Next Coach as well as some rumors

[Newc]

John, I always respect your posts as they are always well founded and backed up with real evidence, which is why I ask you in particular, but ofsourse this question is open to all.

The whole debate about Weis being a motivator and getting through to these kids at times has me really confused. I played football since I was in fifth grade and have always had an absolute passion for the game. However, God only blessed me with a 5'10'' frame and only moderate talent, no where near what is needed to play at a college like Notre Dame. I have had great coaches and horrible coaches throughout my playing years, but I always based that judgement on their knowledge and how they called a game. Ofcourse coaches always had their ways to pump up a team, and I've seen a ton of different ways in which they motivate their players, but we as players always felt it responsible to motivate ourselves and others as well.

Ofcourse as a head coach you are responsible for everything, including letting a team not get too low or too high, but as one of the captains of my high school football team I, along with the other captains, took a very personal interst in the morale of our teammates. I always thought that was the responsiblity of the captains and veteran players since they have the closest link to the players. The thing about high school and college players is that they are significantly younger and have very different life experiences than their coaches, which is why alot falls on the shoulders of the team captains and veterans. I always viewed our role as a go between for the players and coaches. As players we could relate to our peers much better and help the coaches understand the problems or concerns that would arrise in the locker room and on the field. There were many times that we would handle the problems ourselves without needing to get the coaches involved and there were times that involving a coach was neccessary.

So here is my question (finally). The players that are recruited and playing at a university such as Notre Dame, shouldn't they be highly self-motivated to begin with. You can't get to this level having needed to be pushed to perform all your life right? I understand that there is very much a need for your coach to keep your head up and keep you fighting, but all the blame can't fall on the coaches can it? Where are the captains and the veteran players? Why aren't they in charge of getting their peers fired up and fighting for the same goal? This isn't a rambuncious kindergarten classroom, Charlie can't be responsible for getting all his kids to calm down and finger paint the same Thanksgiving Turkey. I guess what my point is, is that we all have heard about some of the players having problems with others which may or may not be true, but I can't help but believe that some of the hardships that ND has gone through this year is partially the fault of the players as well. I can't imagine going to ND and not playing my guts out every minute of every game, wearing the blue and gold would be a constant motivator for me and I really hoped that we got kids that felt the same way and that we continue to get kids that share that sentiment.

I'm not trying to let Weis off the hook here at all, but it just seems that argument after arguement places the entire load of blame on Charlie. I like the guy, I like his attitude with the media and think he is what a "football" guy should be, so maybe I am biased with my views here. But I also expect a lot more from the players themselves here at ND. I know in college I thought I was hot shit, as I can imagine many of the ND football players would think as well, so I don't understand why they themselves can't get up for a game. They have been playing forever and have experienced the spectrum of emotions throughout the years of playing, they shoud be ready for this.

I don't know, I may be way off base here, but I think its just so much easier to attack our coach because he willingly takes all the blame publicly and we very rarely see the players and get their personal reactions. But I really think its time to wonder what the actions of some of our team leaders are. I can't believe that guys like Crum would want to come back if Weis is such a poor people person and can't motivate our players. I tend to think its more of a problem of personality and attitude of a select few that has hurt our team this year.

I would really like to hear what you guys think, without all the irrational slams and such.

 

[WeisWeisBaby]

I agree a lot with your views, I think a lot has to be placed on the players themselves...but most importantly, we are lacking a lot of older players. Sure, leaders are great, but when you have full class of seniors I really think the younger players tend to see how things are done, and this group of older players act as one big leader for the entire team. We are missing that right now, and I think that does play a minimal role in why we are experiencing a bad year.

 

[johnnd05]

Newc,

You're right that players ought to be self-motivated. But that can be tough, especially when you're in the midst of a dreadful season like this one. It's also easy to get a big flat at times - the UM game last year was a case of this, and I remember people talking about how the ND campus /itself/ was remarkably quiet in the build-up to that game. These kids are dealing with classes, personal stuff, and a zillion other distractions on top of the huge amount of mental effort that it takes to be a D-I football player under a coach like Weis. When things go wrong - and I mean REALLY wrong, like they did right from the start of this year with the losses, the Jones situation, etc. - the coaches need to step up and help guide the players through it. The Air Force loss strikes me as a paradigm of the many times this year when that hasn't happened.

At the end of the day, though, talking just about "motivation" doesn't fill out the whole picture. I guess what I really had in mind is that one crucial job of a HC is making sure that players are /mentally prepared/: not committing lots of dumb penalties, not dropping balls or missing open receivers, not getting burned or run over on easy tackles, etc. There's been LOTS of this kind of stuff this year - and last, to some extent - and I do think that it points to some significant problems in the job Weis has done of coaching the team.

 

[Newc]

I just read through the "Mystery Player" thread and came away INCREDIBLY optimistic about our future and our coach. That was exactly what I was talking about in my above post, players taking it apon themselves to make a difference. I'm even more encouraged that it is a sophmore who has taken this step. I don't want to bring up another Weis v. Willingham debate, but I really think there is obvious difference in the type of player Weis is able to get to come play at ND.

 

[Newc]

John, I know what you mean. A coach can never let his players get too low or too high, that is one of his very important jobs. I just can't help but feel that there is more going on with some of the older players that we know about and with the transition that Weis is trying to impliment that not everyone is on board and it puts Weis is a bad position because he needs those older players as well.

Like I said, I may be way off here, but I don't think this year is the best indication of how this team is run or how we will perform in the years to come. You never know, this could be a huge motivating factor for the players at ND to use in years to come.