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http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2005-09-01-weis_x.htm
Weis' past success spurs Irish optimism
By Malcolm Moran, USA TODAY
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The precise nature of Charlie Weis has already defined the moment that is soon to arrive. As a Notre Dame graduate but not a player, the head coach of the Fighting Irish was taught the demanding language spoken in the stands at Notre Dame Stadium. He has lived the conversation on the long drive to see the Irish in a big game — and the inevitable dissection on the way home.
"We'll see how popular I am Sunday," Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis says of fans who are excited for the team's opener Saturday at Pitt.
By Joe Raymond, AP
As his Irish prepared for the start of his first season as coach, a nationally televised game at Pittsburgh, Weis' understanding of the occasion was as exact as his play selection in the opening series. (Related item: Wanstedt opens against familiar foe)
'"'The honeymoon officially ends," Weis says, '"'Saturday night at 8:07."
Then what? Notre Dame is starting over after a disruptive offseason marked by the sudden, unexpected and controversial firing of coach Tyrone Willingham, the unsuccessful pursuit of former Irish assistant Urban Meyer and the hiring of Weis, the offensive coordinator for the three-time NFL champion New England Patriots.
For this generation of players, and their 11-13 record in the past two seasons, the demands might have become more intense than the ones in place when they arrived.
'"'We're looking to prove a point," says junior safety Tom Zbikowski, a leader of a defensive unit that allowed an average of 281.2 passing yards last year, 116th in the nation and most in school history.
'"'Football success at Notre Dame is not negotiable," athletics director Kevin White says. '"'We are thrilled about the impact that Charlie has had on our program since Dec. 12. He has obviously surrounded himself with an outstanding staff — in my view, one of the best staffs in the country, if not the very best in the nation.
Family reunion for Irish QB
Notre Dame's Brandon Harris will be thrilled to see his parents Saturday night.
The senior reserve quarterback, who was recently shocked to learn he had earned a scholarship after being a walk-on, will gather with parents Tyrone and Beryl after the Irish open the season at Pittsburgh on Saturday.
They evacuated their home in New Orleans before the arrival of Hurricane Katrina and have since been in Shreveport, La.
Harris said they do not know the condition of their home.
Harris, a converted wide receiver with 4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash, is a violinist and music major. He did not go out for football his first two years at Notre Dame. He was concerned the demands of his music studies wouldn't allow time for playing.
He was resting at the end of practice Aug. 22 when coach Charlie Weis surprised him by announcing to the team that he was on scholarship.
"It's hard to believe this is really happening all at the same time," Harris said of the scholarship promotion and the hurricane.
By Malcolm Moran
'"'Charlie is very bright. He's authentic. He's tireless. And he's got a track record of success to support our inordinate optimism."
In his 5 1/2 years as athletics director, White has observed that the more he discovers about Notre Dame, the more he realizes he has to learn. But in that one word — inordinate — he captured the outlook of an intimately involved fan base.
Check its definition: Unregulated. Disorderly. Extraordinary. Immoderate.
Fans whose passions began, in some cases, with the placement of a tiny blue and gold football in a crib have created a level of optimism these fans and alumni, subway and otherwise, have not expressed since Lou Holtz's first season in 1986.
That journey began with the conflicting emotions of a grateful standing ovation that followed a one-point home loss to Michigan. This trip begins on a national stage at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field, when Weis and Dave Wannstedt of the Panthers will stand on opposite sidelines in their first games as head coach at their alma maters.
'"'We'll see how popular I am Sunday," Weis says. '"'You know how that goes."
More than time for change
The renewed expectation is inspired by the luster of the three Super Bowl rings Weis earned on Bill Belichick's New England staff and an understanding of Notre Dame football history.
The hopes are reinforced by the opening of the 95,840-square-foot Guglielmino Athletics Complex.
The '"'Goog," a state-of-the-art training and office complex northeast of the stadium, includes a recruiting lounge with views of campus landmarks and the two-story mural of a championship legacy.
