Full Court Press

Maybe Jones just wanted to be The Man. Not deciding who is going to be your starter and treating it like it's up for grabs just doesn't sit well with some people. Maybe Weis just isn't as Wise as the University thought. Who actually left Big Bill in New England and became a success else where? Who had real faith in his abilities more than thought he was a product of someone else's success?

Here's how bad ND is...their former starting QB just defecting to my alma mater...I don't want him!

No, ND was not supposed to be this bad. Thanks for acknowledging this time that much of the blame falls on Ty.

It goes beyond the recruits being "not that highly rated". The class of 2008 is arguably the worst football recruiting class in the school's history. Ty was awful at it, and we're all just lucky that Brady Quinn was such close friends with Chinedum Ndukwe.

Roman responds: So NONE of this is Charlie's fault? Man, that's a nice position to be in. So we'll have to wait until Year 5 of the Weis era to BEGIN to judge him. No wonder he built the dream home in South Bend.

I didn't expect it, but I love it! ND: 0-3, MSU: 3-0!!!!! Jimmy Clausen is going to get killed, you're right Roman. He's never going to live up to all the hype surrounding him - I remember seeing a feature on him on ESPN two years ago - you know, before he was potty trained.

FYI, Tyrone Willingham went to Michigan State and used to wear a Michigan State t-shirt under his ND gear on the sideline. And I will be wearing my Michigan State sweatshirt proudly in South Bend on Saturday!

What is Noles talking about? Is this Ty Willinghams fault? What about the last two years when Notre Dame was beating up on all of the service schools and The Great Charlie Weis was taking all the credit? Those teams the last two years were not that good. I dont think they beat a ranked team since Weis been at Notre Dame. Brady Quinn looked horrible against ranked teams. I dont think Ty Willinghams teams were this bad and when Ty was there and wasnt winning did I here the Noles of the world blaming Bob Davie? NO!!! They started fire Ty Willinghams websites. Notre Dame can go 0-8 and still the blind Notre Dame fans will support him because he was some assistant coach for a good team in the NFL. Do you think he made Tom Brady good or made Brady Quinn play well against Army, Navy, North Carolina and some other bad teams. HE DIDNT...HE IS OVER RATED...A FRAUD!!!! Oh also take a look at the University of Washington, they have some good players there.

So Noles, let me get this straight. Weiss has marginal success with Willingham's players and is seen as the savior of South Bend. Ty is never given a shred of credit for the success of the 2 seasons that Weiss is coaching his players. Willingham's players graduate and many go on to the NFL, Weiss fields what will probably be the worst team in ND history and it is all Willingham's fault? You can't have it both ways my friend. He has been coaching these players for 3 years. No matter how much "talent" they have, they should be able to block and tackle, they are D1 athletes after all. If Weiss were the recruiting genius he is played out to be, he should at least have some red shirt freshmen/sophomore blue chippers that he recruited contributing. Blue chip recruits regularly step in and perform as freshmen and are expected to be able to play right away. This debacle is all on Weiss, if you look out west you will see Willingham continuing to rebuild a Washington program with less talent then he left Weiss with, they are at least competitive and able to score an offensive TD.

I just heard a student at N.D. put it the best....If we can just keep the win steak against Navy alive....we can consider this a winning season.

Not for nothing, but the seniors on the team are NOT weiss's guys.

If you have every coached or played college sports, you would know that this is a HUGE factor.

Roman responds: Oh, ok, Culzie, thanks for hipping us civilians to the world of big-time coaching and playing. Give me a break. You sounded like an arrogant ass.

"Not for nothing, but the seniors on the team are NOT weiss's guys. If you have every coached or played college sports, you would know that this is a HUGE factor."

That's a great point. Look at how poorly the Gators played for Urban Meyer in his second season at Florida.

So, just how does Appalachian State recruit more effectively in Boone NC than Weiss does in South Bend?

No O Line, no WR's, nobody to run the ball....wow

Losing to ND this year will bring ridicule... they are so bad....I won't watch 'em again this year....no reason....Did ya hear that, NBC?

While it is true that the Seniors are still Ty's guys, Weis has to take credit/blame for the Juniors as well. Recall that he was still coaching the Patriots to the Super Bowl up until the Sunday prior to the college signing day the following Tuesday. While this was an accommodation granted to Weis in order to come to terms with him, it clearly hurt the program as they only signed 15 recruits, the fewest that they have signed in the modern era. Not many were highly regarded.

Since then, he has recruited back to back #8 recruiting classes according to Rivals and they are in line for a top 3-5 class this season. The players are starting to roll in like you would expect.

That being said, the pressure on Weis is only going to grow as the lack of talent excuse is not a card that he is going to be able to play. While he has not played that card in public, he has ripped the team greatly after the Michigan loss in private (if you believe Irish Illustrated) and places most of the blame on the players.

