Notre Dame coaching job

[el Tigre]

I know we got some ND fans here. Who do you guys think will be your new coach? Stoops,Harbaugh,Kelly or somebody else? I think Harbaugh stays at Stanford and Kelly has too much baggage. I say it's Stoops. What do you guys think?

[bartshan-83]

I'd love Brian Kelly. He has been a winner at every level and his career has a very Urban Meyer-esque arc. He started low, only hangs around for a few years but obviously has higher success on his mind. The job he has done with Cincinnati is outstanding. Plus Cincinnati has an excellent graduation rate ranking which I'm sure ND will strongly consider. I'm unaware of his baggage...

 

Stoops would obviously be incredible and while it's a long shot, it's definitely a better possibility than it was in '02 or '05. One thing I will always credit Weis for is that he restocked the team with talent. He left the team in a more attractive position than he came to it. It would take a huge force to get Stoops out of Norman, but not impossible. I don't really see it happening though.

 

The coach I wanted in '05 is again being brought up...Butch Davis. He built the UM dynasty that Coker destroyed. He is a great recruiter and I think better coach than Weis. My only objections would be (a) he has had some strange losses at UNC and (b) he definitely had a hand in bringing in the type of "character" that caused the U to finally implode on itself. While that culture was already set in place, I can't believe that he didn't perpetuate it. Plus, he has the reputation for quitting on his team unceremoniously (UM and Cleveland). Although that is not really all that rare in college coaching...

 

Harbaugh sees real legit and I see nothing wrong with him. I'd perhaps want a coach with a bit longer of a resume. But I wouldn't be upset, he seems like nothing but a fiery winner.

Paul Johnson of G-Tech (formerly Navy). Always loved him at Navy and he has obviously taken G-Tech to the next level. Bring the option back to Notre Dame...suit up Tony Rice and Kevin McDougal!

 

The TCU coach, Gary Patterson, has come up as well, I don't know anything about him except that he took the team that Franchione resurrected and turned it into a perennial winner.

 

Finally, the white whale....Urban Meyer. I'll be honest and say that I harbored dislike for him after he spurned us in '05. Mostly based on jealousy but also on the fact that I thought he took the easy way out with UF. Obviously it was a great career move and his success has been practically uncharted. I think he hit a huge home run with Tebow and I'm not sure he'd have any rings without him. Yes he won the first one with Tebow as role-player but that was still a key role and the rest of the team was Zook's. Still doesn't really take away from what he has accomplished. He is probably the best coach in College Football.

 

 

I'd probably be happy with all of these guys. It won't be Johnson...switching back to the option would be too dramatic. Urban seems like a long, long shot. Stoops seems pretty unlikely as well, though I wouldn't count it out. There is no real reason why the rest of them wouldn't jump at the right offer though. And like I said, one thing Weis left Notre Dame with is a far more attractive job to potential coaches. Big-time recruits are listening again, the cupboard is stocked with young and veteran talent and, if the right guy can make a good pitch to Clausen and Tate, there is the chance of returning the best offense in the country next year.

 

We shall see....

[Steely Dan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6d9YtGjxCw

[el Tigre]

I'd love Brian Kelly. He has been a winner at every level and his career has a very Urban Meyer-esque arc. He started low, only hangs around for a few years but obviously has higher success on his mind. The job he has done with Cincinnati is outstanding. Plus Cincinnati has an excellent graduation rate ranking which I'm sure ND will strongly consider. I'm unaware of his baggage...

There's all kinds of crazy stories floating around about Kelly. From affairs with students and impregnating staffers to not cooperating with cops investigating serious charges against his players and multiple DUI's. I have no idea what's true and what's not. I know he was never even considered for the UM job 2 years ago,even tho he was right in their backyard having success at Grand Valley State and Central Mich. I'm sure ND will check this stuff out and if any of it's true he won't be the choice.

[stuckincincy]

There's all kinds of crazy stories floating around about Kelly. From affairs with students and impregnating staffers to not cooperating with cops investigating serious charges against his players and multiple DUI's. I have no idea what's true and what's not. I know he was never even considered for the UM job 2 years ago,even tho he was right in their backyard having success at Grand Valley State and Central Mich. I'm sure ND will check this stuff out and if any of it's true he won't be the choice.

