The Firing Line: Weis Hanging By a Thread at ND

“The Firing Line” at Football Rumor Mill focuses on coaches around the country who are in serious jeopardy. The latest edition centers on Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis…

To fire Charlie Weis, the man in charge of that business, it will cost Notre Dame nearly half that sum. Following reports this week that Weis’ buyout ranges from “loose change” per the Chicago Tribune to “stupefying” per ESPN, Irish Illustrated has learned that figure is at least $10 million. Weis signed a 10-year contract midway through his first season in South Bend, not long after he moved into his Guglielmino Center office, complete with a balcony overlooking Notre Dame’s outdoor practice fields. Now there’s a distinct possibility a new coach will inhabit that work space next season. – Irish Illustrated

fter an embarrassing home loss to 2-8 Syracuse, Charlie Weis’ job security is sticky at best.  From what I’ve heard and gathered, I think we may be on the lookout for a new coach if Notre Dame loses it’s final regular season game against the Trojans of Southern California.  When there’s smoke, there’s fire, and we haven’t heard a peep out of new Irish AD Jack Swarbrick about a public backing of the 4th-year head coach.  We’ve also heard that some of the people who’s opinion actually matters (Fr. Jenkins and the Board of Trustees) have not been happy with Charlie since the disastrous 3-9 campaign a year ago. – Rakes of Mallow

If this indeed was Charlie Weis’ swan song, it sounded a lot like one of those “American Idol” outtakes – off-key and painful to the senses. Offensively inept and defensively worn out, Notre Dame limped to the regular-season finish line with a 38-3 defeat at rival USC, the Trojans’ seventh straight victory in the series. – Blue and Gold

They should make the decision because either they believe that Weis is not the man for the job, or because they think he may indeed be and that the risk of firing him outweighs the reward. If they don’t like the direction of the program, they should not retain him for a fifth season out of some flimsy, arbitrary moral obligation. – South Bend Tribune