Coaches for the Spring Game 2007

[irishnd31]

Just heard from a friend, who apparently read somewhere on Blue and Gold .com that the coaches for the Spring Game next year are Lou Holtz and Ara Parseghian. I think that is unbelievable what Weis and staff are trying to do in bringing in greats from ND coaching past. You thought it was packed last year? Wait til next.

 

[KMac151993]

If that is true then Weis will be the 3rd best coach on the field that day.

 

[jiggafini19]

If that is true then Weis will be the 3rd best coach on the field that day.

Maybe not.

I don't see Weis running the option with Brady Quinn any time soon.

That will be some day. They still need to choose two more coaches, too. I'm sure they'll get a couple more former players.

 

[KMac151993]

Maybe not.

I don't see Weis running the option with Brady Quinn any time soon.

That will be some day. They still need to choose two more coaches, too. I'm sure they'll get a couple more former players.

Well BQ won't be there and D. Jones will be so therefore he could run the option.

 

[irishnd31]

Maybe not.

I don't see Weis running the option with Brady Quinn any time soon.

That will be some day. They still need to choose two more coaches, too. I'm sure they'll get a couple more former players.

I'm almost positive that Davies and Willingham's invite must not have been delivered yet. Sorry everyone, this was too easy and I had to say it (please don't turn this into 20 pages of Ty hating....PLEASE!!!!)

 

[BigIrish]

Well BQ won't be there and D. Jones will be so therefore he could run the option.

i believe he was making a reference to holtz's insistence on running an option game with a pocket passer (ala powlus and mirer), ie., the proverbial 'square peg into a round hole' offense.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Just heard from a friend, who apparently read somewhere on Blue and Gold .com that the coaches for the Spring Game next year are Lou Holtz and Ara Parseghian. I think that is unbelievable what Weis and staff are trying to do in bringing in greats from ND coaching past. You thought it was packed last year? Wait til next.

could be...but I find it somewhat unlikely...

 

[scooper]

Wow. Getting them is a home run.

 

[Sir John]

Come on the Blue Gold game is after all, not that exciting, 10-7 this year? How we got into option, I'll never know Demi Jones has been warned by Weis not to run. The real thrill of this game will be two Notre Dame legends Ara and Holtz across from each other with the upcoming legend Weis in the middle. Has to be a media frenzy, this will most likely be the last hurrah for the two old guys. Lord would I want pictures and forget who the players are that day. I'm realishing the 'smack talk' between the two of them coming.

 

[irishnd31]

could be...but I find it somewhat unlikely...

Why?

 

[AZIRISHFAN]

If thats turns out to be true they will fill evey seat in the place. Don't forget that will be the 1st chance to see the new "Golden Boy" J.C. take his 1st snaps. So there will be alot of reasons to be there.

I had actually heard this a week or so ago on Myspace but didnt give it too much cred because I read it on a Myspace Blog.

 

[irishnd31]

If thats turns out to be true they will fill evey seat in the place. Don't forget that will be the 1st chance to see the new "Golden Boy" J.C. take his 1st snaps. So there will be alot of reasons to be there.

I had actually heard this a week or so ago on Myspace but didnt give it too much cred because I read it on a Myspace Blog.

Supposedly, CW was at a speaking engagement in NYC and made the announcement there.

 

[jiggafini19]

i believe he was making a reference to holtz's insistence on running an option game with a pocket passer (ala powlus and mirer), ie., the proverbial 'square peg into a round hole' offense.

Yeah. That was pretty much it.

Weis will run the option with the scout team during practice for Navy and Air Force. Other than that, I don't think you'll see too much of it.

Jones never played in an option offense in high school.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

i believe he was making a reference to holtz's insistence on running an option game with a pocket passer (ala powlus and mirer), ie., the proverbial 'square peg into a round hole' offense.

Yup. Holtz pissed away Powlus' talent trying to have him run the ball.

I was a student and saw all the home games in 1995 and 1996. Powlus was so misused it was a joke... A top flight pocket passer and you do this???

