Notre Dame coaching situation a losing cause

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By Doug Harris, Staff Writer 2:19 AM Thursday, November 12, 2009

I don’t like to pile on when a guy is getting hammered by the media and fans, but I’ve looked over the data and don’t see how Notre Dame can keep Charlie Weis for another season.

The 10-year, $40-million contract extension he signed just seven games into his maiden season would be hard to eat, but the Irish no doubt could line up a few deep-pocketed alumni willing to donate to the buy-out fund.

ND watered down its schedule this season, and Weis still has gone just 6-3. The home loss to Navy last week may have been the coup de grace. Since 2007, Weis is 16-18. And here’s an even more telling stat: in his last 19 games against winning teams, he’s gone 3-16.

But Irish fans shouldn’t be too confident about being able to find a savior. The ND job is a career killer. Weis’ two predecessors, Ty Willingham and Bob Davie, were both fired. Before that, Lou Holtz quit because the pressure became too much to bear.

Stringent admission standards and impossibly high expectations convinced Urban Meyer to pick Florida over Notre Dame after coaching Utah to a BCS bowl in 2004. And Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly — the hottest name in the profession today — would think twice about making the plunge for those same reasons.

The Irish need to make a move, but I wouldn’t count on a slew of quality candidates lining up to take Weis’ place.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or at dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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