 

O Please..

 

I live in the Cincy area. If any - any of that crap was true, it would have been plastered all over the media here.

 

If it was, he'd rival the KGB for keeping secrets...

 

I'm reminded of what a poster said in a recent TSW thread about Lynch and Benson - that the CIN staff was angry at Benson because he wouldn't play with injury. Given that I didn't hear, see, or read anything at all about such - and that when I asked the poster where he got this info - no reply was posted - another case of internet B.S.

[bartshan-83]

There's all kinds of crazy stories floating around about Kelly. From affairs with students and impregnating staffers to not cooperating with cops investigating serious charges against his players and multiple DUI's. I have no idea what's true and what's not. I know he was never even considered for the UM job 2 years ago,even tho he was right in their backyard having success at Grand Valley State and Central Mich. I'm sure ND will check this stuff out and if any of it's true he won't be the choice.

Interesting...I never heard of any of that. But like you said, I'm sure ND will do its due diligence with respect to any potential problems. I mean it's not like we were ever burned before by not checking someone's resume.....

[el Tigre]

O Please..

 

I live in the Cincy area. If any - any of that crap was true, it would have been plastered all over the media here.

 

If it was, he'd rival the KGB for keeping secrets...

 

I'm reminded of what a poster said in a recent TSW thread about Lynch and Benson - that the CIN staff was angry at Benson because he wouldn't play with injury. Given that I didn't hear, see, or read anything at all about such - and that when I asked the poster where he got this info - no reply was posted - another case of internet B.S.

Notice I didn't say any of it was true. It's all stuff from message boards,but it's out there,lots of it. Notre Dame Has an image to protect and I'm sure they will check this stuff out. If it's all BS,he would be a good fit.

[olivier in france]

I know we got some ND fans here. Who do you guys think will be your new coach? Stoops,Harbaugh,Kelly or somebody else? I think Harbaugh stays at Stanford and Kelly has too much baggage. I say it's Stoops. What do you guys think?

 

 

funny the question comes from a UM fan!! so you're really gonna keep Rodriguez?!!

How low do you need to fall because firing him?

[el Tigre]

funny the question comes from a UM fan!! so you're really gonna keep Rodriguez?!!

How low do you need to fall because firing him?

Rodriguez will be around at least 1 more year. If he doesn't win 8 games next year,things could get interesting.

[R. Rich]

I'd love Brian Kelly. He has been a winner at every level and his career has a very Urban Meyer-esque arc. He started low, only hangs around for a few years but obviously has higher success on his mind. The job he has done with Cincinnati is outstanding. Plus Cincinnati has an excellent graduation rate ranking which I'm sure ND will strongly consider. I'm unaware of his baggage...

 

Stoops would obviously be incredible and while it's a long shot, it's definitely a better possibility than it was in '02 or '05. One thing I will always credit Weis for is that he restocked the team with talent. He left the team in a more attractive position than he came to it. It would take a huge force to get Stoops out of Norman, but not impossible. I don't really see it happening though.

 

The coach I wanted in '05 is again being brought up...Butch Davis. He built the UM dynasty that Coker destroyed. He is a great recruiter and I think better coach than Weis. My only objections would be (a) he has had some strange losses at UNC and (b) he definitely had a hand in bringing in the type of "character" that caused the U to finally implode on itself. While that culture was already set in place, I can't believe that he didn't perpetuate it. Plus, he has the reputation for quitting on his team unceremoniously (UM and Cleveland). Although that is not really all that rare in college coaching...

 

Harbaugh sees real legit and I see nothing wrong with him. I'd perhaps want a coach with a bit longer of a resume. But I wouldn't be upset, he seems like nothing but a fiery winner.

Paul Johnson of G-Tech (formerly Navy). Always loved him at Navy and he has obviously taken G-Tech to the next level. Bring the option back to Notre Dame...suit up Tony Rice and Kevin McDougal!

 

The TCU coach, Gary Patterson, has come up as well, I don't know anything about him except that he took the team that Franchione resurrected and turned it into a perennial winner.

