FanHouse writer John Walters is living in South Bend, Ind., during one of the most pivotal seasons in Notre Dame history. Check back daily for his dispatches on the Irish.SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The questions were fewer, the themes less philosophical, the antagonism nearly absent. There was a scent of resignation at Charlie Weis' weekly Tuesday noon press conference -- emanating from the media.
Last Tuesday, when it still appeared as if this season and this coaching staff could be salvaged, the noon presser possessed the frenzy of feeding hour at the zoo's big cats house. The media peppered Weis with questions for approximately one hour, many of them too "big picture" in Weis' opinion, to merit a reply.
This week? The session lasted just 34 minutes, and only two questions were truly worth repeating here.
First, Charlie was asked how come this team plays so valiantly in the fourth quarter but rarely has a heartbeat until then (oddly enough, this being the polar opposite of last season's chronic fatal flaw). "The same question you posed to me is the same question I posed to [the players] after the [Pitt] game," Weis said. "If I had that answer, I'd have answered it a long time ago."
Second, Eric Hansen of the South Bend Tribune asked the question on everyone's mind, which was whether any decision had been made about who will coach the Irish in 2010. "I don't think any decision's been made because I don't know," Weis answered. "If a decision had been made, I would know." Weis will coach his 61st game for the Irish on Saturday, and it would be understandable if he'd never approached an opponent, in this case Connecticut, with less enthusiasm. Wisely, he is taking himself out of the spotlight and putting the players in charge this week.
"I told the seniors, 'Fellas, this is gonna be your week, it's not gonna be my week. I'll coach football. You guys talk to the players."
- Charlie Weis On Sunday, after meeting with the entire team, Weis met with the 33 fourth- and fifth-year players on the Irish roster. Then he met with the four team captains and the members of the leadership committee. The message being sent: this is your game, your final home game.
Each day this week, Weis said, he will have a captain and a few members of the leadership committee address the team as opposed to him doing so.
"I told the seniors, 'Fellas, this is gonna be your week, it's not gonna be my week,' " Weis said. "I'll coach football. You guys talk to the players."
Wise move. These five years of Notre Dame football have been entirely too much about the head coach. Weis courted some of the attention, but the media has been taking the temperature of his job status nearly from day one because of the manner in which Ty Willingham was dismissed.
There was enough in Tuesday's presser to allow that Weis senses the inevitable -- "I think [the players] can't worry about what happens in December and January, just gotta worry about this Saturday and UConn" -- and that the best he can do for his players is, at last, hand the reins to them. Perhaps they'll finally come out loose for an opening half.
Wide receiver Golden Tate has 74 receptions this season with two games left to play. The school record for receptions in a single season, set three years ago by Jeff Samardzija, is 78. The Shark also has the single-season receiving touchdowns record of 15. Tate has 11 TD grabs this year.
The Irish may not have been able to win under Weis, but no Irish passing offense has ever been anywhere near as prolific as the ones Weis has overseen. Only four times in school history have the Irish surpassed 3,000 passing yards in a season, and all four times were under the current coach. The Irish passing attack is at 3,213 yards entering this week, which means that Jimmy Clausen needs to pass for only 214 yards to make this the second-most prolific season in school history. The record, set in Brady Quinn's senior season, is 3,919 yards. Should the Irish play in a bowl game, that mark will likely be eclipsed. Clausen's "worst" passing day in a game he played throughout this season is 246 yards. If he were to simply average that over three games (assuming a bowl), the Irish would finish the year with 3,951 yards passing.
The greatest casualty of a potential Weis termination will be the air attack. If only the Irish could retain Weis as an offensive coordinator.
Not a banner weekend in the Midwest for Charlie's friends with a high Q rating. Former boss Bill Belichick made himself a lightning rod for every sports pundit when his fourth-and-2 gamble at Indianapolis failed ("He took a lot of pressure off me," Weis cracked).
Former protege Brady Quinn (a.k.a. BQQB) threw two interceptions and generally looked lost as the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback on Monday Night Football as the Browns were blanked by the Baltimore Ravens. The low point occurred in the third quarter when BQQB threw an interception and later on the same play was called for a personal foul (echoing a rare double that also happened to Clausen against Navy just 10 days ago).
And Jersey legend Bruce Springsteen, playing a concert in Auburn Hills, Mich., last Friday night, shouted out, "Hello, Ohio!"
