Fighting Irish Gameday » News

Goodbye, Charlie: Replacement Wanted At Notre Dame

Dan Scofield — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:55:11 +0000

Charlie Weis was one pain-staking loss to an inferior team away from losing the support of the Notre Dame community and fan base.

That very loss came on Saturday when the Irish played one of their worse collections of four quarters of football during the Weis era, losing to a more disciplined, sound team in the Navy Midshipmen.

Is the "internship" over? More than likely.

Fresh off a blowout win in San Antonio against Washington State and with BCS talks starting to brew, Notre Dame overlooked a Navy team that had proven all year long that it could compete against BCS teams across the nation. Instead of competing in South Bend, they decided it was time to take a win from one of those teams.

Although this loss digs up many new questions, the most appealing one at the time is who will replace Charlie Weis?

My views and opinions are full of extreme optimism. In previous weeks, I also stated I was hanging in regards to supporting Weis, but that could change with just one bad loss.

With three games still left to be played, including a trip to Pittsburgh, a matchup with a good Connecticut team, and a west coast road trip to face a team fresh off an upset victory of Oregon, the Irish will be happy with an 8-4 finish this season, likely earning them a Gator Bowl invitation.

Weis and his team lost to the one team that could change their fate so negatively. With that, almost all of the Weis supporters that were still on his bandwagon have jumped off and started running towards Cincinnati, Gainesville, or elsewhere to find a replacement.

Weis is one of the best recruiters ever to come to Notre Dame. He has brought top talent into South Bend, a tough task with the rigorous academic requirements, consistently for five years.

However, what good is elite talent if all of it cannot be developed?

Saturday, four and five-star players were playing against unranked to two-star players. On paper, Notre Dame would have won this game without any concern as most experts had predictions of the Irish winning by 17 or more.

Instead, Weis’ team came out flat and was dominated by a less talented, yet extremely well coached team that consistently executed.

Weis is one of the best offensive coordinators not only in college football, but in any league.

However, there are two sides of the ball. Defense wins football games, which has not been evidenced by Weis and his staff thus far.

Notre Dame fans will now be calling for a coach with college experience that has a history of preparing his teams, making them fundamentally sound, and one that can recruit yet develop that same talent.

The rumors of Brian Kelly to Notre Dame will now begin to heat up, and expect plenty of more fans to begin to support the push for a Kelly-like hire.

Kelly has his Bearcats ranked No. 4 in the country and a team dominating the Big East without any trouble. Not only can he recruit, but he can develop. Not to mention, in all of his previous three coaching gigs, his teams have improved dramatically.

Brian Kelly should be a top priority for the Irish.

Other rumors calling for the head of Weis will come along with the requests of the hire of a famous Notre Dame coaching alum, Urban Meyer.

Everyone knows whats on Meyer’s resume. With experience coaching on the Notre Dame staff already, it only makes sense for his name to be brought up. This is the same guy that called Notre Dame his eventual “dream job”.

Other names that could arise include Skip Holtz, Gary Patterson, Nick Saban, and Chris Peterson. Hell, go out and interview Paul Johnson or Ken Niumatalolo.

These are college football coaches.

Weis is a great man and a like able person, especially coming from a Morris County, Jersey guy like myself. He has a great personality, is loved in South Bend, and has a great family who is actively involved in the school community. Not only that, but he is the founder of the Hannah and Friends charity organization dedicated to his young daughter’s disease.

However, Weis’ luck may have ran out on Saturday.

Friendly advice from one of the previously biggest Charlie Weis supporters in the fan base: pack your office, let Charlie Jr. spend his fours years as a Notre Dame student, run your foundation, go on to have a spectacular career in the NFL as an offensive genius, and leave the door open for the next person in line for a coaching internship in South Bend.

The Morning After Irish Insight: Washington State

Dan Scofield — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:54:01 +0000

After plenty of last minute wins, the Irish finally got what Charlie Weis has wanted since their season-opener against Nevada—a blowout win.

The Irish traveled south to San Antonio in order to beat the Cougars 40-14. Although a bit sloppy and constantly called a “workman-like” effort by Pat Haden, Notre Dame came away with yet another win. Nonetheless, the Irish ran their unbeaten streak on Halloween to 15 straight.

Likes

Golden Tate is the most electryifying player in college football.

