Bleacher Report - South Bend

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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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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Why Notre Dame's Critics Need To Back Off

Tim Altevogt — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:36:23 -0500

If you are an Irish fan you have to be irate at the articles and blog posts out there regarding Notre Dame's inability to recruit and bring in a big time coach.

I really would love the opportunity to talk to some of the folks out there that say not joining a conference is a mistake for the University.

I would love the opportunity to talk to folks out there that claim Notre Dame cannot recruit top players from around the nation due to academic standards and the landscape in South Bend.

Well, I will take advantage of this opportunity to educate some of you on just how relevant Notre Dame is and what the Irish will be able to achieve when the right pieces of the puzzle are put in to place.

First of all lets get into recruiting.

Even after the announcement that Charlie Weis had been fired the university has had a verbal commit from a four—star recruit in Louis Nix from Florida. This must really irritate all of you Florida fans that assume that if they play in your backyard they are automatically going to sign with one of your schools. In fact, of the 18 verbal commits Notre Dame has received, four, are from Florida. Within this group of verbal commits there is only two from Indiana, the rest come from a number of places across the nation, including, Ohio, California, North Carolina, Georgia. Illinois, Texas, New Jersey and Utah.

It is not a lack of recruiting abilities that has hampered Notre Dame over the past eight years just a lack of leadership. You cannot tell me that Notre Dame's offense has been inept or lacked an ability to make plays. However, the defense has been in dire straits for quite some time.

Notre Dame had no problem winning a national championship in 1988. The schedule was an extremely tough one and Lou "The Saint" Holtz had no problem defeating his foes with a team that will remain as one of the greatest in college football history. Holtz led his team to victories over #9 Michigan, #1 Miami (Catholics vs. Convicts), #2 USC and #3 West Virginia. Oh, and I forgot to mention they also played Purdue, Stanford, Pitt and Penn State. With a defense that included All—Americans such as Frank Stams, Michael Stonebreaker, Chris Zorich and Ricky Watters ND couldn't be stopped. Notre Dame had 28 players from the NC team that were drafted into the NFL!

Apparently to many people across the college football landscape, Notre Dame will not be able to return to glory without joining a major conference. This I say is a load of malarkey!

Why is acceptable to any college football fan, regardless of your loyalties that even if you have a .500 or below win percentage and you win your conference you are going to play in a BCS game? Notre Dame is not offered those same luxuries. The Irish have to go out and win against a number of middle—of—the—road programs and big time programs each and every week and prove themselves capable to play in a BCS game. Every team that Notre Dame plays, plays like it is a bowl game. I guess Randy Edsall, head coach at the University of Connecticut, saying this was the biggest win in the history of his football team means nothing.

I honestly feel that the biggest travesty in the history of college football was the inception of the Bowl Championship Series. It is meaningless to any fan of the game that honestly cares about the best team being crowned National Champion. How is it that the Florida Gators, who got beat,is crowned national champion over an undefeated Utah team? It is complete bull! Tell me why Boise State didn't have an opportunity.

If you want real change in college football these kinds of shortcoming of the current system have got to change. So with that being said, why should Notre Dame join a conference? Is it so they can end up like Utah or Boise State?

They need to remain independent and do what they have been doing for years. Continue to schedule Michigan, Michigan State, USC and the likes. Continue to bring in top tier recruits regardless of academic standards and bring in a coach that will effectively mold that talent into the type of players that Notre Dame needs.

Is it okay for Notre Dame to lower it's academic standards to get the players that we supposedly can't get? I guess it's okay for programs such as Florida, Florida State, Tennessee and Georgia to accept individuals into their program that have issues and can't get a firm hold on being given the keys to success. That is where Notre Dame sets itself apart from the rest of the pack. Student athletes that make a decision to attend the University of Notre Dame are looking for something more than ball room dancing or underwater basket weaving. They are looking for a higher education, a great college experience, a degree from one of the most prestigious universities in America and an opportunity to become part of the tradition that is Notre Dame Football.

Father Jenkins and Jack Swarbrick need to stay the course and continue to have high expectations for all that attend the University of Notre Dame. Hold your heads high, because those of us that are true fans and loyal to the University expect nothing less.

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Irish 40 in 40: Players Post-Season Review

Eric Murtaugh — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:16:30 -0500

Before the 2009 season I took a look at the top 40 influential players for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Now, here is a review of that list:

1. Armando Allen (Jr. RB)—Frustrating season for Notre Dame’s starting tailback, as multiple injuries kept him out of the lineup in key games and moments. With Allen in the backfield, the Irish offense was more dynamic. Hopefully he can put together a strong senior season and carry the burden with Clausen and Tate likely gone.

2. Jimmy Clausen (Jr. QB)—Just an amazing season for Clausen, especially considering his lingering toe injury. Not much else to say. It would be nice to see one more year from him in South Bend.

3. Brian Smith (Jr. LB)—Not a good season for Smith this year as he struggled in his spot at middle linebacker. He barks a big game but often times doesn’t back it up. With a new coach, he may find himself on the outside looking in when it comes to playing time.

4. Ethan Johnson (So. DT)—A frustrating season for Johnson as he was moved inside to tackle when he is more suited to play at end. Clearly a talented defender, he led the team with four sacks and will continue to grow and improve his game. He needs to improve his run stopping abilities in the off season.

5. Nick Tausch (Fr. K)—Before losing his starting spot due to injury, Tausch brought much needed consistency to the kicking game in 2009, even setting the school record for consecutive field goals made. One of the bright spots for the future.

