Four off seasons ago, Charlie Weis had just won his forth Super Bowl ring (third as the offensive coordinator in New England) and Notre Dame had lost their seventh straight bowl appearance in a double-digit laugher to Oregon State in the Insight Bowl. Alums voiced that Ty Willingham had to go and when Weis' contract ink dried, the imagination ran wild with the thoughts of a pro offense being orchestrated by the likes of Brady Quinn, Darius Walker and Jeff Samardija. The already monstrous expectations of Notre Dame football had been wed to an already shining star and the marriage was supposed to go harmoniously into the college football honeymoon suite.
And here we are now. The two are still together and the only thing that seems to be growing stronger is the bowl losing streak and the monumental expectations that accompany top 10 recruiting classes. After a solid start in South Bend (which looking back can officially be considered a curse for now ND Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick), the then-administration decided now was the time to lock up their genius for the next decade while the wins poured in. The money has changed hands, nine wins have been accounted for in two seasons and a nation waits for Jimmy Clausen to play within a mile of the bolstered expectations that followed his high school swan-song.
Several fingers continue to be pointed in Weis' direction over the recent futility on offense and the university has seemingly stated,
"We'd love to get rid of you, but it's too expensive right now!" The athletes that have been touted as the best of their class are coming to Notre Dame, only to lose to the likes of Syracuse and be completely embarrassed by supposedly equal talent in USC.
The question that Notre Dame now needs to ask itself is, "How much do we consider ourselves just like every other school in college football?" It cannot be overstated the fact that above all else, Notre Dame places a high standard on academics, regardless of your affiliation with an athletic program. And while FSU stand-out Myron Rolle is the clear exception, most student-athletes look at their majors as nothing more than something Brad Nessler will announce when their names are introduced to the viewing audience. Point blank, no other school outside of the Ivy League asks more of their student-athletes than the hallowed halls of South Bend.
Another part of that question is the need for change that all Division-I football programs seem to have adopted from their NFL counterparts. The idea of being a head coach in college football seems a bit like someone who recently graduated medical school. You are still held to the same regulations and standards that are expected from your senior brethren, but at reduced pay and more intense scrutiny due to the constant questioning of your abilities. Notre Dame is a university that I imagine is above this, however their quick hook of Willingham could lead you to believe that they are actually a product of the Michigan's/Tennessee's out there who hate the idea of a genuinely decent coach who graduates reputable young men, if those young men do not win championships. For the record, all those people who were looking for Weis' head last season as equal footing for Willingham need to look no further than the 0-11 season in Washington to realize that decision needed to be made for the Irish. Willingham is one of the genuinely likable good guys out there so there is no doubt that he'll end up on his feet.
In the end, I, much like the university are at a complete stalemate when it comes with what to do now. Do you choose to accept that Notre Dame is not your typical university when it comes to academics, or do you begin to make questionable recruiting decision by accepting talent who could end up ineligible? Do you completely disregard the good things about Charlie in hopes that someone else could lead this team to more wins? My decision ultimately is that until someone else comes along that you hold to the same high standard you once regarded for Weis himself, you must retain him in hopes that his experience and ability to deal with alums will serve as a funny moment for them all to look back upon. Unfortunately for Weis, that's a luxury even his contract may not afford him.
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