/ ^ \ THE bserver OThe Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Marys VOLUME 39 : ISSUE 67 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2004 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM Weis here to win 'My job here is to raise [the] expectations.' giving our students a superb By HEATHER education and excelling on the VAN HOEGARDEN field,” University President­ News Writer elect Father John Jenkins said. “Meeting all of these goals is a When he was unemployed 15 tremendous challenge. But I years ago, a job as the Notre believe we have found a person Dame head football coach was in Charlie Weis who can lead us the farthest thing from his to such multifaceted success.” mind. But Sunday, things came Weis said he didn’t come to full circle for Charlie Weis, as Notre Dame to lose football he was named the head football games. He expects nothing less coach at his alma mater, sign­ than winning football games in ing a six-year deal. a program that hasn’t posted “This is obviously a high-pro­ back-to-back winning seasons file, big-time job, but it’s one since 1997 and 1998 under Bob that I, a long, long time ago Davie. thought ‘wouldn’t that be some­ “You are w hat you are folks, thing if you could ever be the right now you’re a 6-5 football head coach at Notre Dame,”’ team,” Weis said. “And guess Weis, a 1978 Notre Dame grad­ what — that’s just not good uate who didn’t play football for enough. That’s not good enough the Irish, said at Monday’s for you, and it’s certainly not press conference. “You know going to be good enough for when we all grow up we have me. aspirations.” “So if you think they hired me Weis, was without a job in to go .500, you’ve got the wrong 1989 after South Carolina guy.” coach Joe Morrison died, and Weis especially emphasized as a result, he lost his assistant the new attitude he wants to job. He then became a high bring to Notre Dame. He knows school head coach for a year the Irish play a tough schedule, before coaching in the NFL. The playing four of the first five last five years, Weis has been games on road next season, the offensive coordinator of the including Michigan and New England Patriots, winning Pittsburgh. But despite claims two Super Bowl titles. that the schedule is too tough, “At the University of Notre Weis wants his team to play Dame, the success in our foot­ with arrogance, a sense that CLAIRE KELLEY/The Observer ball program consists of three Notre Dame formally announced Charlie Weis as the 28th head coach of the Irish Monday. Weis, things—acting with integrity, see WEIS/page 2 current offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, graduated from Notre Dame in 1978. Monk clarifies remarks, supports Weis White outlines By MATT LOZAR News Writer extensive search After expressing public embarrassment last week about By MATT LOZAR the decision to fire Tyrone Willingham, University President News Writer Father Edward Malloy explained his attention-grabbing remarks Monday and offered his support for Charlie Weis. Notre Dame athletic director Kevin White claims “I was not a definitive voice and I was not the one who he doesn’t know any of the details about the initiated the action. The impression had been gained that I nationwide media speculation surrounding the was, and I was simply trying to clarify the record that 1 Irish coaching search. wasn’t and had a disagreement about that choice,” Malloy He didn’t ready any of the articles. said. “But people of goodwill can disagree about such m at­ “I’ve had the blinders on. I haven’t read any of ters, and I don’t want that to stand in the way of good rela­ your articles. I really haven’t. I’m sure some of tionship with coach Weis.” them were terrific and some weren’t very good. I During the course of the football season, Malloy met with can’t speak to that,” White said. “What I can tell Irish athletic director Kevin White on many occasions to you is my focus has been on hiring the next foot­ discuss the direction of the program. Malloy felt the GEOFF MATTESON/The Observer University President Father Edward Malloy responds ball coach. I worked really hard not to be defo­ University had chosen Willingham as its coach and barring to questions. cused by everything that’s going on.” tragic events that coach should have a time span that is Over the 10-day search. White said Monday generally five years. there were an unquantifiable number of conversa­ Malloy made his comments at the panel titled “Role of did, and I have nothing else to say about that.” tions with potential prospects in the college and the President or Chancellor in Overseeing Intercollegiate During this presidential transition process, long-term NFL worlds. The University utilized one outside Athletics" at the Sports Business Journal’s Intercollegiate decisions like a football coaching change affect both the search consultant, Gene Corrigan, a former Notre Athletics Forum. He was on the panel along with presi­ current and future administrations. Malloy deferred to Dame athletic director and former commissioner dents from Ohio State and Vanderbilt and Myles Brand, University President-elect Father John Jenkins at this time, of the Atlantic Coast Conference. president of the NCAA. following University President Emeritus Theodore White said five candidates were interviewed for­ In June 2001, the Knight Commission published “A Call Hesburgh’s example. mally for the head coach position left vacant by the to Action: Reconnecting College Sports and Higher “I feel in the administration here we have a very harmo­ Nov. 30 firing of Tyrone Willingham. Education." Monday, Malloy cited one of the report’s princi­ nious group,” Malloy said. “The transition has gone well Two candidates had conversations with ples that states the responsibility and authority for the with Father Jenkins, and I have talked about all the signifi­ University representatives about specific compen­ administration of the athletics department are vested in the cant matters along the way and when I pass along the sation details. president. This includes issues related to basic policies, mantle. I have great confidence in the job he’ll do and all On Friday, a number of different groups talked personnel and finances. the people who assist him.” by phone with coach Charlie Weis before the offer “I was in a long-established commitment for a confer­ After the turmoil during the past two weeks, Jenkins was made that evening. ence in New York,” Malloy said. “The other people that feels Notre Dame is “absolutely” ready to put all of the criti­ The student-athlete transition team of Victor were on it were all people I know. The things we talked cism behind it and move on. He said Notre Dame is ready Abiamiri, Anthony Fasano, Brady Quinn, Brandon about were all serious. to put it in the rearview mirror and move forward. Hoyte, Justin Tuck and Ryan Harris talked with “I knew I was probably going to be asked and was expecting that. I wanted to clarify my position, which I felt I see MALLOY/page 3 see WHITE/page 3 page 2 The Observer ♦ NF.XX^S Tuesday, December 14, 2004 T he O bserver . The Independent, Daily Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary'sStudents voice optimism about Weis P.O. Box Q. Norrc Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Noire Danic, IN 46556 programs in the country, so like a good second choice ... he on-field record Notre Dame By CLAIRE HEININGER hopefully he can bring that to seemed like a very straightfor­ requires. E d i t o r in C h ie f News Editor Notre Dame,” Moller said. ward guy, and he’ll do a good “[Firing Willingham] was M att Lozar “[But] it’s going to take wins on job with the X’s and 0 ’s.” kind of a necessary step to get M a n a g i n g E d i t o r B u s in e s s M a n a g e r If first impressions are any the football field ... if Charlie Freshman Michael Verdeyen, us where the University wants Meghanne Downes Mike Flanagan indication, new head football Weis can’t perform, he should who followed the coaching to go with the football pro­ A ss r. M anaging Editor coach Charlie Weis and the be fired, and we should bring search, said he and his friends gram,” he said. “But Joe Hettlcr Notre Dame student body will someone else in.” had mixed feelings about the “[Willingham] did some great make a strong match. It is “absolutely a realistic hiring but looked forward to things off the field and I really N e w s E d i t o r : Claire Heiningcr Whether or not they favored possibility for the offensive respect him for all that he did.” V i e w p o i n t E d i t o r : Sarah Vabulas the firing of former coach the Weis-led magic the coordi­ In the eyes of senior Sarah S p o r t s E d i t o r : Heather Van Hopgarden Tyrone Willingham, most stu­ Irish to return “[Weis] seems like nator could bring Wallace, it will be difficult for S c e n e E d i t o r : Maria Smith dents were optimistic Monday to national to South Bend.