All day, I've been perusing the Internets while I nurse my hangover, reading everything I can get my hands on about the Irish loss yesterday and the future of the Notre Dame football team.
While initially I was willing to give Coach Weis one more week to right the ship with a win over U$C, I no longer believe that.
When you look at the game yesterday, this program has reached an all-time low. All-time. Worse than Kuharich, worse than Willingham, worse even than last year.
I pulled these stats from ESPN:
• For the first time in school history, Notre Dame fell to an eight-loss team.
• The Irish have now lost five games this year after dropping nine in 2007. The 14 combined losses are the most ever by Notre Dame in a two-season span
This is unacceptable, and Coach Weis set the expectations for himself when he walked in the door. He told his team walking in the door that if they went 5-7 and 6-6, that he wouldn't survive as head coach. He's gone 3-9 and 6-5 in back to back seasons.
Yes, he has recruited well and put together a strong foundation for this program going forward. The next two years will have the strongest combination of talent and experience in history on the roster.
Which makes now the time to make a change.
If I were a successful college coach and Notre Dame asked me if I'd be interested in the job, I would have to take a good hard look. Loaded with talent and a favorable schedule, that coach could compete for a championship next year if he can install his system. Think Miami at the end of the Butch Davis era, when Larry Coker walked into a championship team.
The problem with our current situation is that the Weis contract has a gargantuan buyout that will have to be negotiated in order to terminate him. The new athletic director may not be prepared, as his first major move, to recommend the termination of a coach that has done so much in recruiting talent to bring ND back to the top.
So, despite the fact that I am sure Coach Weis will never read my words, I am putting my request out to Coach Weis.
Please, coach, step down.
I'm deeply saddened that it has come to this. I think Weis could have been a great coach. He works hard, he cares deeply, and he is a true Notre Dame man. I know how good of a man Coach Weis is. I know how committed he is to the community that I call home. I know how deeply he feels these losses, as he is as die-hard a Notre Dame fan as there is out there.
And that is why he should step down.
He knows that he has not been able to take this team to the levels of success that the almuni and fans expect from the football program, and he needs to do what is best for the University. He needs to put aside his ego and do what is best for this program.
I don't need Weis to call a press conference and quit tonight, but he should go to Swarbrick, inform him of his decision to step down and waive his buyout, and work with Swarbrick in finding a new coach and assisting in the transition.
If Weis is truly the Notre Dame man I think he is, we won't have to fire him.
12 comments:
we've set a lot of record lows the past couple years haven't we? Step down yes. He deserves his buyout though. The school negotiated it, can afford it and needs to learn its lesson the hard way.
Weis will not, nor should he walk away from 20 million dollars. The UND has the money and should pay him out. Keeping him will be much more costly. I believe the AD gets this and how to vet and hire a new coach much better than prior AD's. There is a question about timing and availability of a new coach. Hey! Phil Fulmer is available!
Paging Greg Schiano...Or Jeff Jaskhkhfjfi from BC. Or the guy from Cincinnatti. No more coordinators, we need someone with a proven track record as a DivI HC.
unlike charlie, you are not a graduate; your opinion means nil. so do us all a favor and keep your opinions regarding the football team to yourself.
I disagree let me restate that I strongly disagree! It is true that the record is very similar to the past coaches but there is a difference. This mess was not all of Charlie’s making
of course some was but most was not. For last three of the four years Ty Willingham was our coach he recruited very poorly and last year’s 3 and 9 must be hung on coach Ty. This year yes it’s Charlie’s but we do not have a great senior class and our junior class is good withsome players are great, we have great sophomore and freshman classes. How many freshman and sophomore’s are playing important to vital roles on this team. How many teams in the top 20 would have nearly the records they have playing the same number of freshmen and sophomores that Notre Dame has to. This year we were very close on three games N.C. Pitt and Syracuse but freshmen and sophomores sometimes play like well freshmen and sophomores. It take time to correct the mess that Coach Weis inherited and there may have to be a few changes in assistant coaches but Charlie Weis is the right man. He is a great recruiter and with a seasoned team he has proven he can win. Give him the time needed
If Weis is retained, he should be given an ultimatum in terms of what is expected from the team for the '09 season. That would be in keeping with what Swarbrick has said he would do with each coach at ND.
I would hope that expectation would be 9-3, and is should include the continuation of bringing excellent recruiting classes to Notre Dame.
Anonymous - you've twice posted that I am not a graduate of Notre Dame. This is untrue - I am a Notre Dame alum, JD '07. I don't know where you got an idea to the contrary.
And you don't have to read my opinions if you don't want to.
Another point regarding being an alum: who cares if one's just a fan or a graduate? Everyone has a right to their opinion. Anon 7:53 PM, get off your high horse. btw, this is coming from another ND law grad. I wasn't taught to act superior based on my degree. And finally, I agree, he can't coach, and he never will learn. You can either motivate or you can't and this guy is not capable of it. I don't give a hoot whether chucky is a grad. get me someone who can coach and win games!!
This is a very very young team. Weis is on the line next year but you need to give him at least the next two years. If next years a flop then he should be gone. If within the next two years we cant get a natioanl championship or at least WIN a major bowl game then yes, he should be gone.
What about Jimmy Johnson? Could be great with the hair helmet!
I also am not an alum. However I have had family connected to ND from 1910 through 1972. My father grew up on Eddy St. near Legends location. Although I am a grad from a MAC school I bleed Blue and Gold.
Charlie gets ND sure but he needs to bring in some intense FB people starting with Chris Z. If he is the brains then he needs coaches that stoke the competitive fires of this talented team.
TBone
First - Anon 7:53 is a jack ass. I am an ND grad as is the author of this blog - but when it comes to Irish fans, it makes no difference to me.
As far as the next coach, has to be someone who can both scheme and connect with young men. Gruden would be #1 pick in my mind if we could entice him. Next would be Chris Petersen of Boise State. That guy knows how to win games. Even if it is in the WAC - most WAC teams recruit way better than Boise state, yet BSU embarasses the hell out of them year in and year out.
Keep up the good work Wacko.
NDLAW'07
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