 

Finally, the white whale....Urban Meyer. I'll be honest and say that I harbored dislike for him after he spurned us in '05. Mostly based on jealousy but also on the fact that I thought he took the easy way out with UF. Obviously it was a great career move and his success has been practically uncharted. I think he hit a huge home run with Tebow and I'm not sure he'd have any rings without him. Yes he won the first one with Tebow as role-player but that was still a key role and the rest of the team was Zook's. Still doesn't really take away from what he has accomplished. He is probably the best coach in College Football.

 

 

I'd probably be happy with all of these guys. It won't be Johnson...switching back to the option would be too dramatic. Urban seems like a long, long shot. Stoops seems pretty unlikely as well, though I wouldn't count it out. There is no real reason why the rest of them wouldn't jump at the right offer though. And like I said, one thing Weis left Notre Dame with is a far more attractive job to potential coaches. Big-time recruits are listening again, the cupboard is stocked with young and veteran talent and, if the right guy can make a good pitch to Clausen and Tate, there is the chance of returning the best offense in the country next year.

 

We shall see....

 

 

Stoops is probably in play, even though he consistently deflects all talk 'bout the job. He hasn't come out and flatly denied that he'll take the position, so we'll see.

 

Kelly? Maybe. He's the name that keeps being tossed 'round and has become the flavor of the month. He has done a terrific job of getting the UC program to compete on a national level. I love how he said getting his players tickets for the Pittsburgh game was more of a distraction than his name being mentioned as a possible replacement for Weis @ that school.

 

Davis can recruit w/ the best of 'em, that's for sure. Built the dynasty @ the U??? He certainly had a large role in it, but it was Jimmy Johnson who got the U (and the rest of college football) to add athleticism to the lines (guys like Warren Sapp, Cortez Kennedy, and the late Jerome Brown) which gave 'em the jump on everyone else and really helped launch the U. That said, Davis has done a good job of stockpiling UNC w/ talent in recent years, and that school could certainly do worse. There is the challenge of finding the caliber of student athlete that can excel @ that school, but I'm sure Davis could handle it.

 

Harbaugh has done wonders w/ Stanford. He would, if interested, be a nice fit in terms of how he gets the most out of his players and how he relates to players and the media. Would he rather be up for a job @ his alma mater, Michigan? I dunno, but I don't think RICH Rod is on his way out any time soon, anyway.

 

Johnson did a great job @ Navy (especially in '07...hahaha!!!) and is doing more of the same @ Georgia Tech. They could do a whole lot worse, I guess. Has he gotten over his hissy fit from not being selected @ UNC? Also, will that school tolerate his antics in terms of getting in players' faces and will the triple option flexbone work w/ that school's current personnel?

 

Patterson signed an extension through 2016. He ain't goin' nowhere.

 

I really don't see Meyer leaving UF for that school. He's got it good there: 2 (maybe 3) national titles, excellent weather, and top notch recruiting. There's nothing that school can offer that he cannot get in Gainesville, other than history and tradition. If those were big selling points for Meyer, wouldn't he have taken the job the first time out?

[stuckincincy]

Notice I didn't say any of it was true. It's all stuff from message boards,but it's out there,lots of it. Notre Dame Has an image to protect and I'm sure they will check this stuff out. If it's all BS,he would be a good fit.

 

What *message* boards? Do you have, as it is said...a link to them?

[bartshan-83]

Davis can recruit w/ the best of 'em, that's for sure. Built the dynasty @ the U??? He certainly had a large role in it, but it was Jimmy Johnson who got the U (and the rest of college football) to add athleticism to the lines (guys like Warren Sapp, Cortez Kennedy, and the late Jerome Brown) which gave 'em the jump on everyone else and really helped launch the U. That said, Davis has done a good job of stockpiling UNC w/ talent in recent years, and that school could certainly do worse. There is the challenge of finding the caliber of student athlete that can excel @ that school, but I'm sure Davis could handle it.

