Weis isn't looking too bright right now (Coach Weis Hit Piece)

Fox Sports ^ | Sept. 19, 2007 | Michael Rosenberg

[Michael.SF.]

Now this ... this, is rich.

Notre Dame is on the hook for another $20-some-million to an offensive genius who can't pick up a first down, let alone a win. They are dead last in the country in total offense by a wide margin. They are staring 0-8 in the face.

Notre Dame, 0-8?

Notre Dame, with its own TV contract?

Notre Dame, with the richest history in college sports?

(I did an Amazon books search for "Notre Dame football," and got 1,743 results. Yeah, sure, a lot of those must be repeats. But that was more than I got for "Alabama football" and "Nebraska football" combined.)

Welcome to Charlie Weis' world. I don't live there — few media types do — but I picture Weis walking around his office, asking everybody, "Aren't I smart? I am, right? So this can't be me."

Weis is in major trouble at Notre Dame, and this goes beyond the 2007 season. Charlie Weis is a Me Guy. That doesn't mean he's a bad guy or a bad coach. I'm sure he loves his school. But from the moment he arrived in South Bend, his program has been all about him — his story, his head, his ability. Weis loves it that way. This is a man who looks at his reflection in his Super Bowl rings and grins.

Weis is supposed to be cut from the same mold as Bill Parcells, a Jersey guy with a big ego who builds championship teams. But Parcells would never have taken a new job and announced that his teams would have a "decided schematic advantage" against every opponent, as Weis did.

[Michael.SF.]

Now, I am no fan of Notre Dame, but I thought this hit piece was pretty harsh and potentially premature (as was giving Weis an extension on his contract).

But then on the other hand, USC Coach Pete Carol took a 5-7 team and in three seasons had a 12-1 record.

So how much time do you give a Coach to turn a program around?

I guess it depends on the expectations.

[Old_Mil]

Not many people expected Notre Dame to have a BCS team this year. Some even expected an 0-3 opening. Nobody expected the team to be the most incompetent squad in Division I, and that’s where the angst is originating.

The real problems at Notre Dame begin with Kevin White. The guy should be managing a Mcdonalds, not ND’s atheletics department.

[FreePaul]

I don’t know much about Notre Dame’s football program. Do they let students play or is a completely professional team like so many other colleges. That could make a difference in building a team.

[NittanyLion]

Weis is an arrogant POS. I can’t wait to see a 1-7 start for Notre Dame. Not because I dislike the players, but because he deserves the experience more than any other college FB coach.

[misterrob]

ND is a very young team at the skill positions and their O-Line is terrible. Then again, the D sucks as well. What you are seeing now is Willingham’s last recruitment class which was bad by everyone’s standards and Weiss’first year was bad as well.

Now, the word is that the current group of players committed to ND is one of the best in the nation, the best by some metrics. If Weiss can show this team to be on the road to improvement and he gets some talent to come and play next year he has a chance. He did take Willingham’s players and make them into a top ten team but the team is pretty bad right now.

Expect a buy out in two years if they don’t start winning big.

[InvisibleChurch]

nothing is easier than to knock a man when he is down

[thefactor]

if ND goes 3-8 this year, weis will ahve the same record over 3 years as the guy he replaced, tyrone willingham, who was run out of town on a rail (and happened to be black).

the inexcusable thing is that ND had no QB's after quinn left. ND has to start a freshman? they should have had an experienced junior ready to go this year.

[So Cal Rocket]

After three games... you and I have more rushing yards than Notre Dame.

You = 0 yards on 0 carries
Me = 0 yards on 0 carries
Notre Dame = -14 yards on 100 carries

[Old_Mil]

ND has an experienced junior signal caller in Evan Sharpley. In fact, he was a highly recruited prospect in his own right when Weis brought him to ND. Weis is under the impression that Jimmy Clausen may have more raw talent than Sharpley - which he well may. He may even have a lot more talent than Sharpley. This doesn’t make the 2 extra years that Sharpley has had in the system go away. It doesn’t make the presence of a junior on a first team full of youngsters go away.

The smart thing would have been to name Sharpley the starting QB in the offseason, redshirt Clausen, and let the guy get used to things.

[misterrob]

I don’t know why you hate the man as much as you do. He’s done good deeds along the way:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/paul-sheehan/lessons-learnt-from-a-rare-sporting-moment/2005/10/16/1129401141534.html

[NittanyLion]

I appreciate that he did the right thing in that case, but aside from that it’s all about the glorification of his ego. This article hits the nail on the head.

[Michael.SF.]

Come on, Don't be shy, tell us what you really think.

;)

[Strategerist]

Yeah, wait for the real media s-storm to start after Weis drops to the same winning percentage that Willingham had.

[Michael.SF.]

but aside from that it’s all about the glorification of his ego.

You may very well know Weiss far better than I, but when it comes to ego's, I think head coaches of any major sport are pretty much high on the list of large ego's. Perhaps Weis more then others.

It just seems to me after practically nominating Weis for Sainthood, after his first season, people have sure turned on him very quickly.

[thefactor]

but clausen is the QB. so obviously the junior can't cut it. USC had palmer to leinart to booty. there is no let-down. ND has the TV rights, the clout, the alumni, the history. the only thing they don't have is the girls of southern cali and the weather.

i said they should have had a junior who was ready to step in and start and win. they didn't have that and they are hurting because of it.

[dfwgator]

Somewhere Ty Willingham is sitting back and saying “Yessss!”

[dfwgator]

Actually I am praying that Weis gets it turned around, or else you know who ND is going to go after for their next head coach?

His initials are U.M.

[NittanyLion]

You may very well know Weiss far better than I, but when it comes to ego's, I think head coaches of any major sport are pretty much high on the list of large ego's.

No doubt about it. But you won't see a lot of other coaches overtly claiming that their system will be the difference - even if they let others do that for them. Weis demonstrated his arrogance before he ever coached a game, and nothing has changed. Reference his comments after the Penn State game, essentially whining about how his players aren't listening. He's not babysitting professionals anymore - he's supposed to be coaching 18 year olds. Perhaps that's too much of a bother for him.

Bottom line is that some people just rub me the wrong way. He's definitely one of them.

[Michael.SF.]

USC had palmer to leinart to booty. there is no let-down.

Both Palmer and Leinart were recruited before Carrol joined the program, which means he inherited two of the best QB's in the NCAA. That is a complement to Paul Hackett's ability to recruit quality player's.

Regarding Weiss though it seems to me that knowledgeable people need to look at what he is bringing into the program and not just at his record. I would vote to give him this season, and then shoot him. ;)

[hinckley buzzard]

Notre Dame, 0-8? Notre Dame, with its own TV contract? Notre Dame, with the richest history in college sports?

Notre Dame is just not that special. It has good seasons and crappy seasons. Sometimes it buys a great quarterback and sometimes not. What ND has consistently, is the best PR Department that money can buy.