The key to Golden Tate's 87-yard punt return for a touchdown versus Pitt? The inside juke he gives Antwuan Reed, the first Panther to arrive after he catches the ball. After that it was pretty much over. Also, watch the wheels on No. 15 of Notre Dame, the first man to join Tate in the end zone to celebrate. That's Kyle McCarthy's younger bro, Dan.
I generally do not believe in bugging phones, but agent Bob Lamont's phone would have been worth eavesdropping on these past few days. The Reno-based Lamont, you see, represents both Weis and Jon Gruden. So it was interesting that less than 72 hours after the Irish lost at Pittsburgh that ESPN announced that it had signed Gruden, a rookie analyst on MNF to a long-term extension.
"He will not be seeking any coaching positions for the foreseeable future," an ESPN spokesperson told Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribune.
Gruden almost appeared to be rubbing it on the MNF telecast. In the second half a graphic appeared showing three former Notre Dame quarterbacks of a bygone era and their career NFL touchdown passes (Daryle Lamonica, 164; Joe Montana, 273; and Steve Beuerlein, 147). That was followed by a graphic of three more contemporary ex-Irish QBs and their totals (Rick Mirer, 50 ; Jarious Jackson, 0 ; and BQQB, 3).
As that second graphic appeared, Gruden barked, "What's going on at Notre Dame?"
You tell us, Jon. You tell us.
Difficult season for three of the largest waist sizes in the college coaching profession. Maryland's Mark Friedgen is 2-8 this year, with only one victory against an FBS school (Clemson). Mark Mangino, whose Kansas Jayhawks have lost five in a row, is at the center of the storm in Lawrence. Athletic director Lew Perkins (no homunculus himself) announced today that he is bringing in an "unbiased" consultant to evaluate the program.
And then there's Charlie.
Do not be surprised if all three are coaching elsewhere, or nowhere, in 2010.
Pete Fiutak of College Football News drew an interesting parallel Monday between Jimmy Clausen and Jimmy Chitwood. Fiutak wondered if Clausen, along with Golden Tate, might just pull a Hoosiers-style, "I play, Coach stays. He goes, I go" with Notre Dame's administration and boosters.
It's a fascinating concept -- and if we extend the analogy, would that make Jon Tenuta or Corwin Brown "Shooter," and would the Irish run a "picket fence" defense? Think about it, though. If athletic director Jack Swarbrick were certain that Weis, Clausen and Tate were a package deal (either all stay, or all go following this season), would he not be just a little bit nuts to can his coach?You can argue, sure, that these are independent decisions. That Weis's future at Notre Dame should in no way be influenced by whether Clausen and/or Tate stay in school. Also, Swarbrick will likely tender his decision on Weis before Clausen and/or Tate need to make up their minds.
On the other hand, what if Clausen and Tate went pro-active? What if both were to publicly announce that they'd like to remain at Notre Dame for a senior season, to finally put this train back on the rails, and that they'll do so provided that Weis is retained.
Imagine the intrigue. Would "Savvy Jack", as Swarbrick is being called, take the bait?
Last April Clausen famously told Matt Hayes of The Sporting News, "Coach Weis will not get fired because of me."
Clausen -- and Tate -- have more than held up their ends on that pledge. But now Clausen has an opportunity to actually turn that statement upside down: "Coach Weis will be retained because of me."
Naturally, any rational adult within earshot of Clausen (Weis included) will advise him to do what is best for his future. It's just a fascinating idea to kick around. To muse as to how much power Clausen and Tate could actually wield when it comes time for Swarbrick to make this decision.
I'm not about to defend a head coach who, with nearly every conceivable advantage outside of having T. Boone Pickens or Phil Knight in his corner, is 16-19 in his past three seasons, but I do have a question. To every columnist who has deduced that Weis' 19-6 record in his first two years of South Bend was a product of him doing it "with Tyrone Willingham's players," I'm just wondering whether any of you ever wrote that Willingham's 10-3 record in his inaugural season at Notre Dame was a result of him doing it with Bob Davie's players?
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
The main problem with Notre Dame is not Weiss, it is Notre Dame. I have rented over the last year DVDs of the History of Michigan, Oklahoma, Florida, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas, USC, Wisconsin Football and a few more, just to get some more background on the sport which I love. Only in the ND DVD do they go on and on and on and on about how ND is such a special place and no other place can compare and no other place can measure up, blah, blah, blah, after a while it is really ad nauseum. I got the impression after seeing that, that they feel they shouldn't even have to play the games, the other teams should just bow down in defeat when they hear their name. I think until ND gets their feet on the ground and joins the human race, then every and any coach will fail there.
