Irish Stew | Beautiful Day for Football

12:04 AM ET 09.05
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The mere mention of Tyrone Willingham in comparison to the current Notre Dame coach is sometimes the fastest ticket to an eye-roll from partisans of the team and/or its current leader. What I have not once experienced is a factual refutation of the comparison, and the evidence was once slightly less damning than it has now become.

I recognize that there are racial issues intertwined with this discussion, and nothing makes people of all stripes speak more foolishly than race. Happily, that's not my motivation. Unlike any other sport -- even college basketball -- coaches are the true stars of college football. Quick identification of an over (or under) rated coach will tell you much about where a team is headed, regardless of its recruiting rankings or institutional prestige or anything else.

There is -- of course -- more art than science to making these judgments, and as many different ways of doing it as there are teams and coaches. But it's a topic I find endlessly fascinating, and none more so than the compelling experiment going on at Notre Dame. As such, I bring up Willingham not because of what his experience says about Notre Dame... but what is says about Charlie Weis.

(For the record, I pick on other coaching situations too. Like Pitt.)

Given its schedule this season, it would be a mighty event indeed for Notre Dame to equal or eclipse its nine defeats of last season. But that outcome would still be meager in comparison to the damage that has already been done to Notre Dame's image of itself. In 2004, Tyrone Willingham was fired because a visit to the Insight Bowl was doing damage to the Irish brand ID. But by 2008, just getting to any bowl would improve the shimmer on the Golden Dome.

An iconic election year question presents itself: "Do you think that you are better off now than you were for years ago?"

While the two coaches at issue have near identical records after their respective three years behind the wheel in South Bend, that's only part of the answer to the question. The other part is what they were up against in those games.

For the big picture, consider schedule strength. According to the NCAA, ND's sked strength was ranked 52nd in 2005, 34th in 2006, and 30th in 2007. This was a comparatively weak run of competition for ND. Look at the Willingham years: 7th in 2004, 3rd in 2003, and 17th in 2002.

For individual games, Charlie Weis' teams have beaten exactly ONE team that finished the season ranked in the Top-25: Penn State, finished #24 in 2006.

Willingham? He eclipsed this in his very first game, shutting out Maryland 22-0 in 2002. That Maryland team would finish the season 11-3 and ranked #13 by the AP. That same season, he also beat Michigan (#9), Pitt (#19), and Florida State (#21.)

Even 2003 started out with a win over Washington State (finished #9.)

And his final season, with the #7 toughest schedule, started with an early win over Michigan (finished #14) and later another over Tennessee (#13.)

Tyrone Willingham's record since leaving Notre Dame has hardly been a resume builder. In hindsight, one can certainly make the case for why a change was needed. Yet, when he was there, the expectation (and outcome) was that they could always beat many of the tough teams on the schedule.

Today, by comparison, they're pleased that they might get back to a bowl game because the schedule has so few tough opponents. The shifting of those expectations will look worse in hindsight than the three years under Willingham.

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September 5, 2008 02:09 AM ET

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Bottom line is, Wiilingham Won at ND, Weis has not. Since Wiilingham' departure, he's had fewer "blue chippers" than ND has gotten yet Weis can't put up the numbers to match him. You do nthe math.

Go Canes!

hp

5Rings&Counting

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September 5, 2008 11:09 AM ET

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Anyone can give facts that support "your" views. See watch this,

In 2002 ND won the first 8 games, but they didn't score offensive TD in the first three games. Maybe not a big deal, but still is a fact. But this is a BIG deal

Willingham led the 2002 squad to a 10-2 regular season record, with wins over #7 Michigan and #11 Florida State. This great early start, however, would be the lone highlight of Willingham's tenure, as Notre Dame finished the year with a heart-breaking loss to Boston College, then lopsided losses to USC and North Carolina State (in the Gator Bowl). The program faltered over the next two seasons under Willingham, compiling an 11???12 record. During this time, Notre Dame lost a game by at least 30 points on 5 occasions. (For perspective, in the previous 40 seasons (1961-2000), Notre Dame had lost by at least 30 points only 4 times. Bob Davie lost by 30 points only once.) They also suffered a home loss to Purdue by 25 points. Furthermore, Willingham's 2004 recruiting class was judged by analysts to be the worst at Notre Dame in more than two decades.

So cry for Ty all you want, he couldn't get the job done at ND. But he sure is doing a GREAT job at Washington. Just ask the Husky fans!

By the way, 5rings&Counting your first point is wrong. If Charlie's overall record is 21 - 15 and Ty's record is 21 - 16. I mean do the math.

GO IRISH!

Sexton

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September 5, 2008 03:10 PM ET

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Perhaps they lost by more points because they were playing far better teams?

And yet still beating some of those better teams. The point of the post was that ND under Weis is playing a much lower standard of competition and yet getting no better results in the W/L column.

However, your reply to "5rings" should be noted. You're correct about the records. After three seasons against much lighter competition, and a huge contract extention for the coach, Notre Dame should get credit for a W/L record that has improved by exactly 1.58%

Ken Braun

Lansing, MI

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September 5, 2008 05:44 PM ET

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Purdue, North Carolina St, Boston College, Syracuse & BYU are not teams that should beat ND!

Perhaps some of those wins against "better teams" were few & far between.
But the loses to "lesser" teams happened more then they should. & I haven't even brought up the POOR recruiting classes!

Look you can dress it up any old way you'd like but Ty was not a good coach at ND.

Any Washington fans out there want to express how happy they are that Mr. Willingham has been the Headcoach for the last four years.

Sexton

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September 6, 2008 10:09 PM ET

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I had always thought that Willingham got a raw deal in his departure from Notre Dame. However, I think the people that were in position to make decisions at that time wanted ND to get to another championship on a short route. For whatever reason, those people decided that Charlie Weiss, fresh off another Super Bowl win with the NE Patriots, was the guy to guide the ship. We've all seen that hasn't been the case. The same people that are making those decisions need to look at joining a football conference. Until that happens, it will be difficult for them to get to a bowl on their own. Sure it will mean they won't be able to play those traditional rivals like a Michigan, Purdue, Penn St. or USC, but it will start new rivalries and give the Irish a better chance of getting to a bowl and winning.

Red Zone

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September 7, 2008 03:57 AM ET

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Point taken on the W/L calculations, Sexton, you're right.

Go Canes!

hp

5Rings&Counting

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October 10, 2008 03:57 PM ET

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Willingham is the death penalty to a football program. He has killed UW and then stomped on the grave. I don't see him getting a D1 coaching gig again. I've never seen a team play so poorly at such a high level. Terrible motivation, preparation, and execution. And he's a terrible recruiter to boot. Kids are renegging on their commitments because he is so bad. But at least they're good young men who are going to contribute to society. Right. That's why I follow the game... I'm a Husky, and we sure as hell don't want him anymore. Who would?