In reality Weis has failed to read the mood of this team all the way back to Spring Practice. There has been an erosion of simple techniques and fundamentals which you have to put on Weis and it was foolish to complicate matters for a young team by installing two offenses for two quarterbacks (one for Jimmy Clausen and one for Jones) rather than perfecting a basic off-tackle play. If he wanted to go with Clausen as soon as he was healthy, then he should have started with that offense and used Sharpley to hold the fort down until Clausen was ready.

With the talent that has begun to roll into the program and the continuation of that with this upcoming class, Weis will have the tools he needs to compete for a BCS berth every year. His ability to mold those tools into a Championship team will be how he is measured.

Roman, I agree with you.

Let's say most of starters right now are Ty recruit's. Weis stuck with them when he didn't have to. DJ is not unique. There are plenty of backup players around the nation that feel they are good enough to start. Weis could have pursued those players and tried to get them to transfer to ND. He could have pursued the jr colleges and lower division schools as well. He didn't have to stick with Ty recruit's.

Armed with ND's NATIONAL TV contract with NBC, the Superbowl rings, and the fact that he still has more NFL contacts than any other coach in the college game today, changing the roster should not have been a problem for Weis. ND has more national appearances this year than any other school. It's unbelievable that Weis couldn't attract top talent to the school.

As an alumni it's constantly debated whether ND should just adopt Prop-48 like just about every school in the Big Ten has. That's the nice little rule that let's D students from high school earn athletic scholarships. It sure would open more doors for Weis.

That being said we probably disagree on Jones jump to NIU. IMO, the kid was thinking straight. A degree from ND is worth much more in stature than a degree from NIU. Remaining with Weis would have opened more doors in the NFL than going to NIU. But the biggest reason is that it's obvious ND's game plan has to change. The sack totals mean this line can't pass protect. That means ND needs a running QB option. They have to rely on speed at QB to buy them time in their offense. Jones is better suited for that than Clausen.

HEY ROMAN...>NEWS FLASH....>>> CHARLIE WEIS HAS 8 YEARS LEFT ON HIS CONTRACT. WHOS GONNA BUY THAT OUT? REGIS??

Roman responds: Again being a smart ass. What is it with you? I know. It was in all the papers. I'm not saying anybody is going to buy it out. Maybe he'll turn things around and start winning championships when he has his own players.

YOU TRY TAKING OVER FOR A FAILING PROGRAM IN BITTER COLD NORTHERN INDIANA BORDERLINE GARY....WHERE YOU CANT RECRUIT DUMB PLAYERS AND HAS NO HOT CHICKS WITHIN 100MILES AND 80% OF THE FANS ARE OLD RICH WHITE GUYS!!!

SEE HOW GOOD YOU WOULD DO...

ROMAN, I EXPECT MORE OUT OF A VARSITY LETTERMAN

Roman responds: Same weather and chicks and academic regulations and white guys Notre Dame had when its fans were hailing South Bend as the axis of the college football universe.

Regarding Jones, some people just like to play and not sit.

Its not that complicated.

Other than USC, there is no team that I hope ND beats more this year than MSU.

You cant be on top forever. And also, i love how many people come out of the wood work to excersize their hatred for ND when they are really down....mustve been pent up for years.

Why, Culzie? Because I went to Michigan State? How cute. I knew you had a crush on me.

I can't decide which Breakfast Club quote is most applicable, so I'll just spare Roman for once.

Right, but no 24/7 coverage of COLLEGE FOOTBALL....where a kid can actually see a game in Florida or LSU or Cal or ASU on FOXsports West Coast College Football Direct TV Satalite package.

The days of N.D. being the only game on the weekends is OVER.

I thought someone in the media coulda made that connection.

Now a young recruit can see what a real campus looks like.

Sorry, I love ND, but its not as easy to recruit as it used to be.

It also isnt the QB fast track to the NFL anymore either...although I think Jimmy Chipwood will blossom into a great QB 10xs better than QUINN.

Put it in the book.

and Navy!

It is beyond absurd to blame Willingham for ND's failures. And it is quite hypocritcal.

When Weiss came in, using Ty's players, he was touted for "cleaning up Willingham's mess" and getting maximum potential out of his supposedly weak recruits, a la Jason Avant, Brady Quinn and others.

And those sorry, coached-up players did get the team to multiple bowl births including a BCS game.

Now, the Weis "magic" has failed with the FINAL batch of players, and suddenly its Willingham's fault. And no one wants to point out that the MAJORITY of players on the team are Weiss recruits.

So what is it? Based on past standards

1) Weiss has failed to lead Willingham's last batch of players, even though he has done so in the past, and also failed to lead his own players, which would make Weiss a failing coach.

