Ty Willingham out as ND coach

[IggyWH]

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No, they don't have a Reggie Bush, but neither do Virginia Tech, Iowa, or Boise State, and all of those teams could obliterate Pitt, BC, and BYU.

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Old thread but when I see an injustice, I have to speak up. Virginia Tech could obliterate Pitt? Really? I'm sorry... I failed to notice Pitt has won the last 3 years playing VATech....

[DontRaisePlz]

Different year. VTech is basically having the same year Auburn is having, but with less overall talent. They would grind Pitt down and run right over them. Look how easily they stopped a Miami team that was red hot in the air, Berlin had no chance even in the shotgun. What makes you think Palko would fare any better?

Stand by my comment, regardless of past history.

[IggyWH]

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Different year. VTech is basically having the same year Auburn is having, but with less overall talent. They would grind Pitt down and run right over them. Look how easily they stopped a Miami team that was red hot in the air, Berlin had no chance even in the shotgun. What makes you think Palko would fare any better?

Stand by my comment, regardless of past history.

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Same thing was said the last 3 years and the same result happened all 3 years... a Pitt W. It's a shame NCAA is so gutless though and let these teams leave the Big East and we can't settle this arguement on the field. Nice to know the Big East won 2 Conference Championships this year though. Think schools like NC State, Maryland and Wake Forest are reconsidering if it was smart to vote in VaTech & Miami when they're sitting at home this year watching the Bowls on TV?

[deacsoft]

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I really disagree with this. Say what you will about Meyer's record and the level of the schools he has coached at, and only time will tell, but Meyer has been a very successful coach and his teams have featured a wide open passing attack. This coaching change is not a dramatic shift in philosphy like callahan comming into nebraska, so there is little reason why, if willingham has brought in some explosive recruits that meyer shouldn't be successful on the offensive side of the ball with this talent as well. Willingham unquestionably leaves the program in a better spot than it was when he came into the role, and has set up meyer to be successful. Maybe meyer doesn't get the job done, but if meyer is what he is made out to be, ND certainly hasn't been set back 4-5 years by this move.

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How about now that Meyer is going to Florida and Gailey is taking the year off? Notre Dame is left with nothing. Damn them, for assuming Meyer would take the job before considering what would happen if he DIDN'T. They are screwed.

[PoBoy321]

I'm not much of an ND fan, but a lot of the problems that private university sports teams are facing have a lot to do with the fact that it's hard to compete with large state schools when they don't have as much funding (I forget who ND was planning on having replace Willingham, but he rejected ND and went to Florida because they offered him an extra $1 million a year to coach for them), plus they look for big east talent and ivy league academics. When a place like OSU, Miami or Michigan State need a new stadium, new coach, whatever, they go to the state, not to alumni for the money. Places like BC, ND and Georgetown (obviously not for football, but former basketball powerhouse, and look at the avatar, i've gotta get it in somehow) are at a huge disadvantage when good players who just want to play sports can go to some state school for free and do no work (University of Alabama athletes have a graduation rate of 6%, BC, ND and GU all have 95+%). I realize that ND and BC have a lot of top 20 players, but I think that a lot of them are guys who would have gone to those schools regardless of the football program (for example, Brian Toal from BC went to a Catholic high school near me where going to BC or ND is basically the pinnacle of your life).

I forget where I was going with all of this, but basically private sports programs are at a huge disadvantage when they have limited funding and high academic expectations when they're competing with schools that have unlimited funds and low standards.

[deacsoft]

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(I forget who ND was planning on having replace Willingham, but he rejected ND and went to Florida because they offered him an extra $1 million a year to coach for them)

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Plus: Florida has a better chance to win next season.
Plus: The weather is better.
Plus: He agreed to take the Florida before Willingham was even fired. (wow, there are still some good secrets out there in today's media infested world)

[J.R.]

Kevin White, already treading on shaky water, well...he really shot ND in the foot with this one. I love how meyer had a deal done before the Irish even showed up, due dilligence? I'm at a loss trying to understand this move.

[PoBoy321]

Well of course there are other reasons that he would have gone to Florida over ND, i was just making the point that Florida had an extra $1,000,000 to throw his way every year.

BTW, I was actually at ND this weekend for a wedding, and y'know, yeah the weather's cold but luckily <sarcasm>they have all those hills to break up the wind.</sarcasm>