6. Sam Young (Sr. OL)—If there is one thing that sums up Young, it is that he is inconsistent. He can dominate at times but lacks the ability to put together all the tools a lineman needs throughout a game. Numerous penalties this year really set the team back as well.

7. Harrison Smith (Jr. LB/S)—Struggled mightily at safety for most of the season before switching back to linebacker to finish the year. Smith is at his best when he is attacking at the line of scrimmage, but lacks speed and smarts in the open field. With a new coaching staff in place, he may not be starting in 2010.

8. Golden Tate (Jr. WR)—Perhaps the finest season for any Notre Dame skilled position player? Tate amazed even his biggest supporters this year with his play making ability. A combination of Steve Smith and Hines Ward, he is impossible to tackle one on one. If he returns to school next season, he could be a Heisman favorite.

9. Paul Duncan (Sr. OL)—The fifth year senior had a poor season in 2009 and was continually beaten by smaller defensive ends with speed coming off the edge. The Irish need a better effort from his replacement in 2010.

10. Kyle Rudolph (So. TE)—A bit of an up and down year for Rudolph who took a small step back from his sensational freshman campaign. Still a work in progress with his blocking, Rudolph is among the best tight ends in the country and will be a huge factor next year.

11. Darrin Walls (Sr. CB)—It was a tough year for Walls, who was continually abused by opponents. He doesn’t seem to be the same player since leaving school in 2008. Although a major disappointment this season, he can apply for an extra year of eligibility.

12. Michael Floyd (So. WR)—Despite missing nearly half the season, Floyd still racked up 44 receptions for 795 yards and nine touchdowns. Clearly a thoroughbred receiver with big game play making ability, Floyd is the real deal.

13. Trevor Robinson (So OL)—The youngest member of the starting offensive line had a pretty good year and will be one of the leaders of the team next year. Teaming up with Sam Young on the right side, Robinson was able to blow open numerous holes for the running game.

14. Kapron Lewis-Moore (So. DE)—Had his moments this year, but lacked consistency. Still a very young and raw pass rusher, Lewis-Moore needs to work on his run stopping and tackling. He will be pushed to keep his starting spot in 2010.

15. Ian Williams (Jr. DT)—Williams played pretty well on a defensive line that showed some improvement in 2009. He is more adept at stopping the run than getting pressure on the quarterback and will be a presence on next year’s squad.

16. Robert Blanton (So. CB)—After a surprisingly strong freshman season, Blanton seemed to take a step backwards this year. He has good speed and footwork, but struggled to make plays on the ball and missed many tackles. Blanton will have to step up his game next year as he becomes an upperclassman.

17. Darius Fleming (So. LB/DE)—Maybe the most devastating pass rusher on the defense, Fleming has really come on strong in 2009. He led the team in tackled for loss (12) and will be a key to the team’s success next year. The future is very bright.

18. Eric Olsen (Sr. OL)—A passionate and scrappy lineman, Olsen played pretty well in 2009 but like the rest of the lineman, had trouble with consistency and penalties. He shows toughness and strength that has been lacking on the offensive line in recent years. May be eligible for another year in 2010.

19. Duval Kamara (Jr. WR)—After a tremendous freshman campaign, Kamara has struggled to return to form. He showed a lot of grit and toughness this year however, and is a dependable possession receiver finishing with 23 receptions for 281 yards and one touchdown.

20. Kyle McCarthy (Sr. S)—Fifth year senior came up with numerous big plays this year and was the defenses most dependable player. McCarthy is a strong tackler but lacked the speed and coverage ability necessary for a safety. His absence will be a big hole in the defense in 2010.

21. Toryan Smith (Sr. LB)—A big run stopper in the middle, Smith began the season as a starter but eventually gave way to younger talent. A serviceable player, Smith does not have the speed necessary to play on every down. Toryan’s leadership will be missed.

22. Christ Stewart (Sr. OL)—Perhaps the most consistent member of the offensive line, Stewart has turned into a solid blocker up front. Despite his enormous size he shows good agility and finesse. He is eligible for another year in 2010.

23. Kerry Neal (Jr. DE)—Quality veteran backup who contributed 25 tackles and three tackles for loss. Had some problems with consistency but made some big plays in key moments this year. Neal will be a key senior leader next year.

24. Hafis Williams (So. DT)—Did not see significant action in 2009.

25. Manti Te’o (Fr. LB)—The sensational freshman recruit was one of the few bright spots on the defense and has already staked his claim as the team’s best defender. He still struggles in pass coverage but he showed tremendous playmaking ability at the line of scrimmage. Will he be leaving for a mission soon?

26. Robert Hughes (Jr. RB)—A solid backup runner, Hughes had his moments this year where he ran powerfully, picked up good yardage and also was a decent option in the passing game. With a lack of speed and play making ability to go along with a crowded backfield, it is almost certain Hughes will move to fullback as a senior.

27. Scott Smith (Sr. LB)—Voted a team captain for 2009, Smith is a really good depiction of the Irish defense: good leader and hard worker, but someone who lacks athletic and play making ability. He filled in admirably when he was called upon registering 21 tackles.

28. Dayne Crist (So. QB)—Before suffering a season ending knee injury, Crist was slowly developing into a solid quarterback. Still a bit raw, he has a strong arm and good athleticism which were both on display this year. A lot of expectations will fall upon his shoulders next year if he becomes the starter and he will need to work on his accuracy and decision making.

29. Raeshon McNeil (Sr. CB)—Like most of the secondary, McNeil underachieved and was not able to make many plays during the season. The corners needed stronger play from the upperclassmen and McNeil was not able to bring that in 2009.

