It is Time for Notre Dame Football Coach Charlie Weis Step Aside

Charlie Weis saved Notre Dame football, but now he needs to step aside. In December 2004, Notre Dame needed Charlie Weis. Notre Dame was under immense media scrutiny for firing Tyrone Willingham in only the third year of his contract, a move unprecedented in Notre Dame history. Meanwhile, Charlie Weis was calling plays for the New England Patriots, on their way to a third Super Bowl title in four years. After striking out with top coaching target Urban Meyer, Notre Dame needed a home-run hire to save a football program that had been steadily declining for nearly a decade. With a total of four Super Bowl rings (one with the Giants), Charlie Weis brought a swagger to Notre Dame that it hadn't seen in some time. He brought life to a program that appeared dead, and he did it almost immediately. The problem for Charlie Weis and Notre Dame, was that jolt of life was short lived.

The chink in the armor of Charlie Weis, was that he came to Notre Dame with no head coaching experience. Although he was a brilliant offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis had no experience in managing a football program from top to bottom. College football coaches must have certain developed skills that are unique from other levels of the sport. First and foremost, a college football coach must be able to relate to 18-22 year old kids. In this regard, Charlie Weis has improved over the past five years, but it has been a slow process. Another critical aspect to being a college football coach is the ability to recruit. No one in the country has worked harder than Charlie Weis at recruiting, and his success has been evident. He is one of the top recruiters in the game, but there is more to coaching than just assembling talent.

Charlie Weis showed in 2005 and 2006 that he can run a top-notch offense with veteran college players. With a void in roster depth and talent left by Tyrone Willingham, Charlie Weis struggled in 2007 and 2008 as the majority of his playmakers were freshmen and sophomores, still adapting to the speed of the college game. In 2009, Charlie Weis has resurrected the Notre Dame offense. Star players like Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, Michael Floyd, and Kyle Rudolph are unquestionably among the best at their respective positions and have futures in the NFL. Yet, despite this tremendous offense, Notre Dame is still sitting at 6-4 on the season. To make matters worse for Charlie Weis, the 2009 schedule is quite possibly the easiest schedule that Notre Dame has faced in decades.

There are three facets to football success on the field: offense, defense, and special teams. Charlie Weis has succeeded offensively, when he has talent, but his teams have been downright terrible in both special teams and defense during his five years. To give an example, the 2009 Notre Dame team is averaging 32 yards per punt this season, and the defense is ranked 83^rd nationally in total yards allowed. Not only are his teams giving up valuable field position, but they can't slow down opposing offenses. With an offense as talented as the 2009 Notre Dame squad, Charlie Weis should be able to win a handful of games by 20 points or more, yet outside of Nevada and Washington State, Notre Dame has not played a game where the final outcome was decided by more than a touchdown, despite being heavily favored in some. Notre Dame is just 4-4 in those games.

When Notre Dame hired Charlie Weis in 2004, Notre Dame was lucky to get him. He took a team that was thin in talent, with a roster that was bare in the freshman and sophomore classes. Five years later, Charlie Weis has restored the talent in the roster, and put Notre Dame back in position to contend for BCS berths and National Championships. Charlie Weis is a tireless worker who has given every ounce of energy he has to the Notre Dame program, but he has not shown the ability to successfully manage all three aspects of the on-field product, which are needed to reach the highest level. Notre Dame should be grateful for Charlie Weis. He served as a Band-Aid for the program, covering its wounds and bringing it back to health. However, Notre Dame needs to move on. They need to bring in a coach who can take the talent and develop it further, on both sides of the ball. They need a coach with college football experience and success. Notre Dame cannot afford to hire another coach who will learn on the job. For Notre Dame fans, it hurts to see one of their own (Weis is a Notre Dame alumnus) not succeed. Unfortunately, if Charlie Weis cannot win with some of the best talent in the country, he will never be able to win. The arrow is beginning to point downward at Notre Dame, and the school cannot afford another slide to mediocrity. The talent is there, they just need a coach who knows has to get the most from it.