Read the arguments by Sports Geek and Bleacher Fan for which coach should replace Charlie Weis at Notre Dame.
If there was still any doubt, I think it was settled Saturday when the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame fell victim to Connecticut at home. It is one thing to lose to USC or Pittsburgh. It is quite another to lose to the likes to Navy and Connecticut. Even Charlie Weis has even admitted that he would have a hard time arguing against his firing if that is what athletic director Jack Swarbrick decides to do. Assuming Notre Dame makes a change at the top of the football program it will have a big pool of coaches to choose from. Who knows if the coaches would be interested? Sports Geek and Bleacher Fan have their own opinions about who Notre Dame should chase, but to me it is obvious that the Golden Domers should go after Florida Gator coach Urban Meyer.
Meyer is a proven winner and he is the big name that Notre Dame fans want. He even has Notre Dame ties ,as he was an assistant in South Bend from 1996-2000. He is a devout Roman Catholic. And let’s not forget that last December Meyer still said that Notre Dame was his “dream job.” His words, not mine!
Meyer is in the midst of chasing his third national title in Gainesville. He currently has his 2009 Florida Gators at 11-0, and he has a date with Alabama in two weeks in the SEC championship for a berth in the BCS championship game in Pasadena. His record at Florida is 55-9 overall, including 32-8 in SEC play. His overall record as a head coach is 94-17, which includes his previous stops at Bowling Green and Utah.
Does Meyer feel he has accomplished all he can at Florida? When he first came to Florida back in 2005 he was coming off an undefeated season at Utah that produced a number one draft pick in quarterback Alex Smith. His critics were saying that his version of the spread offense would never work in the SEC, especially with a throwing quarterback like Chris Leak. I think he has answered those critics, don’t you?
Some people do not like Notre Dame. In fact, a lot of people do not like Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are like the Yankees and Cowboys. You either love them or hate them. There is no middle ground. Notre Dame has its own broadcasting contract with a major network in NBC. Despite recent struggles, Notre Dame is still – in the minds of many – a national power. People in California know about Notre Dame just as much as people in Indiana do. You have the ability to recruit the best players in the country if you are the head football coach at Notre Dame.
Do I think Meyer would leave Florida to go to Notre Dame? No, I do not think he will. But the powers that be within Notre Dame athletics need to at least put in a call to Meyer. The Notre Dame fans are craving a team that will actually “play like a champion.” Meyer is the guy to get them to that level.
