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Many are wondering if Saturday was the last home game Charlie Weis will coach for Notre Dame. The Irish head coach isn't really answering questions about his future. (The Daily News/Kelly Sweeney)
By SCOTT NOVAK
Niles Daily Star
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – After failing to answer questions about his future following Saturday’s 33-30 overtime loss to Connecticut, Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis wasn’t any more forthcoming Sunday at his weekly post game press conference.
Weis continues to dodge the questions about whether or not he will coach the Fighting Irish beyond this season or if a decision has been made about his future.
At the Saturday press conference Weis said instead of talking about himself, he was more concerned about the 33 seniors who had just lost their final game at Notre Dame Stadium, a shocker in overtime to the Huskies, who rallied from a 14-0 first half deficit.
Weis told reporters gathered for what might be his final game at the stadium as well, he would worry about himself latter.
“Today’s not the day for me to reflect on things like that,” he responded to the question. “I mean today’s the day for me to be worrying about those guys, those 33 guys. I really feel absolutely miserable for those 33 guys.
“And as I said the other day and I’ve never been a hypocrite before, I come in here and start talking about me I’m really barking up the wrong tree, because those guys are the guys I should feel for today. I’ll worry about me tomorrow. But I think today I should be worrying about them,” he added.
So the first question out of the box on Sunday was of course about the direction of the program and his future.
Again, Weis dodged the subject.
“Not to be evasive, but I’m going to tell you that I think that I’m going to need some significant time to get to that point,” Weis answered. “It’s Thanksgiving week. Guys coming off of an overtime loss. It’s an emotional loss for the 33 seniors. You’ve got a shortened week with Thanksgiving day coming. No school on Wednesday. We get off schedule. Fly out early on Friday for a West Coast trip.
“I think that the most important thing for Coach Weis and the coaching staff are to make sure we do all we can to give our players the best plan to be in position to beat Stanford.
“And that might sound like coach-speak, but it’s also reality. And I think that we’ll have plenty of time for me to answer that question more in detail at a later date. But right now I think the most important thing is for us to do what we do on a weekly basis. And Sunday is a day where we go over the previous day, get a running look in, do our scouting report on Stanford, and move forward.”
Weis was able to field a few football related questions before the focused returned to him and the program.
And since the focus for the past few weeks have been on comments Weis made earlier in his career, another was thrown up in his face on Sunday.
One of those comments was that going 9-3 wasn’t good enough.
So, the question was if 6-5 isn’t good enough, did he feel that the university would be justified in ending the Weis era?
“You know something, if they decide to make a change, okay, I’d have to say that I’d have a tough time,” he responded. “I’d have a tough time arguing with that. They decided to make a change. I’d have a tough time arguing with that. Because 6-5 isn’t good enough. Especially when you’ve lost five games by a touchdown or less. And several 3-point games and you’re right down to the wire.
“My intent is to be here. Okay. But if that were the rationale, I mean it would be tough for me to argue with that point,” he said.
When asked if he could see any scenario where he would go to athletic director Jack Swarbrick and resign, Weis said that wouldn’t happen.
With that said, the next question was about defending a program that was 6-5. Again, he deflected.
“Let me tell you something, I’ll be perfectly honest with you again here,” he said. “Right now I have to worry about trying to get these kids up again after another tough loss again to go on the road and play against a tough opponent on Thanksgiving week. So right now defending a program is not really an issue for me.
“Right now I’m more worried about 2:15, these players rolling in, and working about in a 48-hour window taking them from where they are when they walk in the door to where they are when they hit the practice field on Tuesday. And it’s a short period of time and a lot of work needs to be done in that time.
“And on top of that making sure that the coaching staff does all they can to give them their best plan, to factor in bringing them out of the tank. That’s just the way it is,” he said.
So if there is any concern about his future, Weis isn’t letting on and the next chance for reporters to delve into the subject will come on Tuesday when he holds his weekly preview press conference.
But one would doubt if he answers any questions then either.
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