2) Willingham's players weren't as bad as people made them out to be, which means Weiss, now with a team full of his own guys, rode on the success of the former coach, but has demonstrated himself as a poor recruiter.

3) Weiss has both failed to coach up the last batch of Willingham players WHILE recruiting a bad class, which makes him BOTH a poor recruiter AND failing coach.

4) Willingham's last batch was absolutely horrible, Weiss' recruits are just too young, so it IS the fault of Willingham, because Willingham recruited this last batch, which was his worse class, and it is the fault of this worse class, which is incapable of benefiting from Weiss' magic, tha the team has not scored a touchdown this season, even though Weiss is known as an offensive guru.

or finally

5) LEAVE CHARLIE WEIS ALONE! YOU KEEP PRESSURING AND PRESSURING HIM, AND ITS NOT FAIR.

Seriously.. . . what is it?

Again, I am not a Notre Dame fan but I love to watch college football. As bad as the N.D. offensive line is the 'D' line is just as bad. They couldn't pressure a table full of bingo playin' seniors.

Clausen has a good arm and a very good football I.Q. and will improve when the line does. I'm just shocked that Demetrius never got a chance to THROW the ball. Why cut a head off a two-headed monster Charlie, you goof? D.J. was the obvious, and only, choice if these so called experts saw in spring training what the untrained eye is seeing now in the offensive line.

Golden Domers', you might wanna start cheering for Purdue because I have a feeling Charlie might take the rest of the year off.

The diffence is, there wasnt 24/7 coverage of College football 10 years ago, like there is now. ND, is not the only game on TV anymore.

Recruits can see just How GREEN the grass is on the other side of the Dome.

I just cant understand Notre Dame/Charlie Weiss backers. How do you blame Ty Willingham? When Ty's teams were losing did I hear about Bob Davie? No it was all about getting rid of Willingham. As bad as Davie was he got to finish out his contract and to have all of his players but Willingham didnt. When Willingham went to Notre Dame I knew it was going to end like it did. A black coach could never coach at Notre Dame but they dont turn down the black players. That being said, why bother? Weiss will coach out his 10 or 15 year contract but I would hope more players see the light like D.Jones.

There's no question college football exposure on TV has grown by leaps and bounds. I imagine the success of ESPN's Thursday night game will lead to a Wed night game for next season. But that still doesn't compare with national coverage on Sat for ND.

Weis is doing the right thing in pushing physical play this week. The Irish haven't just looked overmatched. They looked gutless as well. That's got to change before anything else.

Right now ND has to regain some form of competitiveness. If MSU beats you because they are more talented so be it. But don't let them push you around like your wafer thin.

Good Post Alum!

BC, do you even understand your own posts?

GO STATE!!!!!!!!

It is amazing to me that Charlie Weis is given such a free pass. Let me get this straight, in year 1 of his contract, he is given a 10 year extension for NEARLY beating USC. If he was that entrenched at the school, a new contract would not have been necessary. I remember how convenient it was after a big loss that NFL rumors would circulate. I must admit I was never the biggest Willingham fan, however, the knock on him was that he never won the big game and his team was getting blown out. What is the difference between he and Charlie Weiss? I know Charlie Weiss will have a much worse record after 3 years. Oh yeah, the only black coach in school history also is given the shortest leash. I never heard Bob Davie name mentioned when Willingham was coaching those upper classmen, but it is amazing to me that it is mentioned now. This arrogant school deserves exactly what it is getting now and I wonder how can they justify keeping him when he will have had less success than his predecessor?

Julie, Michael Walker, and K. Brown said it ALL in three consecutive posts.

I love it!

Roman, can you please explain your statement that Weis is coaching Ty Willingham's recruits, because it contradicts Mariotti's article from yesterday. Thanks!

GO GREEN!

GO WHITE!

Did I really just read that the spread is 12-1/2? Looks like you're not the only one who thinks you guys are "wafer thin," ND alum!

GO STATE!!!!!

I sure hope we (ND) beat the University of Michigans "spill over" school today!!!!

....victory for MSU!!!

You didn't really think you guys (although you didn't go there) had a chance did you, BC? By the way, how many times has ND started the season 0-4? Oh right, never. And the last school to beat ND 6 times in a row at home? Yes, that would be Michigan State - the only school to ever do that. Nice o-line you got there in South Bend. Clausen looks like a deer in headlights out there, but congrats on finally having a game with positive rushing yards. And 2 td's - must be a shock to you system to see that.

Cheer for your own school next time.

Oh, and Roman - do you have a policy about not posting comments with the words "point spread" or anything to that effect? What happened to my last post?

Roman,

I think its time you update this blog. I'd love to hear what all the "It's Ty's fault" people have to say now.

1-8 is an abomination for any program