters to come out. The reason why there are so many Irish haters is due to yourself. You, the arrogant Irish fan.

Bear with me here, I am actually going to defend your quarterback. I'm just not defending you. And not all Irish fans are arrogant, so don't go there.

Arrogant Notre Dame fan, it's not your fault your school once had a pristine image. Those were the good, old days. But face it, that was then, this is now. And it's time to jump back into reality before you polarize the small section of fans left who still don't have an opinion on Notre Dame football, one way or another.

The problem is simple. When you are winning, it's proof that Notre Dame football is the best. When you are losing, it's time to spin things. Like citing graduation rates, entrance requirements and the tough academics. Transparency kills credibility.

Duke, Stanford and Cal have tough academics as well. But yet, you don't hear them hiding behind excuses for why their teams don't fare well. Instead of living in the past, they slowly reinvented themselves. Granted, Duke fans are pretty obnoxious in basketball season, but they also win a lot. It's allowed. Trust me.

Thirty years ago Notre Dame had no problem winning plenty of games and staying in the National Championship picture with tougher entrance requirements than today's requirements. So spare me the ad nauseum.

What is wrong is with the arrogant fans taking a situation and spinning it into something it may not be because they simply can't believe that any of their students would do something dumb. Like throwing snowballs at the players/coaches on the sidelines, then claim later you were trying to hit the police (does that really make it less serious?)

So here we are in 2009, and your quarterback was involved in an altercation at a bar. Wow. The story, according to the South Bend Tribune , seems pretty cut and dry. But the comments after the story take a life of their own.

Where in the article about Jimmy Clausen getting punched did it say the "fan" who punched him was drunk and belligerent? It didn't, but of course many of the Irish faithful are saying he was, as seen below:

"...if your date was pushed by a belligerent drunk, you would have said/done nothing?"

The implication is obvious: because a man pushed Clausen's date, he must have been a belligerent drunk. Never had it crossed any arrogant Irish fan's mind that hey, he's a college kid in a bar at 2AM? And "it" happens at 2AM? I'm not excusing it, I'm saying it happens.

Yes, "it" happens in South Bend and "it" happens to Notre Dame students so quit spinning this into him being a martyr. Or a victim. He's just a college kid who got in a bar fight. Big whup.

According to the South Bend Tribune, Clausen shoved the "fan" in the throat first. When you shove someone in the throat, chances are an ensuing punch should not be ruled out. The story clearly states what happened, but, according to arrogant Irish fan, he was sucker-punched, because of course, he can't possibly be in a fight on his own volition. After all, that isn't very Notre-Dame-like, now is it?

It is however, very collegiate-like.

There are those who are also claiming that Jimmy was defending his friend's honor. Apparently, she was shoved. Was it accidental, or was it intentional, like the way Jimmy shoved this Boston College player after the game? You be the judge on whether or not Jimmy displays emotional maturity. Somehow, I could never picture Brady Quinn doing this.

It's not like Clausen has never been around alcohol before either. He has, as seen here in his sophomore year participating in Beer Olympics.

Imagine that. A college student having some fun. But Clausen got reamed by many alumni for that picture because it doesn't portray a good image of the school.

Funny, it may not be a good image of Notre Dame, but it's a fairly accurate image of college life and that's exactly my point here.

Notre Dame is no different than any other school. Deal with it. It may have been an oasis thirty years ago, but no longer. When you have players getting in bar fights or arrested for soliciting prostitute s, you are no different.

Jimmy Clausen is probably a hothead and a bit arrogant himself, but he's also a pretty normal college student.

The fact that he's a BIG fish living in a small fish bowl has probably driven him to the point of wanting to bolt to the NFL just to get away from all the Stepford-like fans in South Bend who think he has to be perfect. The fact that he is somehow held to a "higher standard" by some pompous boosters and alumni who can't wait for Notre Dame to return to its "rightful place in football" is what is so disturbing here.

They simply can't admit that they really don't know what happened, but the reality is that there was a bar fight, a punch was thrown and now it's over. But arrogant Irish fan instead inserts his own explanation of what happened because it's just simply not acceptable that an Irish student would do something like this.

The irony of Notre Dame being nicknamed the Fighting Irish due to the perceived nature of Irishmen in pubs is obviously lost on them. Clausen, in my opinion, has upheld the tradition of the Fighting Irish and then some.

