Sth Bend, IN 2008 college football thread

I absolutely LOVE that pic. There is a message in that, but I don't know what it is.

 

I think if you focus in the top left of the pic, you'll find the message.

 

Actually that is ND football on the bottom, and they have been dominated so much the last 2 years that there are 2 bucks riding that doe into the ground.

 

Did you hear that two of the Notre Dame playbooks were stolen?

Charlie Weis is very upset. He didn't even finish coloring them.

 

Bad times for the Irish, although I can't say much after MSU's "game" against Penn State this weekend. Still, Charlie's seat has to be getting a bit warm. Next year will be make or break, I'd expect.

 

Gotta keep Charlie one more year, that will keep our streak in ND stadium alive to 8 games straight

BDZ....good stuff

 

reviewing, win MSU wins at ND next year it will be 7 in a row in South Bend

 

ok Irish fans...does he stay or does he go? I think they give him another year.


from "Can Weis survive this?"
By BOB WIENEKE
Tribune Staff Writer

ND athletic director Jack Swarbrick, who met the media in the stadium tunnel after the game, said he planned to next meet with Weis at their regular Monday meeting time, but admitted it might be Dec. 8 rather than this Monday, since Weis plans to stay out on the West Coast to recruit.

 

I think he should get 1 more year. There really aren't any promising Head Coaches out there looking for a job right now anyways.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/notredame/chi-30-morrissey-newnov30,0,165988.column

 

i think he should stay, but there will be some departures on the coaching staff.

 

I think you are correct.

Do you think they will accept a bowl?

 

I guess I haven't watched Charlie as closely as everyone else, but I've never seen his supposed "overly arrogant" attitude, especially when you compare him to some of the other major college football coaches. He's always seemed rather humble by comparison, although I suppose his record the last couple seasons may have something to do with that.

As far as other candidates...if they do let him go, I think they have to get someone who is a proven winner at the FBS level. Maybe that's a no-brainer, but I can't see them taking anyone from the pros again or any high-profile college assistant, no matter who it is. I've heard Chris Petersen's name mentioned (head coach at Boise St), but I'm not sure Boise is big-time enough to be preparation for the ND job. Petersen seems like a great coach, and I love the Boise program, but I think they'd almost have to hire a current head coach from a Big Ten, SEC, or Big 12 program. Not sure who that would be, but I'm just sayin'....

 

Yes they will accept a bowl bid...I don't think there is a coach qualified for the head coaching job at ND...

 

I heard on the radio tonight that WNDU is reporting that Charlie is staying. Next year should be interesting, but the schedule should help matters significantly:

2009 Notre Dame Football Schedule
Sept. 5 - NEVADA
Sept. 12 - at Michigan
Sept. 19 - MICHIGAN STATE
Sept. 26 - at Purdue
Oct. 3 - WASHINGTON
Oct. 10 - Open Date
Oct. 17 - USC
Oct. 24 - BOSTON COLLEGE
Oct. 31 - vs. Washington State (at San Antonio, Texas)
Nov. 7 - NAVY
Nov. 14 - at Pittsburgh
Nov. 21 - CONNECTICUT
Nov. 28 - at Stanford

 

I heard the samething...I wouldn't mind going to San Antonio for the game..

 

So I guess it is official - Charlie stays. I'm not surprised, I think they have too much invested in him to cut him loose now. Kudos to Jeff Jeffers and WNDU for seemingly scooping everyone else on this.

 

this is kinda cute, re: the BCS

 

This is a good quote from Weis that puts things in perspective:

"Last year we were a crummy team that very often was noncompetitive. This year I thought we were a decent football team that blew three double-digit leads in games. You are what you are, as Bill (Parcells) always said. But the difference between 6-6 and 9-3 is blowing three double-digit leads."

 

A great article from BlueGraySky:

A mental exercise, if you will. Let's say you're Jack Swarbrick. (you're Jack Swarbrick ...)

After all the rumors, scuttlebutt, and alleyway whispers have come and gone, you find yourself sitting in a room with Charlie Weis on Tuesday for two hours in San Jose, talking about the future of the program and what needs to be done to fix it. You're about to tell him of your decision to either keep him for another year, or chuck him out the door. And here's what you might say.

Charlie, before we get to changes, let's look at the reality of the situation.

? You and I both you know you have a lengthy contract with this University, and it's more than a little likely there is a semi-sizable buyout provision included in that contract. Considering these rough economic times, and considering we just finished paying an individual not to work at this university, we're not particularly interested in doing that again. We'll do it if we have to, but we'd rather not.