30. Steve Filer (So. LB)—Curiously underused, Filer is a special athlete who played well during the regular season. There is a lot of upside to this young player and with a new coaching staff he could be a starter at linebacker in 2010.

31. James Aldridge (Sr. FB)—At one time a promising five star recruit, Aldridge just could not battle through injuries in his final year. He finished the regular season with just seven games played and seven carries.

32. Dan Wenger (Sr. OL)—Unseated from his starting position at center to begin the season, Wenger was a backup at various positions and played generally poorly. With one year of eligibility left, he will be looking to reassert himself as a starter in 2010.

33. Morrice Richardson (Sr. DE)—Unable to beat anyone out for playing time, Richardson spent his last year without making an impact finishing with one tackle in two games played.

34. Robby Parris (Sr. WR)—Turning into the best third option at wide out, Parris finished the year with 25 receptions for 227 yards and a touchdown. A true possession receiver, Parris was not explosive enough but made some crucial first down grabs in his final season at Notre Dame.

35. John Goodman (So. WR)—It took a while for him to see the field this year, but he had his moments both receiving and out of the wildcat formation. A talented possession receiver, Goodman will undoubtedly continue to fight for playing time at the crowded receiver position.

36. Eric Maust (Sr. P)—Wildly inconsistent, Maust had a very sub-par year for the Irish and constantly left Notre Dame with bad field position. Unable to hold down his starting spot, he was replaced late in the season and has no eligibility left.

37. Tyler Stockton (Fr. DT)—Did not see the field this year as the coaching staff relied heavily on the defensive tackle starters. With some weight gain, Stockton could be a welcome addition to the 2010 defense.

38. Mike Anello (Sr. ST)—An unfortunate quiet season for the special teams extraordinaire. Anello was a terrific story and his presence and heart on the team will be missed.

39. Gary Gray (Jr. CB)—All in all probably the most consistent and strongest tackling corner on the season. Started the year used sparingly, but will be a favorite to start next year.

40. Zeke Motta (Fr. LB/S)—Did a nice job in limited action this year, totaling 12 tackles while playing on special teams and mop-up duty at linebacker. Motta should be one of the front runners to start at safety next year.

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At Notre Dame, the Legacy Lives On

Colin Mehigan — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:52:03 -0500

The importance of Notre Dame to the world of college football cannot be overstated.

On the day Charlie Weis got fired, ESPN's College Football Live dedicated its entire 30-minute schedule to the Weis dismissal. Taking into consideration that Notre Dame is a 6-6 football team and has not won the national championship for over 20 years, this was extraordinary.

I visited Notre Dame in 2005 during Weis' first season in charge and witnessed a comfortable victory over Syracuse. The South Bend campus is a special place. The university grounds are beautifully landscaped and the atmosphere generated by the adoring faithful was awe inspiring. Over the years I have seen in person 14 NFL games and two other college games, but my excursion to Notre Dame left an everlasting personal legacy.

A strong Notre Dame team is good for college football. It undoubtedly delights TV companies and executives alike, and the overall interest in the sport is amplified when the Irish challenge for national championships.

Notwithstanding the fact that, according to the Sagrin Power Ratings, Notre Dame currently languishes as the 48th best team in the country, the Fighting Irish are the single-most important team and single-most important news story in the sport of college football.

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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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Irish Hype : A Major Notre Dame Recruiting Win Tempers A Minor Loss

Marc Halsted — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:19:51 -0500

Louis Nix, the highly regarded four-star prospect from Jacksonville, Florida, gave his verbal commitment to Notre Dame on Tuesday.

It could not have come at a better time for the Irish.

Irish Sports Daily reported that the Raines High defensive lineman switched his commitment away from the University of Miami and told running backs coach Tony Alford, and other media outlets, that he was “100 percent” Irish and excited to be done with the recruiting process.

Nix, the ESPN 150 99th ranked player and 8th rated defensive lineman actually helped the Irish gain ground in the recruiting wars after losing the 111th ranked Chris Martin, the 12th ranked defensive end in the nation, just a day ago.

The 18-man Irish class of 2010 remains in the top 15 of nearly every major recruiting site, dropping just one spot on Rivals and moving up in the ESPN team rankings.

Martin, who was roundly considered a soft verbal throughout the fall, eliminated the Irish from contention and has now moved on to USC, California, and Florida. Interestingly enough, he’s also considering Oklahoma and their head coach Bob Stoops who is, for now, still a minor part of the Notre Dame conversation.

At 6’3 and 315 pounds, Nix brings a physical presence to the defensive line products already verbally on board with the Irish. 6’5, 250-pound Indianian Blake Leuders presents a four-star make-up at defensive end while Justin Utopo, a 6’2, 240-pound three-star project from California, adds depth to the interior.

More importantly, Nix was an emotional victory for Irish recruitniks who are looking for some positivity in the midst of the firing of Charlie Weis this week.

The average fan will simply see another name on the board. But the aforementioned recruitniks knows that a de-commit from Miami means (a) a major victory over a southern power school, (b) another major product from talent-rich Florida, and (c) a much-needed defensive line prospect at a time when the maligned ND defense desperately needs size, athleticism, and the ability to get pressure in the opposing backfield.

In addition, with the legendary Bobby Bowden stepping down at Florida State, the question of which collegiate football empire will be first to rise again has been debated.

A top fifteen Florida recruit like Nix, pulled from a city just 160 miles away from Tallahassee, helps prove that the Notre Dame brand will stand strong in the midst of great turmoil, especially in the great talent pools of the college football recruiting world.

