re-printed from Blue-Gold Illustrated. I just couldn't resist posting this 8) They Said It All Right by TODD D. BURLAGE ASSISTANT EDITOR -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part of what made Charlie Weis an appealing choice to take over at Notre Dame was his candor when talking to or about his team. The brash confidence was evident in every appearance. And as the team quickly returned to relevance, the “no bull” sound bites and coaching style seemed to fit the program so perfectly. From his promise to build a nasty football team, to his proclamation that he would win any Xs and Os coaching competition, the words seemed like gospel for most of his first two seasons. But (and you knew the word “but” was coming), when things went south, the words and the promises started to ring hollow. And that was the case for Weis, his staff and his players during their 3-9 season. This story is supposed to lead off the bowl preview edition of Blue & Gold Illustrated. Instead, it’s just one last chance to take a look back at what was said, and what was delivered. “I’ve seen people turn a competitive situation into a total travesty, into a three-ring circus. It’s important to get a handle on it,” – Weis before spring practice on handling his quarterback search. What was meant to be a low-profile search for the successor to Brady Quinn, almost immediately turned into everything Weis said it would not, and it started with trying to keep the opening day starter a secret. Musical quarterbacks were played out under the Big Top all season. There were three different starters, four games with a change at starter, a messy transfer by the opening day starter. It all turned into a total travesty and a three-ring circus, without the MC. “May God strike me dead if I use that word. I’ll never use that word. You use it. I’m not using it,” – Weis during the preseason when asked if this was a rebuilding year. Most people were taken back when Weis so adamantly said that he didn’t expect any slippage from 2006, despite losing almost all of his skill players and installing a new defense. Weis never did use the R-Word but he certainly better hope this was a rebuilding year, because any other adjectives are not fit for print. This was another case of saying something that sounded good at the time, but the message got lost in the results. “When you look at some of our linemen now after looking at them a year ago, you could see why I’d be encouraged,” – Weis on his new-look offensive line. The talk from the coaches throughout the spring and the fall camp was that this group of offensive linemen didn’t have the experience of the 2006 group but they would play more physically. Obviously, that never happened. In fact, this unit suffered through the worst season any line ever has at Notre Dame. The 75.2 per-game rushing average was more than 50 yards a game fewer than previous record low, and the 58 sacks allowed led the nation and were 21 more than the previous team record. “College sports are fun because of this phenomenon. You have guys that graduate and leave. New people get opportunities every year and it’s very exciting,” – senior tight end John Carlson in the preseason on his anticipation of playing with a new offensive cast. A new quarterback may have seemed fun to Carlson in the preseason, but the novelty quickly wore off when the reality set in. Carlson was expected to pile up catches as a safety net for a new quarterback and become the runaway winner of the John Mackey Award this season. Instead, the struggles up front forced Carlson to become a safety net for the offensive line as an extra blocker. Carlson’s productivity slipped dramatically from his junior season when he caught 47 passes for 634 yards. Though, his 40 catches and 372 yards still led the team this season. “Zero yards rushing is not good enough for us,” – offensive lineman Michael Turkovich after the Irish carried 26 times for zero yards against Penn State. This wins the award for best quote of the year. After a horrific start in the rushing department, freshman Robert Hughes finally gave the running game a spark with back-to-back 100-yard games to finish the season. But before that, the running game became a running joke. Through the first three games, which included the Penn State disaster, Notre Dame had tallied (minus) 14 yards rushing and had a long rush attempt of 10 yards. Quarterbacks Jimmy Clausen and Evan Sharpley were sacked so many times, they combined for (minus) 282 rushing yards for the season. “The entire staff is involved in special teams. We'll have to get used to that change in the spring but I'm putting even a bigger emphasis on special teams this spring than I did the first two years,” Weis in the preseason. Improving special teams was one of the objectives Weis hung his hat on when he took the job. The improvement showed up quickly in his first year but has slipped since. Weis barked loudly this preseason about getting everybody involved in fixing things, but the by committee approach was a failure. The Irish ranked No. 14 nationally in net punting but only No. 56 in punt returns and a miserable No. 93 in kickoff returns. Weis said there will be more changes made to special teams but he didn’t offer specifics. “I really believe that this is where I’m going to retire, and the reason I believe it is the pressure that you feel that comes with this, I don’t feel,” Weis in the preseason on keeping things rolling. Even with a 10-3 record in 2006, some rumblings surfaced over the disappointing performances against USC and LSU to finish the season. Some suggested that Weis may not be the man for the job because he couldn’t run with the big dogs. But with 19 wins in two seasons, Weis wasn’t fazed by the criticism and talked about how he built a big house and planted some deep roots in the South Bend community because he wasn’t going anywhere. It was a loyalty that resonated with the ND Faithful, at least at the time. “Let me just say people better enjoy (beating us) now, have their fun now,” – Weis after the 38-0 loss to USC this season. This is the one pointed quote from this season that every Notre Dame fan hopes is a legitimate warning shot from the coach. Despite a disturbing overtime loss to Navy, the Irish did show improvement after the USC game, finishing 2-2, averaging 29 points a game and slightly outscoring their opponents in those four games, but the vultures still circle. Weis may very well be here for a long time to come, but Year 4 will bring much more scrutiny than his first three seasons combined. Hopefully he’ll get a chance to have a little fun of his own and throw out some less contradictory sound bites in 2008.