This royalty culture is not appropriate in today's competitive world,where you have to prove it every week. Just watch the DVDs and you will see what I mean. Weiss for all his pluses and minuses is just a person, not a Messiah. Maybe ND should be happy with the 6 wins so far and just get behind the team, the program and the coach. This constant agonizing every week must be hell for the players.
Apparently you didn't rent enough DVD's about ND's past. It's a tiny private Catholic school with a huge football past. No, they can't forever be number one. There are so many good players now the field has evened out. The academics are tough. Listen to an ND player and then listen to a player south of the Mason Dixon line. No comparison. I think you are just a hater trying to disguise yourself.
Wow, Lisa, you are sure full of interesting ideas.
ND has a total enrollment of 11-12K, that's small compared to UT, but not tiny. The football budget is not tiny, so what really matters? Look at Weis' contract. And enough with everybody and every player south of the Mason-Dixon line is an ignorant cracker, you need to get around a little bit more. You have only proven my point about the Notre Dame elitist fantasy.
The previous commenter has a point. I wish someone could succinctly explain why ND football receives so much attention despite their shortcomings.
I PRAT that weiss, Claussen and tate and harrison and Mc Cartney ALL stay, that way I can have another GREAT 2010 College Football season watching NUTTER DUMB loose AGAIn, what a moronic statement, you hope they stay?, the deffinition of insanity,repeating the same actions and thinking there will be a diffrent outcome, these guys are NOT winners, sure great INDIVIDUAL numbers, but NO TITLES look at TENNESSEE with Manning, great gaudy numbers, no titles, First year with T Martin national champs, Claussen cares about Claussen, we all know Weiss cares about Weiss, quit drinkin the KOOL AID!! However, since I HATE this school , its football program and all it stands for, i really hope all the loosers return so I can enjoy another 7 win season out of the FIGHTIN IWISH(I wish we could win)live in the past...die in the past, you cant live life lookin in the rearview....
John,
Interesting idea that Clausen could save Weis' job ala Jimmy Chitwood. Maybe the key to returning Notre Dame to glory is to allow the inmates to run the asylum. It has not worked to burn cash, fire coaches, soften the schedule, and play mostly home games.
Weis obviously does not know the answers. Sadly, neither does the administration. They have tried multiple coaches,softening the schedule, playing games mostly at home, and burning cash. Now you want to let the inmates run the asylum. If Clausen came to me as AD and said "if coach goes , I go", my response would be " it might be time for you to start packing".
Regardless of whether Weis goes now or after some future season, I have one wish for the next ND coach - that he have a name people won't regularly screw up.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who automatically skipped a post or comment after seeing someone refer to Bob Davies or Charlie Weiss. It's hard to take anyone's argument seriously when they don't even know the name of the coach.
So what are the odds ND can get Urban Meyers this time?
I guess if you can't attack the argument, then attack the person.
Here's a thought. Tommy Tuberville, former DC at Miami when they were winning NCs and HC at Auburn with a NC there. He and Weis are on good terms since visiting the troops in Irag. CW is let go, Tuberville is hired as HC and Weis is rehired as OC. CW gets to stay in SB and at the University he loves and run the offense. ND gets a real HC with a proven winning history. Stranger things have happened.
Three thoughts.
Weiss's decision this week isn't too out-of-character. Throughout his tenure, he has made it clear that he blames his players for everything that happens on the field other than the play calling.
Your Tate/Clauson "he goes I go" scenario is certainly fascinating, and it had already came into my mind. Here's the next question - would Notre Dame be better served by keeping Weis if that got them one more year of Clauson/Tate, or would there be a "dead coach walking" effect (not to mention the issues Weis already causes) that would hurt the team and recruiting too much in the long run?
When Willingham took over, Notre Dame had an old-school offense and had not beaten anyone good the previous year. When Weis took over, Notre Dame had a whole bunch of young guys who were running a modern offense and beaten three ranked teams the year before. Willingham totally changed the team that he got and had them doing things they had never done before. Weis took a team that was already primed and just made them a little more consistent. It was only 2 fewer losses than Willingham had had the year before, against an easier schedule and with the offensive skill players all maturing into upperclassmen.