The Louis Nix victory serves as proof that Notre Dame can stand by itself as a dynamic academic institution, college football power, and national recruiter despite a 6-6 season and a much-ballyhooed coaching change.

Recently, the talking heads of ESPN, PTI , and college football broadcasts around the nation have questioned the legitimacy of the Irish program. They’ve gone so far as to argue that it’s time to join the Big East conference, align with the Big Ten, or change their academic standards.

Notre Dame apparently will never join a conference in football and there are no plans to ever adjust the academic admissions expectations for one of the most important institutions in the country. Charlie Weis graduated 96 percent of his players and the young men that have gone through the Irish program have finished college with one of the most valuable back-up plans in NCAA athletics: a Notre Dame diploma.

After two days of rampant speculation and numerous questions surrounding the Notre Dame program, the Louis Nix commitment is a sign that Irish Nation can be assured of the highest expectations of future success.

Whether it’s Brian Kelly, Bob Stoops, Turner Gill, or another fine coaching candidate, the Irish program is healthy, the talent is on campus, and the University of Notre Dame is still fighting.

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Why Kirk Ferentz Does Not Fit at Notre Dame

Tim Weideman — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:10:31 -0500

Kirk Ferentz is no stranger to rumors—he seems to have his name thrown into more possible coaching replacement discussions than can be counted on one hand any given year.

The Big Ten Coach of the Year was originally penned into the Notre Dame coaching job discussion by a story run in the Chicago Sun-Times way back on Nov. 15.

Now that the Irish have officially dumped Charlie Weis, it seems every media outlet has planted Ferentz on what they believe should be Notre Dame's short list—though it's extremely short-sighted.

Ferentz and Weis share a common acquaintance in Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, and their salaries are similar. That's about all that could be tying the Iowa head coach into this messy equation.

Though it's all very clear-cut in Ferentz's case.

Notre Dame would need to change too much for Ferentz to be the proper fit.

Ferentz is Catholic (for what it's worth), and it's true that Notre Dame would benefit from a coach with a style similar to that of Ferentz—a focused running attack and strong defense—but let's face it: Kirk Ferentz is not flashy enough for the Notre Dame fans or the program's tradition.

How would Ferentz adapt to Notre Dame's storied pep rally tradition? Even though Ferentz isn't given much slack when the Hawkeyes struggle, he is still deeply loved by his players and the Iowa faithful. However, it's hard to see him waving his arms around in Lou Holtz fashion.

Ferentz is not one to get people fired up. He always maintains a calm, collected demeanor—with the rare exception of getting in a referee's ear, but even that takes a downright outrageous call.

It's safe to say "Ferentz" wasn't the name that came to many Notre Dame fans' minds when rumors started swirling that Weis was soon to be ousted. I can't claim to know the pulse of the Irish on the subject, but I imagine I'm close to being correct.

Bob Stoops and Urban Meyer make a lot more sense, but they have something very important in common with Ferentz—they're sitting pretty in their respective programs, too.

Notre Dame's helmets are the only thing golden about the state of Fighting Irish football. It would take a lot of persuasion—or a mighty large paycheck—to get any of these coaches to move location.

Getting Ferentz to up and move could take even more persuasion. Ferentz's son is a freshman for the Hawkeyes, and he has two other children attending the University. That's a lot of relocation that would be a major pain to deal with.

Yet at first glance, Ferentz's name admittedly sounds good when thrown into the mix. Take a close look, though.

During Weis' tenure, he accumulated a record of 35-27 (.565) with the Fighting Irish. Ferentz is 80-55 (.593) in his time spent coaching the Hawkeyes.

Ferentz is recognized for turning the Hawkeyes around after his team limped through its first seasons under his lead. A similar struggle is likely for Notre Dame's new coach, which makes one wonder: Is there enough patience in South Bend for Ferentz?

Ferentz is also known for picking up the recruits that fly under other teams' radars and turning them into surprise NFL-caliber athletes.

Weis, on the other hand, has ruined Notre Dame's recruiting program, but would Ferentz bringing in his usual under the radar recruits appease the Notre Dame faithful who still want blue chippers?

No way that would fly in South Bend.

Though Ferentz will likely keep his cards close throughout the entire discussion, this shouldn't be confused as proving he's actually considering the job. Hawkeye fans and others used to Ferentz know he keeps a tight lip about everything personal—it's simply how he operates.

In an article run by the (Cedar Rapids) Gazette before Iowa's final game against Minnesota, Ferentz discussed the Notre Dame job rumors and was quoted as saying, "That's the last thing I've thought about. I've been here 20 years and I kind of like my job. I like where I'm at."

The Iowa Hawkeyes like where he's at, too.

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Archbishop Tebow is Right Man for Notre Dame Job

John P. Wise — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:41:00 -0500

Some think Tim Tebow won't amount to much in the NFL, so I offer him this advice:

Send in your resume, No. 15. You're a lock to be the next coach at Notre Dame.

You're winding down the greatest individual college football career of all time. The vacancy is at the most storied college football program of all time.

You embody all that a college football player should be. In the (Irish) eyes of many, nowhere else would be more appropriate for such a man than South Bend.

You've performed surgery on impoverished children in the Philippines. You'd only be asked to resuscitate a once-elite-but-still-proud football program.

You handled rather easily a reporter's awkward inquiry about your faith and your purity. You'll be the most hounded college sports figure in the Hoosier state since Bob Knight.

Your ability to inspire and lead other young men is well documented. That's been lacking for nearly two decades for the Golden Domers.