I wasn't trying to credit Davis for Miami's grand ascension into the elite, just for building the the early 2000s team that seemed to produce multiple 1st round picks every year. He took over a program that Dennis Erickson mangled (and I'm sure Jimmy Johnson's hands weren't clean) and rebuilt Miami with one-hand behind his back due to the NCAA sanctions. The amount of pure talent he was able to bring into that school was insane. Plus, apparently Miami had pretty good graduation rates under his watch, which I would have never guessed.

 

Johnson did a great job @ Navy (especially in '07...hahaha!!!) and is doing more of the same @ Georgia Tech. They could do a whole lot worse, I guess. Has he gotten over his hissy fit from not being selected @ UNC? Also, will that school tolerate his antics in terms of getting in players' faces and will the triple option flexbone work w/ that school's current personnel?

Weis was no pushover when he first got to campus. He may not have screamed and hollered as much as Johnson, but he was pretty rough from what I've heard. Either way, I think ND wouldn't have a problem with a tough coach. I agree that the switch back to an option offense would be too dramatic though. It would be akin to the challenge RichRod is having in Ann Arbor. Although, part of me wouldn't mind seeing ND get back the running game. The spread is fun, but the results speak for themselves.

 

Patterson signed an extension through 2016. He ain't goin' nowhere.

Wasn't aware...I really don't know much about him. Although, extensions seems to hold about as much weight as pinkie promises in the world of college football coaching.

 

I really don't see Meyer leaving UF for that school. He's got it good there: 2 (maybe 3) national titles, excellent weather, and top notch recruiting. There's nothing that school can offer that he cannot get in Gainesville, other than history and tradition. If those were big selling points for Meyer, wouldn't he have taken the job the first time out?

I'd agree that Meyer is a big longshot for the reasons you stated, which have always been the case. The only reason I think he might come would be his off-and-on comments about ND which show me that there obviously is a little bit of an internal struggle going on. Plus, I think this go-around is a different situation as last time. In '05, Meyer was the hot up and coming coach. Everyone wanted him, but his reputation wasn't cemented yet. Winning at UF the way he has will give him a free multi-year pass at whatever school he goes to next (if he chooses to leave). That wouldn't have been the case in South Bend 5 years ago. If he had struggled, he'd be out on the street like Weis. While I begrudged his decision back then, he made the best career move he could have by entering a situation setup for success and taking advantage. Now, he is a far bigger power broker than he ever was. Even if he went to ND and failed, he is now the established party and if he left, it would look like Notre Dame's failure more than his. He would lose a lot less. Basically, this was my long-winded way of saying it would be far less of a career gamble for him this time and if he really wanted it, that might give him the peace of mind that prevented him from taking it 5 years ago.

[el Tigre]

What *message* boards? Do you have, as it is said...a link to them?

I don't know how I could link dozens of posts,mostly on boards in the Rivals network,I've seen over the past 3 years or so. It was very heavy a couple years back when UM was looking for a coach,and has increased again recently with the ND job opening. Every time someone would bring up Kelly's name in connection to the UM job,somebody else would start with some of this junk. Again,for the third time,I don't know if there is any truth to any of it. But I've never seen so much crazy crap posted about any other coach.It seems,if nothing else, he has made some enemies along the way.

[el Tigre]

I'm sure ND will do its due diligence with respect to any potential problems. I mean it's not like we were ever burned before by not checking someone's resume.....

Good point.

[olivier in france]

Rodriguez will be around at least 1 more year. If he doesn't win 8 games next year,things could get interesting.

 

frankly do you still trust him? do you feel it's gonna work? i'm no MU fan but it makes me sad to see you in that sorry state and Rodriguez looks like he has no clue what he's doing there...

[H2o]

Whomever ND is going to bring they better get on the ball. They've already had a couple of top prospect de-commit since Weis was let go, one of them being a 5 Star Prospect DE named Chris Martin who is the 3rd highest rated DE in the nation. The fallout from this could be tremendous with players leaving early for the draft, transfers, and de-commitments in recruiting. This whole thing could set the program back even further to where they are possibly staring down the barrel of another 3-9 type of season.

[stuckincincy]

I don't know how I could link dozens of posts,mostly on boards in the Rivals network,I've seen over the past 3 years or so. It was very heavy a couple years back when UM was looking for a coach,and has increased again recently with the ND job opening. Every time someone would bring up Kelly's name in connection to the UM job,somebody else would start with some of this junk. Again,for the third time,I don't know if there is any truth to any of it. But I've never seen so much crazy crap posted about any other coach.It seems,if nothing else, he has made some enemies along the way.

