When Tyrone Willingham was hired, everyone praised Notre Dame for this choice.Yet, when Notre Dame decided to part ways with Willingham after only three years because the program seemed to be going downhill, many of the same people who praised Notre Dame for hiring TY three years earlier, now decided Willingham's race was part of the reason he was fired. Now, with the early season woes by this year's Irish team, those same people are calling for Charlie Weis' head. It is only fair, right? Three years for Willingham, three years for Weis. Here is what those people forgot to mention. Willingham did serious damage to Notre Dame besides just collecting losses. Willingham was described as being stand-offish with alumni groups who supported the football program. He began to alienate a very important portion of the Notre Dame fan base. Willingham developed a very lackadaisical reputation with numerous high schools while recruiting athletes to go to Notre Dame. But, Tyrone recruited Brady Quinn, you say. Okay, Willingham got Quinn. But Willingham did nothing with Quinn. Let's look at Quinn's numbers under Willingham:
2003/2004 685 attempts 348 Completions 50.7% Completion Pct. 4417 yards 26 td's 25 int's
Under Weis:
2005/2006 917 attempts 581 completions 63.4% Completion Pct.7345 yards 69 td's 14 int's
See a difference in the numbers?
Willingham brought Quinn into South Bend. Weis made Quinn into a winning quarterback.
The big story in College Football right now is how mighty Notre Dame has fallen. The funny thing is, according to these same writers/reporters Notre Dame was no longer mighty. The Irish were considered a second-tier team. This is basically what it comes down to; Whether people love Notre Dame or hate Notre Dame, all people seem to have an opinion about them. The same can not be said about any other school in the country. Not USC. Not Texas. Not Penn State. Not Alabama. And this irritates alot of people. Notre Dame is news, no matter good or bad. Now, the news is focusing on bashing Weis due to the Irish troubles and the awful start of this season. Demetrius Jones is used as a poster boy of how Weis is losing the faith his players had in him. According to Michael Rosenberg of Fox Sports Weis "is in major trouble at Notre Dame, and this goes beyond the 2007 season. Charlie Weis is a Me Guy. That doesn't mean he's a bad guy or a bad coach. I'm sure he loves his school. But from the moment he arrived in South Bend, his program has been all about him — his story, his head, his ability. Weis loves it that way. This is a man who looks at his reflection in his Super Bowl rings and grins."
Weis has a huge ego. He comes across as arrogant and very confident in himself and his team. He is blunt when he speaks and often rubs people the wrong way. This is excatly what Notre Dame needed when he arrived. The Bob Davie and Ty Willingham years left a rotten spot on Notre Dame football that was getting bigger and bigger every year they strolled the sidelines. Notre Dame football was turning into the kid in the playground that is picked on by the class bully every week. The reputation of Notre Dame football was going down the tubes as quickly as the Rocket used to run the 40 yard dash. The Irish football program was being decimated right in front of millions of fans' eyes. The cherry on top was the George O'Leary fiasco. Then, Weis was hired. A sense of pride, enthusiasm, and hope was suddenly felt by Irish fans again. Charlie won his first two years with players Willingham did not do much with. Now, it is rebuilding time. A year from now, if Notre Dame is in any kind of situation that resembles the present situation, then I will admit that all of the anti-Weis stories about being overrated have something to stand on. But, for now, due to Weis' tireless recruiting, development of players (see Quinn, Shark, Carlson, Stovall), and winner's attitude, he deserves to stay and right this Irish ship.
This will not be the last of the "Willingham was wronged" stories. This will not be the last of the "Weis is not the answer" stories. We also have not seen the last of Irish football victories under Charlie Weis.