Golden Tate

Golden Tate is bigger in Texas.

The box score on Sunday doesn’t speak for how spectacular Tate was in the Alamodome last night. Notre Dame fans were complaining about paying admission to see a poor game in a neutral site stadium, but they got their moneys worth thanks to the ‘ooh’s and ah’s’ of Tate.

The highlight of the night came when Clausen heaved a 50-yard pass to the right corner of the endzone, where Tate and three Cougar defensive backs waited for the ball. Standing at only 5′11″, Tate leaped over all three defenders and came away with the ball for six points.

Not only is he the most overlooked player in college football, but he is also the most electrifying.

Front Seven

For a second straight week, the Irish front four find themselves in the “Likes” category. That could only mean one thing.

Improvement.

Darius Fleming, Steve Filer, Ian Williams and Ethan Johnson led the attack as the Irish pass-rushers found themselves consistently putting pressure on the hapless Cougar freshman quarterback, Jeff Tuel.

Thanks to the front four’s dominace, everyone else’s job was made easier. The linebackers played extremely well. Every play Manti Te’o is on the field, he makes everyone else around him a better player.

“Backup” Running Backs

Robert Hughes has earned plenty of doubters during his three years in the program. However, there is no denying that when the time comes for him to step up, Hughes delivers.

He has earned the right to be the offensive version of Kyle McCarthy, Mr. Dependable. With Armando Allen sitting out in order to be fully healthy for next week, Hughes carried the ball 24 times for 131 yards and a score. Fighting for each and every yard, he was able to help control the time of possession for the Irish (40:54) and served as a check-down option for Clausen every time he didn’t have an open receive.

And then there is yet another freshman, No. 32.

Coming out of Manville, New Jersey, Theo Riddick looks like the successor to Armando Allen and Robert Hughes. In fact, he may even be given some more carries after giving an opportunity on Saturday. Riddick ran the ball 9 times for 51 yards using a combination of power, speed and finesse.

Dislikes

Penalties

The penalties are what turned this game from a great game for the Irish into a good win. With all of the momentum in the world and total control of the game, the offensive line still had reason to commit personal fouls.

Eric Olsen was hit with two personal foul calls and got an earfull from Weis. Being an offensive captain and one of the leaders on the team, the Irish cannot afford these penalties from their veterans against the likes of Pittsburgh and Stanford.

Hopefully this is the last we will see of these mental mishaps.

Punting

While Ben Turk had a beautiful punt of 52 yards pinning the Cougars on their own two-yard line, he also had kicks of 11 and 19 yards.

Not only did the freshman punter still raise question marks for the second straight week, but long-snapper Jordan Cowart had a bad snap which forced Turk to rush a kick, going off the side of his foot.

Consistency is the key in the kicking game and Turk hasn’t quite found that yet. However, that is not to say he won’t because he has the leg and he has the talent. The freshman just needs to put the pieces to the puzzle together.

News, Notes, and Rants

-The Irish are ranked No. 19 in the AP poll, 20th in the Harris poll and No. 21 in the USA Today poll. Look for the Irish to be somewhere between 17-20 in the BCS rankings this week.

-Dayne Crist may have a serious injury. If so, it hurts more than anyone thinks. If the rumor of being an ACL injury is true, Crist is looking at a 6-12 month recovery period.

-Weis said in his post game presser that Trevor Robinson’s injury was probably just a rolled or sprained ankle. Losing Robinson for any amount of time would be a huge loss the rest of the way.

-Before going to commercial at halftime, Clausen went up to Tate after the hail mary touchdown. In his ear, Clausen mouthed “Money, money, money.”

-Robert Hughes needs 6 or 7 touches before he gets going in what seems to be every game. New pregame routine, anyone?

-Jonas Gray may be the odd man out in the future of the running back rotation. He seems very tentative and still cannot hold onto the football.

-Nick Tausch hit his 14th straight field goal, a Notre Dame record. The freshman’s value to the kicking game is hard to put into words.

-Navy rolls into the Bend next weekend with their triple-option attack offense. The Midshipmen lost to Temple this weekend, but also took Ohio State down to the wire.