 

Sorry - I don't mean to rag on you. Sounds like he's got some bunch hounding him - for what reason, who knows?

[LongLiveRalph]

I thought that what I wanted was Charlie Weis to fail miserably. I thought I wanted to see that smug bastard with egg all over his face. I thought I wanted to see him lose so many games, he was unable to keep his job. Well, I got all of those things...And I wish he was still there. He made Notre Dame interesting, and gave me a reason to root against them, rather than to just be indifferent towards them. I used to flip on NBC and root like hell for Purdue like I was Gene Keady. I loved watching that arrogant prick Weis get frustrated and blame his players, refs, and everyone in close proximity (which "close proximity" to Weis's frame is actually the entire stadium.)

 

Now, they are back to being just another run-of-the-mill midwestern school (sans the national TV contract) with a .500 record who I couldn't care less about. They have been also-rans on the national stage for 15 years and they are fooling themsleves- in my opinion- with the dreams of Stoops or Meyer leaving their big time programs. Notre Dame isn't the "step up" in the coaching world that they think they are. They need to focus on the Big East and MAC coaches.

 

Personally, I think Dick J would be a great fit. He has Chicago ties, he's a molder of men, and 7 wins at ND would be an improvement, and Dick has proven that he knows how to win 7.

[bartshan-83]

I loved watching that arrogant prick Weis get frustrated and blame his players, refs, and everyone in close proximity (which "close proximity" to Weis's frame is actually the entire stadium.)

A lot of people have problems with Weis, and he deserves a lot it for how he came to Notre Dame, but please. Find me one quote where he threw his players under the bus.

[LongLiveRalph]

A lot of people have problems with Weis, and he deserves a lot it for how he came to Notre Dame, but please. Find me one quote where he threw his players under the bus.

 

I agree, much of it has to do with the way he barnstormed into South Bend and basically polished his Super Bowl rings and looked down his nose at every college coach in America.

 

As for quotes,

 

off the top of my head, after the ND UM game in September. I looked briefly but could not find the exact quote on the intertubes. But I heard it in a press conference, not sure if it was day of the game, day after the game, or what-

 

When he was being questioned at his press for passing twice at the end of the game instead of running the ball and burning clock/UM timeouts, Weis stated, "I didn't call the pass plays to be incompletions."

 

Basically, "I called the right plays, the players screwed up."

 

_______________________________________

 

And after the Navy game:

 

Q. I don't know whether you saw any comments from players after the game, but one of the comments Ian Williams said was they just out-schemed us and I think they just played harder.

 

COACH WEIS: Well, I didn't read anything as you would imagine, but I did hear quite contrasting answers to the same question. I think that question was presented to Ian (Williams), it was also presented to Kyle McCarthy, and from what I understand, Kyle McCarthy's answer was quite different, where he said it had nothing to do with the scheme. So there's a reason why one guy is a captain and one guy is not.

 

Basically, "My scheme is never the problem. And don't criticize me if you want to be a captain."

[el Tigre]

frankly do you still trust him? do you feel it's gonna work? i'm no MU fan but it makes me sad to see you in that sorry state and Rodriguez looks like he has no clue what he's doing there...

I know what you're saying and sometimes I feel the same. But Rodriguez has been successful everywhere he's been. He has a good track record. I think the drastic system change on offense,combined with attrition of scholarship players(mostly due to academics) on defense started him with very little talent that could play his type of ball. Honestly,UM had been slipping for a few years,especially on D. So he really has had to start from scratch. I think he'll be fine as long as he's given the time to let his recruits mature. He's building a team based on speed instead of size and it has been ugly in the early going. I also believe that the spread Rodriguez coaches can be devastating in the Big 10,being that it's a run heavy offense. He just needs a couple more years.