? We also know this football program hasn't sniffed stability since the late 90s, and establishing the program's reputation as a coaching slaughterhouse is similarly not in our best interests.

? Furthermore, as of right now, no slam-dunk, premier coaches are currently available or capable of taking the job.

? And while there are promising, up-and-coming candidates for your job that I have been in contact with, Notre Dame has had the bad habit recently of bringing in coaches who end up being unqualified for the position. I'm not particularly interested in rolling the dice on an upstart just yet to find myself having this same conversation 4 years from now with them.


So, what do I like about what you've done?

? Recruiting, even with recent setbacks on the field, appears to be holding steady at a very successful rate. Your work ethic in this area is top-notch, as are your results. Talent is coming into the program, and that's an inherently healthy thing.

? And considering that you've assembled a very talented roster, we'd like to keep it. Dismissing you and risking a number of transfers just when the roster is beginning solidify is not a smart long-term move.

? While I have serious issues with your staff -- I'll get to these later -- you've not only shown a willingness over your time with us to address areas of deficiency (specifically on the defense), and you have shown the ability to land the hires that will fix those problems. That's good, because you'll be needing to do it again.

? Furthermore, you've shown a willingness to make changes to your own coaching style. Obviously, undergoing a head coach's learning curve here is less than ideal, but that's on Notre Dame as much as it's on you. We appreciate you were willing to take the job in the first place, and you've shown some examples of being able to learn and adapt.

? You are, indeed, an alumnus of this fine university, and while oftentimes that can be dismissed as a squishy, feel-good intangible, it is a positive aspect of your tenure here, and one that we would likely lose if we took on another coach. You understand the traditions and the standards we uphold, and you don't try to work against them. In short, you "get" the place, and not every coach we could bring in could say that.

? It seems like a long, long time ago for both of us, but there was a time when you were guiding this team to outstanding records, BCS bowl appearances, and fielding All-Americans and Heisman Trophy contenders. You've had two good seasons and two bad ones. I'd like to see you figure out how to return to the former category, which you are obviously capable of. If we didn't think you were capable of success here, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

? Thanks to your outstanding recruiting, starting next Fall we will finally have a full and talented depth chart for the first time in many years. The pieces will be in place. We want to see what you can do with it, once inexperience truly is no longer an arguable issue.

? And at the very least, keeping you around for one more year -- presuming you

 

Hey, we are playing Hawaii on Dec 24. After comparing the teams stats, they look pretty even.

 

That is an interesting read. I do think ND will have a good year next year, although I think most of that will be due to a relatively weak schedule and less to Charlie, Jimmy, etc. I can't see them being BCS-bowl caliber, but that would probably be for the best as I don't think they could compete with the Floridas, Oklahomas, or USCs of this world.

My $0.02:

I don't see any fundamental reason why ND can't get rejoin the aforementioned teams at the top. Every powerhouse program has its ups and downs. It wasn't all that long ago that Miami and, less recently, Florida State were perennial top 5 teams. But ND is obviously stuck in an extended down cycle. I look at the coaches. Since Holtz left, they've hired some brilliant minds (Charlie) and great coordinators (Davie), but none have been able to make the successful transition to College Head Coach. Willingham proved as much with his tenure at Washington. He did take Stanford to a Rose Bowl, but on average he was a 6-5 coach in Palo Alto. Charlie is an NFL offensive genius, but it hasn't translated to success as a college head man - nor should anyone assume it would.

I think the only way ND will reestablish themselves as "elite" is to get an established head coach with a proven record of winning at the top level in college. No more "promising" assistants or an elevation from a Div II school. Those diamonds in the rough are certainly out there, but ND just doesn't have the track record of being able to pick them, and the more they guess wrong, the deeper the hole they dig themselves into. I don't think they need a "Notre Dame man" - they need a winner. Urban Meyer was not a Florida man, but he has returned them to the peak after a few relatively slow years. Obviously he was an assistant at one time (at ND, among others), but the Gators picked him after he proved himself as a head coach with Utah. ND needs to do the same with their next pick, IMHO.

Whew, now I feel better.

 

You must be a MSU fan.

 

[image=http://www.msusaf.com/Sparty_Mascot_Program/photos/DSCF0941.JPG]

 

Cautiously, the little chihuahua takes a bite, to see if the strange man really IS made from potatoes.

 

[image=http://www.msusaf.com/Sparty_Mascot_Program/photos/football_06/football06.jpg]