NEXT NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL COACH
OK, by now everyone except Bill Mallory and Lou Holtz has been mentioned to be named the next
Notre Dame football coach. Opps, I take that back - a report in Florida says Holtz would be interested in coming back for a short time if the university needed him. No word yet from the Mallory household!
Geez, give me a break. Everyone knows someone who knows someone who knows who will be the next head mentor for the Irish!
One thing we know
FOR SURE—those dumb asses in the media who said Notre Dame was irrelevant are flat out wrong!!! What University has had more PR in the last two weeks than the school by the lake in South Bend? What coach has been more in the news in the last two weeks than Charlie Weis? There are undefeated teams in this nation right now that you don’t hear about! But whether you like it or not you hear about the University of Notre Dame du Lac!
It’s ND all the time. You critics complain about NBC televising all of the Irish home football games. Well, maybe just maybe ND needs its own network!!! (I'm kidding; I think.)
Now, seriously, this new coach thing is totally out of control. I hope AD Jack Swarbrick, our buddy and former Indy attorney, makes a quick announcement on Charlie’s replacement. This decision needs to be made ASAP! Or this candidate business will get out of hand. Shoot, it’s out of hand now.
Here are “some” of the names being mentioned. Trust me there are probably 50 more somewhere. If you will allow me I have offered some thoughts on the candidates – some I know, some I don’t know and some I know very, very well!
BOB STOOPS (Oklahoma) – Love this choice! A proven collegiate winner at the big time level. Last time ND did that it was Holtz and that worked out really well! He’s Catholic (like that matters; it doesn’t) and he’s Midwestern! Could be perfect timing; his buddy, the AD at Oklahoma, may leave for Meechigan! If you can get him, Jack, DO IT!
GARY PATTERSON (TCU) – He wins. But it’s TCU! Don’t know him. No clue! Would be received by Irish faithful with a huge, “WHO?” Not a sexy choice by any means. Jack: Pass!
KIRK FERENTZ (Iowa) – Like him a lot. Class guy; great family man. Met him at college All America shoot a few years ago. True gentleman. Wins in a tough place. He’d be good!
BRIAN KELLY (Cincinnati) – Pass. Not now. I don’t know him but have feeling he would be a bad “fit” for the University. And “fit” right now is very, very important. Pass.
WILL MUSCHAMP (Texas) – I’d take Texas’ head mentor Mack Brown in a NY minute. He’s class. But NOT a D-Coordinator. Notre Dame can’t stoop (stoops) that low. You need a proven winner at the top spot. Geez!!! What are we doing here????
BRIAN BILLICK (ex-Ravens) – Know him well. Like him a lot. He has not been coaching on a college campus in 17 years. Won Super Bowl with Ravens. Just wrote a GREAT book and he’s GREAT on TV! Not sure if going the ex-NFL route is right for ND.
TONY DUNGY (ex-Colts) – Know him real, real, real well. In fact before he coached his first game in Tampa I took Tony and his wife to their first dinner at the world famous Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa. He’s class. This forum at ND could be perfect for his ministry. This could be a better fit than you think. But…his wife loves Florida (like Urban Meyer’s) and that might be deal breaker! What kid or his parents would say “NO” to Saint Tony?
URBAN MEYER (Florida) – Speaking of Urban….ND wanted him when they fired Ty Willingham. It was bad timing. ND blames Urban. If he called ND now they wouldn’t take the call. I don’t agree with that. I’d take the call and make him the offer. But his wife does NOT like South Bend. (This just in: South Bend is NOT Carmel, Calif.; shoot it’s not even Carmel, Ind.).
BILL COWHER (ex-Steelers) – Know him well. He was great to work with at Pitssburgh. Man’s man. But he’s an NFL guy! I think he’d like Panthers job in Carolina if it ever opens. He lives there now with his family! Interesting choice though!
JON GRUDEN (ex-Tampa Bay) – Know him extremely well. We’ve played golf a few times together. We know he wakes up every morning to the “Notre Dame Victory March” on his alarm. But VP Norby Williamson of ESPN is a smart man. He’s the guy who gave “Chucky” a contract extension two weeks ago. Norby WOULD NOT do that if he did not have a guarantee “Gruds” would stay at ESPN and NOT leave for a coaching gig – NFL or ND. Now the interesting factor is that Gruden and Charlie Weis share the same agent – BOB LAMONTE (a super guy who along with his wife Lyn handles a ton of NFL coaches and Weis). Bob is a super smart guy who played the cards, serviced his client and got THAT famous contract extension from Notre Dame. Don’t blame Bob. Don’t blame Charlie. Blame ND! Off the board!
JIM HARBAUGH (Stanford) – He’s beaten USC twice in the last three years while Navy has beaten ND twice in the last three years. Pete Carroll hates him! Right there he moves into the top three on the list. Love this guy. Worked with him when he was with Colts. Super guy. Great recruiter. His brother in law (Tom Crean) works for the other legendary collegiate program in the state at IU! Was Saturday night a job interview? Take a look.
PAT FITZGERALD (Northwestern) – The last time ND took a coach from Northwestern it was Ara Parseghian. Nuff said. But his ties to his alma mater may be too strong. He’s done a marvelous job there. Don’t think he’s ready to exchange purple for blue and gold! Pass.
MIKE LEACH (Texas Tech) - The best offensive mind in collegiate football. A little quirky. Lawyer. Coached in Europe. Kind of goofy. He has a lot of Holtz in him…and that’s good. I like this guy. I believe he would win and win in a very exciting fashion. Jack, take a look….Tennessee wanted him last year; Louisville wants him this year! Worth the call!
BOBBY PETRINO (Arkansas) – Love this guy. Played golf with him too a few times. Great family man. Like Lou Holtz he tried the NFL for less than a year and it wasn’t his cup of tea. And like Holtz he coaches at Arkansas. I’d look at him if he’s available. He’s a winner. Great football mind. Would be foolish NOT to see if he’s open to coming to the Dome!