In 1995 ND's offense balance looked like this:
TOTAL PLAYS: 801
RUSHING: 562 plays (for 2572 yards...4.5avg)
PASSING: 239att-138cmp-8int (for 2047 yards...8.6 per att & 14.8 per catch)

In 1996 it looked like this:
RUSHING: 567 plays (for 2965 yards...5.2 avg)
PASSING: 250att-145cmp-4int (for 2131 yards...8.5 per att & 14.7 per catch)

Let's talk Weis:
RUSHING: 491 plays (for 1765 yards...3.6 avg)
PASSING: 454att-294cmp-8int (for 3963 yards...8.7 per att & 13.5 per catch)

Now, both the 1995 and 2005 teams ended up 9-3..so the end result was the same. The biggest difference is that the overall talent of the Holtz teams were much higher.

So, simply put, what I see is that Holtz was unwilling to adjust the offense to fit the talent he had. Had he done so we would have made a run at the title in 1995.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Why?

Both Coaches are busy and have been careful to keep their distance. Also, it really seems like a cool idea that someone had...not necessarily something that would actually happen. It also seems odd that this would be decided now...a bit early.

Although, conversely, it COULD happen...Weis might have worked something out with them...but I doubt it.

 

[jiggafini19]

Weis uses the "festival" word when it comes to Spring Practice. It seemed that this past April they were really gearing toward a PR/marketing/recruiting type of approach. This is very possible and almost one year in advance is more than enough time for both men to plan accordingly.

I can buy that Charlie Weis would have his "fingerprints" all over something like this.

(Just like the Clausen presser. Love that fingerprints reference)

 

[KMac151993]

Yup. Holtz pissed away Powlus' talent trying to have him run the ball.

I was a student and saw all the home games in 1995 and 1996. Powlus was so misused it was a joke... A top flight pocket passer and you do this???

In 1995 ND's offense balance looked like this:
TOTAL PLAYS: 801
RUSHING: 562 plays (for 2572 yards...4.5avg)
PASSING: 239att-138cmp-8int (for 2047 yards...8.6 per att & 14.8 per catch)

In 1996 it looked like this:
RUSHING: 567 plays (for 2965 yards...5.2 avg)
PASSING: 250att-145cmp-4int (for 2131 yards...8.5 per att & 14.7 per catch)

Let's talk Weis:
RUSHING: 491 plays (for 1765 yards...3.6 avg)
PASSING: 454att-294cmp-8int (for 3963 yards...8.7 per att & 13.5 per catch)

Now, both the 1995 and 2005 teams ended up 9-3..so the end result was the same. The biggest difference is that the overall talent of the Holtz teams were much higher.

So, simply put, what I see is that Holtz was unwilling to adjust the offense to fit the talent he had. Had he done so we would have made a run at the title in 1995.

I am going to have to disagree with you on that one. That offense was a complete package, yes running the option with Powlus was dumb but how many times during the '95 and '96 season did he do that? That team was loaded with running backs whether it was Autry Denson, Robert Farmer, Randy Kinder or Marc Edwards and a top flight offensive line....if Weis had those kind of people in the backfield and a dominanting run blocking offensive line he would run the ball more. The 2005 team had a little over 600 more yards then the 1996 team of which what 300+ came in the bowl game against OSU which didn't count in 1996 towards overall stats.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

Weis uses the "festival" word when it comes to Spring Practice. It seemed that this past April they were really gearing toward a PR/marketing/recruiting type of approach. This is very possible and almost one year in advance is more than enough time for both men to plan accordingly.

I can buy that Charlie Weis would have his "fingerprints" all over something like this.

(Just like the Clausen presser. Love that fingerprints reference)

If Holtz and Parseghian show up...it's at Charlie's request. They would NEVER even ASK to show up. Because they are extremely considerate people who don't want to step on the current coaches toes.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

I am going to have to disagree with you on that one. That offense was a complete package, yes running the option with Powlus was dumb but how many times during the '95 and '96 season did he do that? That team was loaded with running backs whether it was Autry Denson, Robert Farmer, Randy Kinder or Marc Edwards and a top flight offensive line....if Weis had those kind of people in the backfield and a dominanting run blocking offensive line he would run the ball more. The 2005 team had a little over 600 more yards then the 1996 team of which what 300+ came in the bowl game against OSU which didn't count in 1996 towards overall stats.

I agree the backfield was loaded. But lets face it, Powlus should have been chucking the ball far more.

Also, if the team was SO loaded with talent, why did they not achieve more? The answer: they were misused.

In fact, when I was at ND Holtz was being interviewed by WNDU and he said this:
"If you HAVE to throw the ball, you have lost the game."