[bartshan-83]

As for quotes,

 

off the top of my head, after the ND UM game in September. I looked briefly but could not find the exact quote on the intertubes. But I heard it in a press conference, not sure if it was day of the game, day after the game, or what-

 

When he was being questioned at his press for passing twice at the end of the game instead of running the ball and burning clock/UM timeouts, Weis stated, "I didn't call the pass plays to be incompletions."

 

Basically, "I called the right plays, the players screwed up."

 

Without verifying any of this (I'll take your word for it), come on man...your "interpretations" are ridiculous. By this definition anytime a coach said "We didn't execute" he'd be saying I did everything right and the players screwed it up.

 

And after the Navy game:

 

Basically, "My scheme is never the problem. And don't criticize me if you want to be a captain."

Responding to a possible suggestion as to why they lost by saying a team captain disagreed with another players reasoning is "blaming his players for the loss"??? I'll agree that he was a bit harsh to call out a single player, but you are reeeeeeeaching here.

 

Crazy how no player currently on the roster has had the slightest negative thing to say about him and the overwhelming response to his potential firing was for players to blame themselves for the team's shortcomings. Golden Tate practically started crying after the Stanford game when talking about how it was probably his last time playing for Weis. Sure sounds like the mark of a coach who consistently blamed his players for his failure...

[LongLiveRalph]

 

Without verifying any of this (I'll take your word for it), come on man...your "interpretations" are ridiculous. By this definition anytime a coach said "We didn't execute" he'd be saying I did everything right and the players screwed it up.

 

 

Responding to a possible suggestion as to why they lost by saying a team captain disagreed with another players reasoning is "blaming his players for the loss"??? I'll agree that he was a bit harsh to call out a single player, but you are reeeeeeeaching here.

 

Crazy how no player currently on the roster has had the slightest negative thing to say about him and the overwhelming response to his potential firing was for players to blame themselves for the team's shortcomings. Golden Tate practically started crying after the Stanford game when talking about how it was probably his last time playing for Weis. Sure sounds like the mark of a coach who consistently blamed his players for his failure...

 

You can take them as you like, as I have. It's one thing to read quotes and it's another thing to watch and hear somebody say them.

 

Asked if his COACHING DECISION to throw the ball was questionable, he laughed at the reporter and said, "No it wasn't. I don't call pass plays to be incompletions." Noooooo shiiiittt Charlie. But a coach can understand that even though they're supposed to be completions, it just so happens that 40% of the time they are not. It was a strange answer and I'm pissed I couldn't find it. I definitely heard it and remember it because of what a douche he sounded like when he said it. I think he realized what a douche he sounded like, because then he went on to the "We were just trying to win a football game right there" stuff.

 

Asked if his scheme was the problem in the Navy game, as one player suggested it was, Weis responded, "I think that question was presented to Ian (Williams), it was also presented to Kyle McCarthy, and from what I understand, Kyle McCarthy's answer was quite different, where he said it had nothing to do with the scheme. So there's a reason why one guy is a captain and one guy is not."

 

You think I'm reaching here? Isn't he absolving himself and staff and the scheme they came up with, and basically saying, "See, even my captain said it wasn't the scheme. So I guess Navy just had better players."

 

Whatever, it's all beside the point. He was always a smug a-hole in my opinion, and I'm certain I'm not alone there, and I would imagine there are quite a few guys in the ND locker room who aren't crying over his departure. Either he's not a very good head coach, or those recruiting ranking websites that consistently put ND's classes in the top-5 are waaaaayyyyy off.

[bartshan-83]

You can take them as you like, as I have. It's one thing to read quotes and it's another thing to watch and hear somebody say them.

 

Asked if his COACHING DECISION to throw the ball was questionable, he laughed at the reporter and said, "No it wasn't. I don't call pass plays to be incompletions." Noooooo shiiiittt Charlie. But a coach can understand that even though they're supposed to be completions, it just so happens that 40% of the time they are not. It was a strange answer and I'm pissed I couldn't find it. I definitely heard it and remember it because of what a douche he sounded like when he said it. I think he realized what a douche he sounded like, because then he went on to the "We were just trying to win a football game right there" stuff.

 

Asked if his scheme was the problem in the Navy game, as one player suggested it was, Weis responded, "I think that question was presented to Ian (Williams), it was also presented to Kyle McCarthy, and from what I understand, Kyle McCarthy's answer was quite different, where he said it had nothing to do with the scheme. So there's a reason why one guy is a captain and one guy is not."