That history includes an emotional pendulum, dramatic changes in fortune for more than a half century since the end of the era of legendary coach Frank Leahy in 1953, from championship-caliber success to the frustration of falling back to the pack.
Notre Dame has not won a bowl game since the 1994 Cotton Bowl. In the 11 seasons since, the Irish have produced three NFL first-round picks, none higher than 19th.
A Notre Dame player has not placed in Heisman Trophy voting since Reggie Brooks finished fifth in 1992.
But as happens so often, the context of Notre Dame's success or failure can be linked to something that happened.
'"'It's really time to find out a little bit of a measuring stick of where we are on defense," says new defensive coordinator Rick Minter, the former University of Cincinnati head coach.
Gaining confidence
When Minter joined Holtz's staff in a similar capacity for the 1992 season, the Irish were coming off a season in which they had allowed an average of 204.8 rushing yards, 84th in the nation. Two seasons later, Minter's defense reduced that rushing average to 89.6 yards, fourth best.
'"'He told us about that," Zbikowski says.
'"'When he came in, Notre Dame didn't have much defense stopping the run. That's a comfort level, learning his defense and seeing results from it."
Zbikowski will be joined by three new starters in the backfield: senior cornerback Mike Richardson, junior cornerback Ambrose Wooden and junior safety Chinedum Ndukwe.
'"'I think they're much more confident in their own playmaking ability ... and I think they trust Coach (Bill) Lewis and Coach Minter that the scheme is going to put them into a position to make plays," Weis says of his defenders. "That was an issue walking in the door here. I think their confidence was a bit shattered."
The growth of confidence took place day by day through the spring and summer.
'"'I don't really think it was one moment where you can say, "All right guys, from this day forward, we're going to get better,' " senior linebacker and defensive captain Brandon Hoyte says. '"'No. It's over a time period. ... We have built such a strong bond and trust. I'm talking about from player to coach.
'"'If you're looking for one big thing that might have happened, I can't give you the date, but there's no doubt in our minds as far as trust."
Weis' past success spurs Irish optimism
By Malcolm Moran, USA TODAY
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The precise nature of Charlie Weis has already defined the moment that is soon to arrive. As a Notre Dame graduate but not a player, the head coach of the Fighting Irish was taught the demanding language spoken in the stands at Notre Dame Stadium. He has lived the conversation on the long drive to see the Irish in a big game — and the inevitable dissection on the way home.
"We'll see how popular I am Sunday," Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis says of fans who are excited for the team's opener Saturday at Pitt.
By Joe Raymond, AP
As his Irish prepared for the start of his first season as coach, a nationally televised game at Pittsburgh, Weis' understanding of the occasion was as exact as his play selection in the opening series. (Related item: Wanstedt opens against familiar foe)
'"'The honeymoon officially ends," Weis says, '"'Saturday night at 8:07."
Then what? Notre Dame is starting over after a disruptive offseason marked by the sudden, unexpected and controversial firing of coach Tyrone Willingham, the unsuccessful pursuit of former Irish assistant Urban Meyer and the hiring of Weis, the offensive coordinator for the three-time NFL champion New England Patriots.
For this generation of players, and their 11-13 record in the past two seasons, the demands might have become more intense than the ones in place when they arrived.
'"'We're looking to prove a point," says junior safety Tom Zbikowski, a leader of a defensive unit that allowed an average of 281.2 passing yards last year, 116th in the nation and most in school history.
'"'Football success at Notre Dame is not negotiable," athletics director Kevin White says. '"'We are thrilled about the impact that Charlie has had on our program since Dec. 12. He has obviously surrounded himself with an outstanding staff — in my view, one of the best staffs in the country, if not the very best in the nation.
Family reunion for Irish QB
Notre Dame's Brandon Harris will be thrilled to see his parents Saturday night.
The senior reserve quarterback, who was recently shocked to learn he had earned a scholarship after being a walk-on, will gather with parents Tyrone and Beryl after the Irish open the season at Pittsburgh on Saturday.