Your devotion to your religion also is well documented. You'd get along nicely with Touchdown Jesus.

The case is overwhelming, Mr. Tebow. It's obvious what you should do after you jump-pass your Gators to victory over Alabama on Saturday: Split your time the next five weeks preparing for the national championship game, all the while assembling a team of assistants who can handle the recruiting load in your absence.

Maybe call your old buddy Chris Leak; he's got some free time.

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Notre Dame's Problem?: Irrelevancy

Joel Barker — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:55:53 -0500

I'm just guesstimating here, but I'd say 70-percent of you just skipped all the way to the comments section to fire your inflammatory words and harsh wishes toward the author.

About 20-percent will actually read the article before you fire inflammatory words and harsh wishes toward the author.

Five-percent will probably shake your head in agreement without leaving comments and the other five-percent will agree and leave insightful bits wisdom for yours truly.

No matter the odds or percentage breakdown what I will say is the harsh, cold reality about Notre Dame football.

In 2009, Notre Dame is completely irrelevant in the world of college football.

I will admit I have been a harsh critic of Notre Dame football for most of my writing days (over ten years). I have never liked the preferential treatment given to the program from the NCAA, the media, and the bowls.

I do realize, however, how important a thriving, successful Notre Dame program is to college football as a whole. It is for this reason I decided to delve into this subject.

Contrary to opinions of the establishment at Notre Dame, college football has changed greatly since 1960. As a matter of fact college football has changed drastically since 2000, much less 1960.

Notre Dame as an independent entity in the NCAA is no longer a viable solution. I know you have heard this all before, but just hear me out.

Why are Florida, LSU, and Alabama dominant every year? In part because they all get to whip up on the likes of Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and Mississippi State every year.

How about Texas and Oklahoma? Ever heard of Baylor, Texas A&M, Iowa State, and Colorado?

Then you have USC out west. They just have deal with Arizona State, Washington, and Washington State.

Ohio State plays the wonderful trio of Indiana, Northwestern, and Minnesota.

Sure, all those schools play better opponents as well, but the point is they do not play 12 middle-tier opponents in a regular season.

Most successful teams plays three to four conference cupcakes, three to four non-conference cupcakes, two decent conference teams, and one to two elite conference teams.

Notre Dame plays eight teams that are mid-level teams from four BCS conferences. They usually end up with at least one to two elite BCS conference foes, and they have a cupcake or two on their schedule as well.

Just look at USC's schedule from '09. The Trojans played three common Irish opponents. Washington, Washington State, and Stanford. USC lost to two of the three.

How about Pittsburgh? The Panthers were ranked No. 9 in the BCS until losing at West Virginia last week. They are one last second field goal away from playing for the Big East title this weekend!

Boston College took the ACC Atlantic Division down to the wire. Michigan and Purdue would be considered weak team's this season, but in most year's they are quality Big Ten opponents. Michigan State is at worst a middle-tier Big Ten team.

The Irish play the majority of these teams on a yearly basis!

Continuing to stay an FBS Independent has it's advantages, but when the disadvantage is assuring your team at least four losses a year, they far outweigh any advantage. Especially when you are intent on returning the program to BCS-caliber.

I realize the television contract and exclusivity is very important to Notre Dame. It rakes in the dough on a daily basis.

There is no doubt that having money is the key to winning at every level of sport in America. Just ask Alabama and Florida whose coaches make $4-million-plus every year. Ask the rest of the SEC who just signed a $2.25-Billion, 15-year deal to have ESPN as it's flagship network.

The SEC rakes in the cash and racks up the championship titles. Notre Dame rakes in a ton of cash and goes 15-24 in three seasons.

So why in the world is Notre Dame still losing? Is it Charlie Weis? Was it Tyrone Willingham or Bob Davie?

I know there were BCS appearances, but when facing top caliber BCS talent the Irish got their doors blown off even when they were good enough to make a championship level bowl.

The problem is not a coach. It's not a system.

College football in the 2000's is about conference dominance. The SEC has it. The ACC wants it. The Big XII has experienced it. The Pac-10 needs it. The Big Ten desperately desires it, and the Big East in the beginning stages of it.

The mid-major conferences can't be a part of it and it costs them any shot at a championship.

Notre Dame wants no part of it and that fact alone will continue costing this tremendous fanbase and program for a long time to come.

Irrelevancy is a tough animal to take on. By the very definition of relevance one can see the problem at the most storied program in the land.

Relevant is a term used to describe how pertinent, connected, or applicable something is to a given matter.

As long as Notre Dame is disconnected and on it's own island, it will continue to become more and more irrelevant until it reaches the point of disgrace.

No one wants that.

Even most Notre Dame-hater's out there do not want to see the demise of the program. I am certain it's millions of loyal fans shutter at that very thought.

Unfortunately, that point is a lot closer than some want to believe.

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Mike Brey Doesn't Have His Traditional Notre Dame Team This Year

Dan Scofield — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:55:58 -0500

The traditional Mike Brey-coached Irish teams usually consist of the following, year in and year out: a high-scoring offense that lives or dies on the three-pointer, mediocre rebounding, minimal-to-average athleticism, and a glaring weakness on the defensive side of the basketball.

While the '08-09 Irish had the looks of a top 10 team to start the season, they failed to miss the NCAA Tournament for that same glaring weakness.

A major knock on Brey's coaching abilities in the past were the players he had recruited and his commitment, or lack thereof, to focus on improving the defense his teams played. This year, Brey has already proven his team isn't like those in the past.

