Badgers' Barry Alvarez Interested in Irish; Fassel Not Interested

[EnviedOne]

Who wants the ND coaching position?

The man some Notre Dame fans hoped would be their next head football coach will instead be roaming the sidelines in Florida next year. With Urban Meyer off the market, many are wondering whom Irish eyes turning too?

The search for a new coach goes on and NewsCenter 16 has learned that a list of potential candidates is or has been prepared.

Sources in both the NFL and college football said Monday that one big name candidate would love to talk with Notre Dame is Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez.

The Irish wouldn't have to talk with the Badgers athletic director for permission to speak with Alvarez because he is the athletic director in Madison.

Calls to Alvarez have not been returned as of the middle of the afternoon, but a source very close to Alvarez said the Badgers coach would take the Notre Dame job if it were offered.

Alvarez has built Wisconsin into a big 10 power and he knows Notre Dame having served as defensive coordinator under Lou Holtz in 1988 and 1989.

Some around the NFL are thinking Charlie Weis, the offensive coordinator of the Patriots, may be on the list.

Weis, is a 1978 graduate of Notre Dame, but never played college football. He's the architect of the two New England Super Bowl championship teams on offense. He has no head coaching experience.

Former Giants head coach Jim Fassel is making sure his name is being mentioned, not only for the Notre Dame job but for the coaching position at Stanford. Fassel is currently on the Ravens staff. He took the Giants to the Super Bowl a few years ago before losing to Baltimore.

Late Monday afternoon, there are reports that Fassel is not interested in the job.

One name that had been mentioned, Jeff Tedford of California, has reportedly signed a contract extension to coach the Golden Bears.

URL: http://www.wndu.com/sports/122004/sports_38857.php

[QueensNY]

Alvarez is an outstanding coach. He's not the best recruiter from the classes I've seen him bring in at Wisconsin. However Wisconsin is a very tough place to recruit. The guy knows notre dame. wouldn't be my top choice, Petrino's my top choice right now. I want someone who's gonna open up the offense. ND's offense has been so hard to look at over the years.

I hear alvarez has some baggage though. Something about a former cheerleader he had something with. Don't know the whole story. Does any1 here know about that?

[irishtexan]

ive never heard about this. is it true? i would love to see nd open the offense up too, the last couple years have been bad to watch. i hope we get a quality coach though, and if possible fast, because the recruiting race is heating up now. i know this coach has to be quality, but recruits are marking nd off their lists left and right.

[no_apologist]

I must point out that the coaching search, much as it was three years ago, must exclude most NFL candidates worth anything. Guys like Weis, and (my man) Clements are going to be tied up through late January which is way too late to sign a coach, get him on campus, get a skeleton staff together and recruit anyone. This happened with Jon Gruden and with the Patriots probably going to the Super Bowl this year, Weis is going to be tied up all through January. Even with the Bills coming on strong, they may not get far into the playoffs (provided they make it, period). Even so, Clements will be tied up into January. It looks like ND may have to SETTLE for a college coach. Again, two of the top candidates (Hawkins of Boise State and Petrino of Louisville) play each other in the Notre Dame Audition Bowl on December 31st. There is no guarantee that either one will say "yes" even then. Who can we pick from then? R.C. Slocum? Jimmy Johnson? Has Bellotti's stock dropped too far?

Let me stir the pot some more. Let's get a new A.D. Ohio State has Archie Griffin. USC has Mike Garrett. ND NEEDS Jim Lynch. Somebody start the DRAFTJIMLYNCH.COM site!