Jimmy Clausen one of four nominees for AT&T Player of the Week, Michael Floyd named National Performer of the Week

Admin — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:36:06 +0000

From UND.com

On the heels of Notre Dame’s most lopsided victory under head coach Charlie Weis, junior quarterback Jimmy Clausen and sophomore wide receiver Michael Floyd have received national accolades for each of their performances. The duo helped lead the Irish to a 35-0 victory over Nevada.

Clausen is one of four nominees for the AT&T All-America Player of the Week award following his 15 of 18 for 315 yards and four-touchdown performance against the Wolf Pack. Fans determine the recipient of the weekly award by Jimmy . There is no limit on fan voting and the winner will be announced during Thursday’s ESPN college football game.

Floyd caught four passes for career highs of 189 receiving yards and three touchdowns. His receiving total was best among Football Bowl Subdivision players in week one. Floyd was named National Performer of the Week by College Football Performance Awards.

The Irish return to the field this Saturday when they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich. to face the University of Michigan.

Charlie Weis Billboard in South Bend

Admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:24:46 +0000

Charlie Weis Billboard in South Bend. It has been reported that former ND Linebacker Tom Reynolds is behind the billboard.

The sign reads “Best Wishes to Charlie Weis in the 5th Year of his College Coaching Internship.”

Bobby Burger And Eric Maust Awarded Football Scholarships

Admin — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:14:17 +0000

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame tight end Bobby Burger and punter Eric Maust were awarded scholarships for the 2009-10 school year, head coach Charlie Weis announced Monday.

Maust (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity) filled in at punter during the 2007 season and averaged a team-high 42.1 yards on 21 punts, landing nine inside the 20 with only one touchback. He took over as the Irish full-time punter in 2008. Maust appeared in all 13 games and booted the ball 54 times for 2,218 yards (41.1 avg.) and dropped 16 balls inside the 20-yard line. He boomed eight punts over 50 yards and only allowed four balls to result in touchbacks. Maust is also one of the top pitchers for Notre Dame’s baseball team and recorded a 6-3 record this past spring. He is enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business, majoring in finance.

Burger (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle), who sat out last fall after transferring from Dayton, joined the Irish football team as a walk-on prior to the start of the 2008 season. After redshirting the 2006 season at Dayton, Burger earned a letter by playing in all 12 of the Flyers’ games in 2007 as a defensive end. He registered 22 tackles, a team-high eight sacks and 11 tackles for loss. In 2006, he was named Dayton’s scout team defensive player of the year. With the Irish, Burger is listed third on the depth chart at tight end. He is enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business, majoring in economics and is set to graduate in December 2010. Burger’s father, Bob Burger, was on the 1977 national championship team at Notre Dame and played offensive guard for the Irish from 1978-80.

The Irish open the 2009 season on Sept. 5 versus Nevada at Notre Dame Stadium.

Source: und.com

Notre Dame Offers Fans Free Desktop Alert Application, The B-Line

Admin — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 06:11:32 +0000

Notre Dame, Ind. (Aug. 19, 2009) – - Notre Dame University announced today they have added a free downloadable desktop alert application, The B-Line, to their athletic web site which will enable fans to instant awareness of information related to Notre Dame Athletics.

“The B-Line provides a better-quality experience for avid fans by taking the interaction out of the browser and bringing news and information directly onto the desktop. When breaking news happens, users are alerted and are the first to be notified, ” said Alicia Nevins, Chief Development Officer of New Tier, Inc. “It is a lot like having your own personal sporting news ticker docked at the bottom of your screen…It’s always on and it’s always keeping you in the know.”

The B-Line gives fans a full view of Notre Dame Athletics, alerting them to the latest news, new stories, as well as highlights and keeps fans one click away from the Universities’ web site. The software is free and is available for download through the official Notre Dame site, www.und.com. The B-Line is a professional application with a small foot print, and is available for fans’ Personal Computers.

A Macintosh version will be available within the next seven days.

The B-Line was provided to Notre Dame University and their fans through a partnership agreement between New Tier, Inc. and CBS College Sports Network, which is facilitating the launch of similar versions of this product at 75 universities by late summer 2009.

Source: UND.com

Beano Cook predicts Notre Dame in the BCS Championship Game

Admin — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:51:37 +0000

Today on Colin Cowherd’s radio show, Beano Cook predicted Notre Dame vs Florida in the BCS National Title game.