 

You think I'm reaching here? Isn't he absolving himself and staff and the scheme they came up with, and basically saying, "See, even my captain said it wasn't the scheme. So I guess Navy just had better players."

 

Whatever, it's all beside the point. He was always a smug a-hole in my opinion, and I'm certain I'm not alone there, and I would imagine there are quite a few guys in the ND locker room who aren't crying over his departure. Either he's not a very good head coach, or those recruiting ranking websites that consistently put ND's classes in the top-5 are waaaaayyyyy off.

Fair enough. You're right that we are probably going to slant things to fit our own views. Weis did plenty to piss people off with his off-the-cuff comments. But he did a lot of good things that went ignored once people had made their mind up about him.

 

He let a kid dying of cancer call the first offensive play of the Washington game in '05.

 

He started a great tradition of bringing the ND players over to Navy's side of the field after home games to stand with them while Navy played their alma mater.

 

 

He wasn't all bad. He just wasn't a good coach.

[KD in CA]

He let a kid dying of cancer call the first offensive play of the Washington game in '05.

I forgot about that. IIRC, they had to start that drive at their own 2 yard line and the kid had requested some crazy reverse or naked bootleg or something. In the press conference Charlie said something like "well, what could I do, I promised him!"

 

From what I could tell Charlie was a good guy and his players loved him. It's too bad he couldn't deliver the wins.

[stuckincincy]

UCinn's Kelly will interview with ND:

 

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2009120...++We+understand

 

I wonder if the defection of their qb and top wr will factor in somehow.

[H2o]

UCinn's Kelly will interview with ND:

 

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2009120...++We+understand

 

I wonder if the defection of their qb and top wr will factor in somehow.

Well they still have Floyd, Rudolph, Allen, Hughes, Riddick, Shaquelle Evans, Kamara, Crist, and a few others on offense that should help to keep them in the upper tier of the nation next year in offense. It's the defense that will likely remain horrible unless the players vastly improve, especially with their best LB (Manti Te'o) leaving for his 2 year Mormon mission.

[el Tigre]

Well they still have Floyd, Rudolph, Allen, Hughes, Riddick, Shaquelle Evans, Kamara, Crist, and a few others on offense that should help to keep them in the upper tier of the nation next year in offense. It's the defense that will likely remain horrible unless the players vastly improve, especially with their best LB (Manti Te'o) leaving for his 2 year Mormon mission.

Teo is leaving?

[Cynical]

UCinn's Kelly will interview with ND:

 

 

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/2009120...++We+understand

 

I wonder if the defection of their qb and top wr will factor in somehow.

 

Will be interesting to see how UCinn responds.

 

Will they let Kelly walk, thus continuing the perception BE schools are stepping stones on the coaching career ladder.

 

Or will they put up a fight, become aggressive in trying to retain Kelly, and thus telling the rest of the nation they have every intention of remaining/becoming an "elite" program.

[KD in CA]

Teo is leaving?

 

I thought Mormons did their gig after college. Teo was a freshman this year, no?

[bartshan-83]

I thought Mormons did their gig after college. Teo was a freshman this year, no?

Te'o said all through the recruiting process that he would likely take his sabbatical after his freshman year. Since then, there has been talk that he may not take it at all. I don't know what the latest word is though.

 

However, if I was the only good defensive player on a team who is currently bumbling through its 4th coach search in 8 years, if there was ever a good time to get the hell outta dodge...

[KD in CA]

Reading rumblings today that the Kelly deal could be finalized as soon as the end of the week.

 

Will they let Kelly walk, thus continuing the perception BE schools are stepping stones on the coaching career ladder.

I'm not sure what they could do to keep him if he decides he wants to go for the next challenge at ND.

 

It's not like he can do better at UC than he did this year. Obviously he'll never have an opportunity to play for a NC as long as the current system is in place.

[el Tigre]

Randy Edsall seems to be getting attention now as well. What would you ND fans think of him?