Jimmy Clausen ought to get up and tell everyone to STFU and mind their own business. They don't own him. He's not perfect, so quit expecting perfection. He also ought to tell arrogant Irish fans to stifle it because their expectations are impossible to meet and great potential coaches/players are probably scared to death to come play there now.

Arrogant Notre Dame fan, your school is now no different than Florida State when you had your own cheating scandal a decade ago. It got swept under the rug from many Irish fans who to this day, still don't know that Notre Dame lost two scholarships because a football player (Darcey Levy) paid to to have his work done. (To those fans who didn't know about this, you're welcome, this has been a public service announcement).

Yes, your school got busted and sanctioned by the NCAA. Just like a service academy did. And all the great football powers. Congrats, you're in good company.

To be in denial is fine. But there comes a point when denial becomes associated with arrogance, and that is the problem Notre Dame faces.

Arrogance can be justified when you are winning. Arrogance when you have a shell of a football program becomes a dartboard for polarizing yourself, your alumni and potential recruits.

No school is immune from bad press. None. You may think you are above it all, but you are not.

You are a private school with an excellent reputation. Just like Duke. Just like Stanford. Just like USC. Just like Northwestern.

Only your football team isn't as good as theirs. Yet. Let's see if that changes next year.

I got your back, Jimmy. And I got your back, faithful Notre Dame fan.

Arrogant Irish fan, go hang with arrogant Miami fans. You're in good company.

Read more Jimmy Clausen news on BleacherReport.com

Jimmy Clausen, Charlie Weis, and Other Notre Dame Rumors and Rumblings

Dan Scofield — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:45:46 -0500

With each passing hour, new rumors are born all over the online Notre Dame football fan community.

Even the leprechaun has been rumored to have been shown the door after failing to motivate the student section, resulting directly in five losses for the Irish.

All of these rumblings are hard to believe and must be taken with a grain of salt. However, that doesn't mean that any of these are false.

—According to a few sources, the Clausen family has sold its South Bend property. If true, Clausen is NFL-bound.

—The phrase "Out with the old, in with the new," is the status featured on the top of Ian Williams' Facebook page. Remember, Williams was the player benched by Weis after comments directed toward the coaching staff. Doghouse, anyone?

—Clausen was involved in an altercation with an Irish alum outside of CJ's pub after Saturday's loss. Clausen apparently gave the man a shove after he had said something to a female acquaintance of the quarterback.

—A rumored "contract" for the next coach at Notre Dame:

1) A 10-year $50,000,000 base salary, which doesn't include endorsement and university incentives.

2) Three "special" projects a year, which may include JUCO transfers.

3) A contract with Nike (football only).

4) Additional incentives:

(a) $550,000 for Top 10 Finish
(b) $750,000 for BCS Bowl appearance
(c) $1.2 million for BCS National Championship
(d) $400,000 for 90 percent or better graduation rate

The nation has already decided for Jack Swarbrick that Weis will be fired in the coming week. However, the nation is still deciding who it would like the next coach to be.

Most Irish observers lately want Swarbrick to call either Urban Meyer, Brian Kelly, or Bob Stoops before he makes his way down the list towards "tier two" targets such as Pat Fitzgerald or Gary Patterson.

A few others want calls to be made to Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden. Even the name Bill Belichick has been thrown around a few times.

Numbers have been thrown around and contracts have already been made according to a few sites. Others have stated that Clausen and Tate have already decided on their futures and will enter the 2010 draft following this season.

Instead of adding to the rumors for the next week, I propose a challenge to the Notre Dame Internet following.

Weis is going to be fired. Following the firing, we will get a new coach (and probably a big name).

Clausen and Tate will announce their decisions following the season. Until either of them have spoken, it isn't fair to speculate or decide for them on that future announcement.

So the challenge is: Try to focus on the last game of the season (somehow) and let the rest of this mess play itself out. We all know everyone wants to be in Swarbrick's shoes right now.

Instead, stay in your own, cheer on your team and the seniors who may never see a football field again, and, somehow, enjoy it.

In a month or two, you will have wished you had when the snow blankets the field in the House that Rockne Built and the only cheers that can be heard will be from the Purcell Pavillion.

Read more Jimmy Clausen news on BleacherReport.com