He says Notre Dame’s schedule is not easy, but it’s easy for Notre Dame. He also said Penn State is the dark horse.

Bobby Burger And Eric Maust Awarded Football Scholarships

Admin — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 05:08:41 +0000

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame tight end Bobby Burger and punter Eric Maust were awarded scholarships for the 2009-10 school year, head coach Charlie Weis announced Monday.

The Irish open the 2009 season on Sept. 5 versus Nevada at Notre Dame Stadium.

Source: und.com

Notre Dame Athletics News Now Available On Twitter

Admin — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:47:43 +0000

NOTRE DAME, Ind. Fans of Notre Dame athletics now have yet another way to keep up with the Fighting Irish through the development of the nation¹s fastest growing on-line social network, Twitter. The official Notre Dame athletics web site, www.UND.com, in conjunction with the Notre Dame Sports Information Office, has created its own Twitter page where Fighting Irish fans can stay connected with all 26 varsity athletics programs on campus, as well as receive other up-to-the-second breaking news and daily updates on other pertinent topics in the world of Notre Dame athletics.

Twitter is a free social networking service that allows its users to send and read updates also known as “tweets.” Tweets can be received on a user’s cell phone via text or on the web. It is free to join Twitter and Notre Dame fans can easily sign up at www.twitter.com/signup or by going directly to the Fighting Irish UND.com Twitter page at twitter.com/UND_com.

Source: und.com

2009 ND Football Pep Rallies and Luncheons

Admin — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:42:29 +0000

Notre Dame, Ind. – Despite ongoing construction at the Joyce Center, Notre Dame Football Luncheons on home football Fridays will continue in the north dome (fieldhouse) and Friday night pep rallies will be held at a variety of campus locations during the 2009 season.

The traditional season-opening Dillon Hall Pep Rally, normally held the Thursday before the first game, will be moved to 6:30 p.m. EDT, on Friday, Sept. 4, in front of Dillon Hall on the South Quad of the University of Notre Dame campus. Head coach Charlie Weis, the ‘09 Irish football squad and the Band of the Fighting Irish will be in attendance.

A student-only rally is slated for Thursday, Sept. 10, at Stepan Center prior to Notre Dame’s first road game Sept. 12 at Michigan. All Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s and Holy Cross students are invited to attend. Weis and a contingent of players will be part of that event.

The Notre Dame-USC rally on Oct. 16 will be held at a location to be determined, possibly in Notre Dame Stadium.

The Notre Dame-Connecticut rally Nov. 20, prior to the final Irish home game, will be held in the new Purcell Pavilion on the arena side (south dome) of the Joyce Center.

Four other Friday pep rallies – Sept. 18 (Michigan State), Oct. 2 (Washington), Oct. 23 (Boston College) and Nov. 6 (Navy) – will be held outdoors at the new hospitality village at the Irish Green, south of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center on the very south edge of campus.

Dubbed “Rally on the Green,” these rallies also will begin at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time.

The hospitality village located on Irish Green will be in operation from 3:00-7:15 p.m. Friday and 10:00 a.m.-kickoff Saturday for each Notre Dame home football game.

The area will be free and open to the public. It will feature entertainment on a main stage (including bands and speakers), plus roaming “kid-friendly” entertainment around the grounds. Food and beverages (including beer) will be available for purchase – and Follett’s and other vendors will be on site.

All pep rallies are free of charge. Outdoor rallies are subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.

The Nevada, USC and Connecticut rallies will include the entire Irish squad, while the four “Rally on the Green” events will include representation from several Notre Dame players and/or coaches per week.

The Friday Notre Dame Kickoff Luncheons are slated for noon Eastern time on Sept. 4 (Nevada) and 18 (Michigan State), Oct. 2 (Washington), 16 (USC) and 23 (Boston College), and Nov. 6 (Navy) and 20 (Connecticut).

Tickets are $23 each and can be ordered by writing to Athletics Business Office, 112 Joyce Center, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 456556. Checks can be made payable to University of Notre Dame. There is a $3 handling fee per order. Deadline for reservations is Aug. 14. There are 10 seats per table.

Irish head coach Charlie Weis, a combination of Irish players and assistant coaches, and other special guests will be in attendance.

Source: und.com

Fighting Irish Gameday » News

Goodbye, Charlie: Replacement Wanted At Notre Dame

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