On the floor, you will find the face of the program in All-American Luke Harangody. But who else makes up this team that has started the season 6-1 going into Tuesday night's matchup with Idaho State?

Any follower of basketball would assume that there would be four 6'4" Caucasian three-point specialists surrounding Harangody on the arc. However, you won't find any specialists this year—unlike the past (think Kyle McAlarney and Colins Falls).

Instead, McAlarney was replaced by Ben Hansbrough, who has so far brought a combination of skills, including finishing around the rim and being a three-point threat—something Brey sees rarely. Not to mention little Hansbrough brings tough defense to a team that looks to have improved since last year on that side of the ball.

Other rare sights that can be seen in the Purcell Pavilion this year come in the forms of Carleton Scott and Joey Brooks.

Scott, a forward, is an athletic freak. He is still very raw but has as much potential as anyone on this basketball team. If Brey can get him comfortable playing 25 to 30 minutes a game, the Irish will be a better team.

Instead of the typical Brey senior lovefest, the coach should find more playing time for freshman guard Joey Brooks. Jon Peoples has started at the third guard slot but isn't a starter on any Big East team. Brooks brings athleticism, versatility, and defense to a team in need of all three.

Notre Dame started the year off on a five-game winning streak before falling to Northwestern in the semifinals of the Chicago Invitational Challenge.

Don't get too worried, Irish fans. Brey's teams always seem to find at least one mishap in their OOC games, and this team is still trying to find the right starting lineup.

The main thing Brey has reiterated is that this team has many question marks still, even after five games. In some cases, this could be a bad thing.

But if you're optimistic, like the Irish head coach, you can say that this Notre Dame team has more room for improvement than any team Brey has coached during his time in South Bend.

Which will it be?

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Why Notre Dame And Brian Kelly Are Not A Perfect Match.

Ray Gassert — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:17:26 -0500

Brian Kelly is a great college football coach. That is almost without argument.

Charlie Weis proved to be an average game day coach. The number of close losses makes that almost inarguable. On the surface, America has been led to believe that the Brian Kelly/South Bend marriage is not just inevitable, but a perfect situation. It could be. It also could blow up in both their faces, badly.

Charlie Weis succeeded where Ty Willingham did not: recruiting. He brought top talent to South Bend, and for that he needs to be commended. His demise was brought on more by who the Irish lost to than the fact that they lost.

It has been well documented that he took over a program with little to no depth due to the recruiting shortcomings of his predecessors. He has left the program with a good number of future Sunday players. The next coach will be coaching a good core of players and if he is a better game day coach than Charlie, Notre Dame can get to a BCS game next year.

Great right? Well, Notre Dame is not hiring a coach for one season. They need to hire a guy who has proven he can excel in all aspects of the college football game. And sorry to report, Brian Kelly actually has not proved that he can recruit yet. He turned CMU around in just three seasons, yes; but none of the players he coached to a MAC Championship were recruited by Kelly.

And he did not coach there long enough for a complete cycle to run through. He turned around Cincinnati in just three years. Again though, none of the stars of the last two teams have been his recruits. And if he leaves for South Bend, he again will not have stayed in one spot long enough for a complete cycle of players to run through the program.

Long story short, you have no clue if the guy can recruit, if he can sustain success or if he can reload a program.

Kelly has shown that he is a great coach, that he can compete with anyone in a one-time, one game situation and that he can graduate players at an acceptable rate. That is all commendable. But he is far from a slam dunk to succeed at Notre Dame.

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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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Notre Dame: A Coaching Candidate Flying Under the Radar

Bob Repass — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:00:53 -0500

With all the wild and unsubstantiated rumors flying around about the possible hiring of Urban Meyer, Bob Stoops, and Jim Harbaugh as the next head football coach at Notre Dame, one has to wonder when reality will hit the Fighting Irish and their fans.

There is no way—zero chance—that Meyer, Stoops, or Harbaugh will take the job. As a matter of fact, the only relatively high profile coach they even have a shot at getting is Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly.

But is Kelly the best candidate?

Granted he has done an excellent job with the Cincinnati program that is in line to win their second consecutive Big East championship, not to mention turn in an undefeated regular season.

He also has strong recruiting ties to the Midwest, after spending 13 years leading Division II power Grand Valley State and three at Central Michigan, prior to starting his four-year run at Cincinnati.

It would be hard to argue against hiring Kelly.

However, I think that there is a top candidate who is currently flying under the radar of many—Skip Holtz.

Yes, old Lou’s boy.

One thing Skip Holtz has over Kelly would be his familiarity with the tradition and expectations that come with taking the Notre Dame head coaching position.

Skip is a Notre Dame alum and actually was a walk-on wide receiver (more like a special teams player) in 1986.

He was also an assistant coach at Notre Dame for seven seasons, including five as offensive coordinator under his father, Lou Holtz, then the head man of the Fighting Irish.

Holtz has had his own success as a head coach, starting with a successful stint at the University of Connecticut, where he helped to lay the foundation of the resurrection of their football program.

For the past five seasons, Skip has led the East Carolina Pirates to the top of Conference USA.

Personally, as someone who has kept a close eye on the ECU football program over the years, as my wife is an ECU alum, I have been excited over what Holtz has been able to do with the Pirates and would hate to see him leave.

Last year, he entertained offers from Syracuse to take over their program but withdrew from consideration, bringing great relief to Pirate Nation.

Obviously, Lou Holtz still has close ties to the Notre Dame alumni and boosters, and I would think someone will no doubt ask for his insight.

Would he like to see his son return to Notre Dame, or would he recommend he stays at East Carolina, continuing to build a quality program with the hope of joining the Big East Conference in the next few years?