[LongLiveRalph]

Or will they put up a fight, become aggressive in trying to retain Kelly, and thus telling the rest of the nation they have every intention of remaining/becoming an "elite" program.

 

Good one, that cracks me up. Maybe the Royals will sign Roy Halladay for $120 million to show the Yankees that they have every intention of becoming an elite team, rather than just a farm system for the big boys.

 

How do you become an elite program when you go undefeated, have multiple quality wins, and are still an afterthought for any type of championship potential? How do you become an elite program when none of the so-called elite programs (other than maybe USC, Ohio State, or Texas) would ever consider playing you?

 

Let's face it...If Alabama lost to Auburn 22-21, and then dominated UF in the SEC title game 32-13, it's highly likely that Bama would still be playing for the national championship. But every game is a playoff game, right?

 

The "every game counts" argument is so off base. It turns out that none of Cincinnati's games really counted, along with 99% of all the other games this season. Didn't we know on October 1st that the final would be FL/Bama vs. Texas?

 

With Boise State, they could always hide behind the "mid-major" argument. Now the system is nitpicking through the hierarchy of their own BCS conferences.

 

Kelly staying at Cincy to "build a national power" is a ridiculous notion. His stock will never be higher, and now is the time to jump. The Big East is a launching pad for coaches, because the system forces it to be that way.

 

It's not that Texas and Bama are un-derserving, with Alabama especially posting several convincing quality wins. They both had excellent seasons. But so did 3-4 other schools. Coaches want to be in a position where:

 

-the best season is school history results in a shot at the national title

 

Not...

 

-the best season in school history, PLUS some losses by other teams with better exposure/perception/history, PLUS ability to actually schedule OOC games and win them on the road, PLUS favorable results from polls and computers, MIGHT result in a chance to play for the national title.

 

You can't blame any Big East coach going somewhere where option 1 is the case, because under the current arrangements, it is not.

[stuckincincy]

You can't blame any Big East coach going somewhere where option 1 is the case, because under the current arrangements, it is not.

 

U Cinn bb coach Cronin was on the radio last night. His opinion was that the NCAA should put in a rule that while the season is on-going (including bowl appearances), there should be no contact, or tampering if you will - by other colleges. He noted that Kelly is in a tough spot.

[bartshan-83]

FWIW, I've read reports on an ND board that Kelly has scheduled a team meeting for this evening to be held one hour before their end of the year banquet.

 

If true, it would likely be to break the news that he's leaving. But as of now, it is purely a rumor.

[KD in CA]

Let's face it...If Alabama lost to Auburn 22-21, and then dominated UF in the SEC title game 32-13, it's highly likely that Bama would still be playing for the national championship. But every game is a playoff game, right?

I'd have bet my house on it.

 

The "every game counts" argument is so off base. It turns out that none of Cincinnati's games really counted, along with 99% of all the other games this season. Didn't we know on October 1st that the final would be FL/Bama vs. Texas?

Sad but very true. Every game only counts if you are one of the small handful of pre-season annointed teams that the BCS wants in the championship.

 

The Big East is a launching pad for coaches, because the system forces it to be that way. You can't blame any Big East coach going somewhere where option 1 is the case, because under the current arrangements, it is not.

Spot on.

 

And you know what? No one at the BCS is even slightly fazed by UC, BS or TCU being left out. They could care less. The only way they would ever consider it a dilemma is if 3 of their darlings were undefeated.

[LongLiveRalph]

And you know what? No one at the BCS is even slightly fazed by UC, BS or TCU being left out. They could care less. The only way they would ever consider it a dilemma is if 3 of their darlings were undefeated.

 

Exactly. I can't believe that Texas kicker made that GW FG as time expired. The doors could've gotten blown off this whole thing, it would've been GREAT...

[bartshan-83]

Storm's a brewin...WDNU reporting that UC banquet now closed off to the media.

 

http://www.wndu.com/hometop/headlines/78990842.html

[el Tigre]

Storm's a brewin...WDNU reporting that UC banquet now closed off to the media.

 

http://www.wndu.com/hometop/headlines/78990842.html

Yeah,sounding like Kelly's gonna be the pick. I hear some of the moderators on Rivals ND board are saying it's a done deal.