I think that's terribly faulty logic...and shows his old school mentality.

 

[KMac151993]

I agree the backfield was loaded. But lets face it, Powlus should have been chucking the ball far more.

Also, if the team was SO loaded with talent, why did they not achieve more? The answer: they were misused.

In fact, when I was at ND Holtz was being interviewed by WNDU and he said this:
"If you HAVE to throw the ball, you have lost the game."

I think that's terribly faulty logic...and shows his old school mentality.

From 1995-1996 the Irish went 17-6....so by your logic every team since 1993 has achieved nothing, because the talent level has been there, but just misused like you said. And what is wrong with the statement about throwing the ball.....if you can average more then 5 yards a rush why throw the ball.....you could view Weis's statment in the BYU game the same way when he said he was going to keep throwing because they weren't stopping it.

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

Two Fantastic choices

Maybe Joe Montana will come back again and work with JC, DJ and the crew

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

From 1995-1996 the Irish went 17-6....so by your logic every team since 1993 has achieved nothing, because the talent level has been there, but just misused like you said.

Well, from 1997-2004 I would agree...the team did not achieve what they should have. They underachieved.

Holtz was too entrenched and was not evolving. (he has even talked about this)
Bob Davie (no offensive identity)
Ty Willingham (just bad coaching)

In 2005, Weis took players who were not as good as Holtz and went 9-3. In the coming year we expect a bit more. In 2007 I expect LESS...we will lose so many people. In 2008, I expect a LOT.

And what is wrong with the statement about throwing the ball.....if you can average more then 5 yards a rush why throw the ball.....you could view Weis's statment in the BYU game the same way when he said he was going to keep throwing because they weren't stopping it.

Everything is wrong with that statement. You do what it takes to win. Holtz believed that you needed to be able to establish the running game to win. That's just not the case.

You need to move the damn ball and score. It does not matter whether you run or pass...you need to score.

To say "If you have to throw the ball you have already lost" is crap.

BYU is the PERFECT example. Weis was unable to run the ball...so we PASSED. And we won.

 

[jiggafini19]

If Holtz and Parseghian show up...it's at Charlie's request. They would NEVER even ASK to show up. Because they are extremely considerate people who don't want to step on the current coaches toes.

Of COURSE.

Zorich, Montana, Theisman and Brown never requested to be there. Nor did Bettis, the Golics and Rocket.

Imagine it, though. Makes for some real good pub. Weis knows what he's doing.

I nominate Tom Thayer and Tony Rice.

 

[onenybrother]

who cares

who cares

Who coaches the spring games doesn't matter. But I will admit that Bringing back some of then old guard by Weiss is fanastic.

 

[KMac151993]

Well, from 1997-2004 I would agree...the team did not achieve what they should have. They underachieved.

Holtz was too entrenched and was not evolving. (he has even talked about this)
Bob Davie (no offensive identity)
Ty Willingham (just bad coaching)

In 2005, Weis took players who were not as good as Holtz and went 9-3. In the coming year we expect a bit more. In 2007 I expect LESS...we will lose so many people. In 2008, I expect a LOT.



Everything is wrong with that statement. You do what it takes to win. Holtz believed that you needed to be able to establish the running game to win. That's just not the case.

You need to move the damn ball and score. It does not matter whether you run or pass...you need to score.

To say "If you have to throw the ball you have already lost" is crap.

BYU is the PERFECT example. Weis was unable to run the ball...so we PASSED. And we won.

And Holtz ran the ball and we won, either way both coaches whether it was 1995 or 2005 both outcomes were the same.

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

And Holtz ran the ball and we won, either way both coaches whether it was 1995 or 2005 both outcomes were the same.

Actually, Holtz ran the ball and mostly won his final 3 years. He was loaded with talent like we DON'T have today...and went 6-5-1, 9-3, 8-3.

And he still stuck to an outdated rule: if you have to pass you've already lost.

Yet he had a good pocket passer...and he wasted that talent.

What would Weis say??? If we have to run we've lost? If we have to pass we've lost? He wouldn't...he would say "if you can put up points you lose."

You do what it takes to win, you do not assume that you need one particular aspect of your game to win.

Run first, pass second? = Old School, Outdated, and stupid.
Run or Pass, WHICHEVER WORKS in a given situation = how to win