Most certainly, the Irish will make a run at Brian Kelly, but, in doing so, they may overlook the candidate who could be the best fit for them at this time.

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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.

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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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Why Notre Dame Should Decline Bowl Bid

Michael Maxwell — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:36:16 -0500

In the wake of the recent coaching change, Notre Dame is going to have an important decision to make relative to this year’s bowl game.

Ordinarily, a 6-6 team wouldn’t need to worry about such things, but this is Notre Dame, after all.

It is expected that the team will have an opportunity to vote on whether to accept an expected bowl bid. It is still unclear when this might take place, although it should happen relatively soon.

Conventional wisdom has the Irish getting a bid to the Little Caesar’s or GMAC Bowls, likely against an opponent from the Mid-American Conference, such as Central Michigan or Ohio.

Certainly a major step down from the BCS bowls Notre Dame aspires to. Yet, if the players decide they would like to play in the bowl game, then that is what should happen. It appears that the university will honor the wishes of the players.

However, regardless of what the players decide, I believe that the longer term interests of the football program would be better served if the Irish declined their fourth coming bowl bid.

First off, I believe that the bowl game and everything associated with it will be a distraction from the program’s primary focus, which should be finding the best head coach. Who knows how long that process might take?

As the George O’Leary fiasco proved, hiring a head coach is not something that can be rushed. It takes time, effort, patience, persistence, and diligence.

Realistically, this is a process that requires a minimum of a few weeks to as many as several weeks. Candidates need to be identified, interviewed, and probably most importantly, a contract needs to be worked out. A coaching staff needs to be assembled after the head coach is hired.

I can’t imagine a scenario where both the right head coach for Notre Dame and the coaching staff are assembled in time to properly prepare for a bowl game in December or even early January. And even if this could be accomplished in less than one or two weeks, I’m not sure that preparing for a bottom-tier bowl game would be the best use of the new coaching staff’s time and talent.

The program would be better served by allowing the new head coach and coaching staff to focus on shoring up the 2010 recruiting class, rather than preparing for a lower-tier bowl game. Certainly, there have to be a lot of recruits asking a lot of questions about the direction the football program is going.

If the new coaching staff is focused on the bowl game, it might allow rival schools to take advantage of the situation and swoop in and grab blue chippers that might have some reservations, given the coaching situation. At this point, Notre Dame needs all the good players it can get.

Additionally, I just don’t see where Notre Dame has an awful lot to gain by playing in a bowl game like this. Given all the extraneous activities surrounding the program of late, I think the results of the bowl game are a toss up, at best. If Notre Dame wins, then, of course, mighty Notre Dame should win against the mid-major little brother. Or, if they lose, then it adds even more misery to the program and perhaps sets them back even further for next year and beyond.

If I’m a senior on the team with minimal NFL opportunities, then I would be more inclined to vote to play the game. Might as well have one last hurrah.

However, if I am Jimmy Clausen or Golden Tate, and already expect to enter the NFL draft, then I’m not sure I see the benefit to playing another game. My draft stock is already high, so why risk injury or a terrible performance that might affect my draft position?

Likewise, if I’m an underclassmen, I think I would rather have my new coaching staff working to bring in the best recruits to assure success in future years rather than prepare for a relatively meaningless lower-tier bowl game.

You might recall that there is some precedent for Notre Dame turning down a bowl bid. In Lou Holtz’s last year (1996), the Irish declined bowl bids to lesser tier bowls.

Will history be repeating itself?

There certainly is plenty to watch in the coming days and weeks under the Golden Dome…and this includes more than just who the next head coach will be.

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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…

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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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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?

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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.

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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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Analyst Says Bob Stoops Will Coach Notre Dame

Bryan Kelly — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:13:00 -0500

A writer from the Notre Dame Scout page is reporting that Bob Stoops and the Notre Dame athletic department have agreed verbally to the principles of a contract , and that if Notre Dame can meet his financial requirements, Stoops will take over as head coach of the Fighting Irish as early as this week.

The writer, whose original article is behind a Scout paywall , cited confirmation from five different sources, both neutral and affiliated with Notre Dame and/or Stoops, all of which have confirmed the existence of a verbal contract.

The only matter delaying the decision is financial, the source said.

Notre Dame must pay the remaining five years of salary to outgoing coach Charlie Weis, who was fired earlier today according to the New York Daily News.

Stoops is the highest paid coach in the Big 12, making over $4 million in salary, bonuses, and incentives. Oklahoma extended his contract through 2015 earlier this year.

Stoops denied interviewing for the position in a text message to Tulsa World columnist Dave Stitler, but the source claimed that Stoops and the ND administration have met and negotiated a contract through a third party, therefore precluding the need for an interview.

This would seem to coincide with Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick's assertion that there are no current or ongoing interviews for the position; Stoops' record, for all intents and purposes, speaks for itself.

There was indication that Stoops would take over for Notre Dame in time for bowl preparation. The decision to play in the postseason was left up to the players, who will meet and vote on the fate of the team today, according to Swarbrick.

Notre Dame went 6-6 on the year, including consecutive losses to Pitt, UConn, and Stanford to close the season.

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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.

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An Ode To Notre Dame Fans

Jonathan Slotter — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:11:04 -0500

I wrote an article earlier this year about why Notre Dame Wouldn't Win More than Eight Games . Some called me crazy. Here are some thoughts from those noble fans and how intelligent they really are:

"I won't debate you on ND's 2009 W-L record, but I'll bet you. You've got them at 7 wins. I'll take 8 or higher. Say, $5,000. Can you afford that much?"