Sorry, George. I'm not buying into the undercurrent of negativity that permeates this topic and your above posting. I feel your frustration, and if it makes you feel better to print the column and embolden selected comments, intending to highlight the disconnect between the before and after, that's fine, but count me out of that kind of mindset. I don't think you are the type to pile on, and I don't think that's your intent, but that's what it looks like here.
A couple of things. 1. QB deal. Other coaches around the country did not name their starter till the opening game. Yet nobody accused them of anything nefarious. This is a bogus criticism which is undeserved. 2. The refusing to say it was a rebuilding year. Also a bogus criticism, I don't want my coach to throw in the towel befoe any games are played. I wonder what the headlines would have been if Weis would have said, well we won't be very good this year and just hope we can win 4 or 5 games? Weis screwed up this year in preparing the team, no doubt. We'll see next year if he's learned his lesson. If he doesn't win 8 game or more and maybe even upset somebody, then he's on the hot seat for 2009 and if 2009 is another 8 win season losing to the best teams on the schedule. It's time for him to go.
Really. What is Notre Dame thinking, holding its players to a higher academic standard and trying to prepare them for life after football?
I like the idea of doing both, but let's not lose sight of the fact that this is college football. I admire Division 1 schools like Notre Dame, Stanford, Vanderbilt and Northwestern for upholding their academic standards. I understand their athletes may not face the same admission standards as the general student population, but the schools aren't selling out for the sake of athletic success.
Sid, I didn't WRITE it. I READ it. Then I PASSED it along. This is from Blue-Gold Illustrated, the #1 paper covering Irish football and staffed by writers who are mainly former Irish players and coaches. Some of you guys have lost your sense of humor. Not a damn thing in that story that's inaccurate. Those are quotes and we all know the results. So laugh it off. That's some funny stuff.
I think it would be good to get the perspective of a columnist I respect, who doesn't have a dog in this fight and can be more objective. CW did pretty well when he had some people. Son Greg said that Meyer saw this disaster coming and was one of the foremost motivations to take the Florida Job. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/budwithers/2003891349_withers19.html
AJ <t>Huskerdude, <br/> <br/> I'm reading that this kid will be off the table before signing day. He's early enrolling in January.</t>
Joel, you've posed a question that requires serious thought and consideration. I've pondered your question for the better part of the day, and after hours of focused deliberation, I've concluded.......Win now! Screw that life thing!
Vic <t>I agree with some of what this writer said. I do wonder though....<br/> <br/> He wrote that article Sept 19th of this past season, at that point the Irish were 0-3 and Washington was 2-1.<br/> <br/> From the day that article was written, the man with the wry smile proceeded to go 2-9. I wonder if the writer would be have taken a different approach on Nov 19th?</t>
I wonder just how many times that Blue and Gold has tried ( although some think that they actually succeeded) in being funny by posting quotes by players like Turkovich and Carleson. Every week during football season they make predictions of the upcoming games. Often they are way off. I've never once seen them poke fun at their own predictions.
SIDNEY Sorry I threw you my curveball :!: If it was my fastball you would have made contact in seconds..not hours :!:
I think we Irish fans are somewhat thin-skinned, especially after this train wreck of a season we just witnessed. I'm a fan, not a cheerleader or member of the P.R. department. If I look real hard at the numbers from 2007 I may burst into tears. So I enjoy looking at things from different perspectives, be it former Irish players and coaches critiquing the current staff or whatever. You have to chuckle a little , to keep from crying.
talk about CRYING, George...6 inches of snow..on top of 10 inches from thursday. turning to ice and rain at gametime. I have not seen a mess like this in a long time! :evil: :evil:
We don't get the game here in Houston, too bad I always like to watch you northerners freeze your tushes off while showing everybody how football is supposed to be watched!! lol... :lol: :lol: