Rumor-mongering - Notre Dame preparing to ditch Weis next year
Ok, so this is total rumor-mongering, but it's a source I believe to be reliable. I have a colleague who was on the Notre Dame baseball team in the early 80's and is still very well-connected. We've had many a discourse regarding our recent woeful football seasons.
He has a friend from his college days in the ND administration (I think) who tells him that, if Weis does not improve in a hurry, they're prepared to shop around.
Also, Weis has apparently alienated most of the alumni base, especially the big money donors. He relates that he once scored an invite to a private dinner of about 100 or so people during which Lou Holtz, Mike Gottfried (?), and Big Tuna spoke. Gottfried was fine, Holtz was a rock star, and Tuna was met with polite golf claps followed by crickets. People are not enamored with him, his "strategery", or his decided schematic advantage.
January 27th, 2009 at 8:29 PM ^
I believe this is pretty true. I know a pretty solid ND insider who said they tried to get rid of Weis this season, but couldn't get any of the guys they wanted so they stuck with him. They'll absolutely go shopping again if Weis turns in another bad season.
That said, I think ND will do well next season.
Edit: VVVVVV The same insider said the Gruden rumors are a load of bull and guarantees it won't happen VVVVVVV
January 27th, 2009 at 8:26 PM ^
Gruden to Notre Dame next year. Book it.
As a Michigan fan I'd hate to see it happen. Gruden will have them in a BCS title game in 2-3 years.
January 27th, 2009 at 8:29 PM ^
Seconded.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:22 PM ^
the way Michael Lombardi was talking about him on Jim Rome today. He didn't mention college at all, but he talked about how Gruden falls in love with guys, sticks with them for a little while and then suddenly wants something new and different. Every couple of years he decides he wants to blow up his roster and find a new next best thing. In the NFL it causes a huge problem between him and the GM. In college its taken care of with graduation.
However his offenses are pretty crappy, so I wouldn't book any title games just yet.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:24 PM ^
His offense will be fine at ND. He'd be a terror on the recruiting trail as well.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:58 PM ^
I actually saw similar claims on SI rumor mill
http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/86871-gruden-to-notre-da…
January 27th, 2009 at 8:28 PM ^
I don't think it takes connections to see that ND will can Weis if they suck again next year.
January 27th, 2009 at 8:38 PM ^
the AD pretty much said so when they kept him another year that he was giving him one more year bcuz he had been graduating his players...
January 27th, 2009 at 8:43 PM ^
Karma
January 27th, 2009 at 9:17 PM ^
Book it!
REally now. Even if Weis has a good year, why not still get rid of him since the alums can't stand him. Why keep him around any longer than you have to if he's so despised?
And as for as ND is concerned, the school can go to hell!
January 27th, 2009 at 9:30 PM ^
are the voice of reason...however,image is everything with NL. Hopefully Michigan,will begin the unraveling of fat boy tenure at the school of total irrelevants with a convincing win,having the NL faithful clamoring for change afterward...THE HELL WITH NL!
January 27th, 2009 at 9:48 PM ^
Here's what Simeon Rice had to say
http://www.profootballtalk.com/2009/01/27/simeon-rice-calls-jon-gruden-…
Negative recruiting if I ever saw it.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:52 PM ^
I don't think it'll happen. Gruden doesn't seem to be the type to do what it takes to appease the ND alum and fanbase it it's not what he wants to do or thinks is right. If there ever was a school more in love with itself and its reputation it's Notre Lame. I don't think Gruden is done in the NFL and he'll get some good offers from NFL teams. Had he been fired earlier than 11 days ago, he'd probably have a job in the NFL.
January 27th, 2009 at 9:53 PM ^
The rumor I heard (and yes, because I'm a terrible person, I can't give away who from) is that Meyer would get the job at Notre Dame once Weis was ousted. AND he would bring along our beloved Scot Loeffler to be his offensive coordinator.
But with Weis being gone sooner rather than later, I'm not sure this will happen now since Meyer continually says he will not leave Florida until his kids are out of high school.