If only I wasn't a college student.

"If Jake Locker keeps the Huskies within a touchdown I'll anoint him the Messiah."

It should now be Touchdown Locker instead of Touchdown Jesus.

"but bottom line is this--ND has talent that most other programs would want (and did in the recruiting process) and if the team takes care of the football, they will be a lot better than 7-5 or 8-4"

Solid Point, but no coaching.

"Being a college student is a fair excuse for not taking a big money bet. It's also a fair excuse for you not to have developed any better judgment on ND's chances this year. "

So, I wonder if my judgment is off, what is this guys judgment?

"His view is that of a hater, that is ok. The better we get, the more hate. He is actually proof that we are an improving team. Nothing based on fact, just things based on the worse possible case for Notre Dame.

Go Irish, and go teach Texas Tech how to play D. Snead wanted me to say hello."

Texas Tech's total defense is 49th, Notre Dame's is 80th. Notre Dame has played three people in the top 40, Tech has five. Notre Dame has played one in the top 10, Tech has two.

"The worry for ND this year may be defensive line, which may keep them from winning the USC game and will make the Pitt and MSU game toss ups...but on paper they are better than 11 of the 12 teams they face."

I don't think Notre Dame's defense is better than any team they played. Well, maybe Nevada

"Notre Dame at Purdue- This will be a record setting day for Notre Dame. ND 49 Purdue 10"

Perhaps my favorite prediction.

And then after this prediction he follows up (Ill have it noted that he says Notre Dame will go 11-1 with a tough loss to USC).

"So there's my prediction on the 2009 Irish. I see it rather more reasonable than the one up at the top of the page."

"spend about 20 more years watching and learning football before you make a fool of yourself. Remember this, it is better to be be silent and thought a fool rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt. In other words, keep quiet."

Ill remember not to express my (correct) opinion.

"I agree Brian. I stopped reading when I saw the Washington score."

I had Notre Dame winning by 7 (which they did)...I wonder if he watched another Notre Dame game after that close win.

"When you have a schedule this easy you're [Texas Tech] basically going to go to a bowl game. Wonder what team gets to have an easy schedule like this? .... Houston (lmao)"

Good call, Houston was pretty terrible this year. I mean Texas Tech hasn’t played a road game against an unranked opponent in quite some time.

"My point is, you sound like you are a three year old when you wrote this article"

A damn smart three-year-old.

"Sorry I read this article, but when you write it about the greatest University out there you do it because you know it will get hits"

And this is why people hate Notre Dame fans.

"This is exactly the problem with 20 year olds like Jonny....the world began about 5 years ago, and all that has been in that period is all there ever will be. USC is greatness, ND never happened. That's why the Jonny's can never see change coming, and they get shocked by it"

I'm so very shocked by Notre Dame's losses.

"Um maybe that why Texas Tech schedule cupcakes OOC games?"

Probably because Texas Tech hasn't played a road game that hasn't been against a top 25 team since TAMU last year.

"What a joke of an article. You claim winless Washington will keep it within a touchdown"

I claim, it happened. Sad Story.

“BTW, Conn's pass defense (against Ohio) now ranks it 56th in the nation and Purdue's total offense is 14th in the nation (vs. Toledo)”

And yet you lost these games. I told him to come get back at me and the end of the season. Not a word.

“Michigan will not score more than 31 points against ND. If Michigan wants to win this Saturday they're gonna have to score more than 31 points”

Did he even see the defense Notre Dame was putting out there?

“Nd's defense really blew it at the end. You know who also blew it? The refs.”

Another reason people hate Notre Dame fans, although this is a little more popular among other teams fans as well.

“Uh oh - all ND has to do to prove you wrong is beat WSU, Navy, UCONN and Stanford. Pitt should be a tough game.”

How did those games work out? Oh, you lost three of four.

This is an ode to Notre Dame Fans, who just talk without looking at the games from a realistic perspective. This I normally wouldn’t do, but attacking me and attacking something I didn’t even write about is absurd and there needs to be some accountability behind these people’s words. I hope you enjoyed.

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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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Charlie Weis Asked To Clean Office, Stop Using Notre Dame Stationary (Satire)

Burton DeWitt — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:36:50 -0500

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Following the school's 45-38 loss to Stanford Saturday night, Notre Dame president Father John I. Jenkins has asked head coach Charlie Weis to clean up his office immediately.

“While Weis had originally planned a recruiting trip of the West Coast for this week, we have decided it is prudent that he return with the team and pack his boxes,” Jenkins told ABC sideline reporter Lisa Salters after the game.

“We are reorganizing the athletic department, and feel it would be best if we move the football coach's office from its current location by the stadium to coach Weis's family home in Trenton, N.J.”

Weis has been under pressure for the past two years from fans and alumni who are not satisfied with the team's recent performance. Since taking the Irish to BCS Bowls in each of his first two seasons in South Bend, Notre Dame is 16-21, the school's worst three-year run since 1961.

In 2007, the Irish lost a school record nine games, including their first loss since 1963 to the United States Naval Academy. In 2008, they lost on Senior Day to Syracuse, the first time Notre Dame ever lost to a team that lost nine games in a season.

The decision to fire Weis, however, has not yet been made.

“Sure, this is not where we want to be, but we're going to look at it from all angles before we decide how best to proceed,” Jenkins said. “No decision will be made until we have finished a complete review of the program.”

According to the school, Weis has been asked to refrain from appearing before the media, attending team practices, and using stationary that refers to him as the Notre Dame football coach.

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