They evacuated their home in New Orleans before the arrival of Hurricane Katrina and have since been in Shreveport, La.
Harris said they do not know the condition of their home.
Harris, a converted wide receiver with 4.4-second speed in the 40-yard dash, is a violinist and music major. He did not go out for football his first two years at Notre Dame. He was concerned the demands of his music studies wouldn't allow time for playing.
He was resting at the end of practice Aug. 22 when coach Charlie Weis surprised him by announcing to the team that he was on scholarship.
"It's hard to believe this is really happening all at the same time," Harris said of the scholarship promotion and the hurricane.
By Malcolm Moran
'"'Charlie is very bright. He's authentic. He's tireless. And he's got a track record of success to support our inordinate optimism."
In his 5 1/2 years as athletics director, White has observed that the more he discovers about Notre Dame, the more he realizes he has to learn. But in that one word — inordinate — he captured the outlook of an intimately involved fan base.
Check its definition: Unregulated. Disorderly. Extraordinary. Immoderate.
Fans whose passions began, in some cases, with the placement of a tiny blue and gold football in a crib have created a level of optimism these fans and alumni, subway and otherwise, have not expressed since Lou Holtz's first season in 1986.
That journey began with the conflicting emotions of a grateful standing ovation that followed a one-point home loss to Michigan. This trip begins on a national stage at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field, when Weis and Dave Wannstedt of the Panthers will stand on opposite sidelines in their first games as head coach at their alma maters.
'"'We'll see how popular I am Sunday," Weis says. '"'You know how that goes."
More than time for change
The renewed expectation is inspired by the luster of the three Super Bowl rings Weis earned on Bill Belichick's New England staff and an understanding of Notre Dame football history.
The hopes are reinforced by the opening of the 95,840-square-foot Guglielmino Athletics Complex.
The '"'Goog," a state-of-the-art training and office complex northeast of the stadium, includes a recruiting lounge with views of campus landmarks and the two-story mural of a championship legacy.
That history includes an emotional pendulum, dramatic changes in fortune for more than a half century since the end of the era of legendary coach Frank Leahy in 1953, from championship-caliber success to the frustration of falling back to the pack.
Notre Dame has not won a bowl game since the 1994 Cotton Bowl. In the 11 seasons since, the Irish have produced three NFL first-round picks, none higher than 19th.
A Notre Dame player has not placed in Heisman Trophy voting since Reggie Brooks finished fifth in 1992.
But as happens so often, the context of Notre Dame's success or failure can be linked to something that happened.
'"'It's really time to find out a little bit of a measuring stick of where we are on defense," says new defensive coordinator Rick Minter, the former University of Cincinnati head coach.
Gaining confidence
When Minter joined Holtz's staff in a similar capacity for the 1992 season, the Irish were coming off a season in which they had allowed an average of 204.8 rushing yards, 84th in the nation. Two seasons later, Minter's defense reduced that rushing average to 89.6 yards, fourth best.
'"'He told us about that," Zbikowski says.
'"'When he came in, Notre Dame didn't have much defense stopping the run. That's a comfort level, learning his defense and seeing results from it."
Zbikowski will be joined by three new starters in the backfield: senior cornerback Mike Richardson, junior cornerback Ambrose Wooden and junior safety Chinedum Ndukwe.
'"'I think they're much more confident in their own playmaking ability ... and I think they trust Coach (Bill) Lewis and Coach Minter that the scheme is going to put them into a position to make plays," Weis says of his defenders. "That was an issue walking in the door here. I think their confidence was a bit shattered."
The growth of confidence took place day by day through the spring and summer.
'"'I don't really think it was one moment where you can say, "All right guys, from this day forward, we're going to get better,' " senior linebacker and defensive captain Brandon Hoyte says. '"'No. It's over a time period. ... We have built such a strong bond and trust. I'm talking about from player to coach.
'"'If you're looking for one big thing that might have happened, I can't give you the date, but there's no doubt in our minds as far as trust."