Just what I am hearing, FWIW.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:00 PM ^
I have had the feeling for some time that losing him would come back to bite us somehow. He was awesome. But yah yah, system and all.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:21 AM ^
The whole "system" thing is bullshit. Obviously, Urban Meyer isn't too concerned that Loeffler isn't a so called "spread guy." I'd say the fact that the best coach in college football thinks enough of Lefty that he is supposedly going to allow him some input to help coordinate the Gators' passing game should pretty much end the whole "Loeffler can't teach spread QBs" arguement. By the way, according to Tom Kowalski over at Mlive, the Lions were pissed that they couldn't keep Lefty here in Detroit. There were other NFL teams that were interested in him, too, along with Lane Kiffin at Tennessee and Steve Sarkisian at Washington.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:19 PM ^
Will someone explain to me why Loeffler is generally thought of a god, again?
January 28th, 2009 at 1:38 PM ^
(as an assistant and position coach) in the development of a few QBs that made the NFL, he's a favorite of Tom Brady and he's by all accounts an excellent recruiter.
January 27th, 2009 at 11:05 PM ^
A couple of thoughts here.
ND is going to win 8 or 9 games next year. Take a look at their schedule and they have seven easy wins and only one sure thing loss. Throw in toss ups with Michigan, MSU, BC, and Pitt, and 10 wins isn't out of the question.
Jabba the Weis will be in South Bend for a while, assuming that 8 wins are required to fire him. And for this I am thankful. (Just don't let ND hire Brian Kelly.)
2009 Notre Dame Football Schedule
Sept. 5 NEVADA (WIN)
Sept. 12 at Michigan
Sept. 19 MICHIGAN STATE
Sept. 26 at Purdue (WIN)
Oct. 3 WASHINGTON (WIN)
Oct. 10 Open Date
Oct. 17 USC (LOSS)
Oct. 24 BOSTON COLLEGE
Oct. 31 vs. Washington State (at San Antonio, Texas) (WIN)
Nov. 7 NAVY (WIN)
Nov. 14 at Pittsburgh
Nov. 21 CONNECTICUT (WIN)
Nov. 28 at Stanford (WIN)
January 27th, 2009 at 11:52 PM ^
UConn could give them a game, I think.
For my part, let him stay down there as long as he can.
January 28th, 2009 at 9:55 AM ^
Why the hell is Notre Dame playing Wazzu in San Antonio? Do they want 12 people to see it at the Alamodome?
January 28th, 2009 at 12:39 AM ^
Everyone with any ND connections seems to be saying the same thing. Weis is gone if he has another horrific year.
A better topic for speculation would be whether he gets the boot if he gets 8 wins, as he easily should. 9 wins?
January 28th, 2009 at 7:28 AM ^
you don't even need "insider connections" since their AD publicly evaluated Weis after the end of the regular season. This likely means that they were shopping around to see if they could find a good replacement.
My guess is if he "disappoints fans and alumni" (whatever that means, maybe winning 8, losing to major rivals like M, BC, USC...) he will be fired, otherwise he would stay.
January 28th, 2009 at 12:49 AM ^
i have a pretty reliable source from a friend of my brother-in-laws cousin who watched a notre dame football game once and he says that charlie weis is fat
January 28th, 2009 at 2:03 AM ^
So it seems that the ND administration is in quite a dilemma: they are looking for a way to get rid of Weis, but won't be able to if he turns in a good season, which is apparently a likely scenario. I smell drama!
January 28th, 2009 at 7:12 AM ^
Look at Boston College!
January 28th, 2009 at 9:28 AM ^
Yeah, I'd say everyone knows this; Weis doesn't get 9 wins next year, and he's out. Don't need sources and insider connections to figure that one out.
January 28th, 2009 at 11:07 AM ^
With the their favorable schedule weis shouldn't be going anywhere.
The last thing I am worried about is ND, and if I am not mistaken aren't we hoping to just break .500 ala ND '08.