Did anyone specifically ask about the O-line coaching? Was Charlie pleased with the way that went?
Good news is, sounds like the door is open for some staff changes one all the recruits sign on the line that is dotted.
Gabe | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 12:29 pm | #

I think they gave a link to the full transcript..
Oreo | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 12:33 pm | #

Gabe-
Based on Latina's track record, I am guessing the O-Line performance this year had much more to do with lack of physical practices until this season, as well as inexperience.

Those two things will kill you if you play line in college.

You need to remember that most of these kids didnt have to rely much on technique in HS to dominate the other player. Now they need to.
buttface06 | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 12:45 pm | #

Not sure if anything needs to be addressed as far as, coaching moves with the O-line or conditioning in the weight room, but gee, let us get it together with Special Teams. It was the worst of the worst. When you breakdown time-on-field, Special Teams can be one-third of the clock. We sucked this year. No returns, no kicking, not stopping the bad guys when we kicked to them.
Subway Alumni | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 1:01 pm | #

buttface, first of all, it's cool I can call someone buttface.
Second, the O-line wasn't just bad this year, it was bad the previous 2 years, as well. This year was just horrific. Charlie would have been justified in firing Latina last year. So the fact that the line got way, way worse should be enough reason to can him now.
Gabe | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 1:13 pm | #

Subway - based on the last tidbit in the BGS post, I think Weis strongly hinted that the special teams situation will be addressed with a new coach.
Chris | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 2:01 pm | #

buttface,

I completely agree with Gabe. The Oline performance the past three years has been terrible, and a good deal of those guys have gone pro!

Our finesse running game with Darius Walker the first two years under Weis covered up a great deal of the Oline's faults, but they failed consistently to get a serious push on the power running game. While they looked much better in the last two games of this season, we were playing Stanford and Duke.


More than anything, the pass protection has been abysmal. Does anyone has a list of sacks we've given up over the past three years, and where we ranked in both the NCAA (and/or compared to ND's history). Sacks and pressure have become perfectly common. Even when Quinn was throwing for 300+ and being incredibly efficient, he was still being pounded game in and game out.

Change is needed. Bring in Andy Heck!
Brad | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 2:28 pm | #

Reading between the lines of CW's reponses doesn't have me poised for sweet delirium. We need offensive coaching, and badly. We have all the horses on the O-side, just no direction.

The incoming defensive recruits are going to be in the best place in the country for the next four years. We don't need a CB-level coach on the other side, just someone with a solid knowledge of the game. And .. the ability to freely (like CB) teach it.

BTW: would we call it a "Ty Talk" if our former Head Coach, Mr. Willingham, met to address us after his now mildly disappointing 3rd year?
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 3:30 pm | #

I didn't know Mike Haywood is in line for a job at Houston.

For anyone wondering if CW will fire any of this assistants, consider this quote from the end of his presser:
"Every time a coach gets let go, I think it's a bad thing. I'm never in support, and I never, ever root for a coach being let go because they hire coaches for a reason. The more places where -- there's going to be ebbs and flows in every program. I always find it a sad day for not only that coach but obviously all those assistants and their families when there's coaching changes."

I actually had a dream last night where I was talking with Coach Weis about coaching changes and he said definitely Mendoza, and probably Latina. We'll have to wait to see how clairvoyant I am. :)

I thought that overall he was very vague and avoidant in his answers, falling back on how he's waiting until after recruiting before fully analyzing this season and the assistant coaches. Now, I don't expect him to ever come right out and speak negatively about a player or coach, but we sure didn't get a lot of anything from him in particular.
Erik '04 | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 3:39 pm | #

What were you expecting? We all need to stop looking for answers were none exist.
PM | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 4:05 pm | #

On the topic of coaches, does anyone see a parallel between the Mich coaching search and our pursuit of Meyer?

I'm not laughing at their pain. Just noting that it's not so easy to land a coach who's a proven, successful commodity at the college level.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 4:09 pm | #

Hal:

Especially in the north!!!
JR11 | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 4:19 pm | #

Oh, Hal, I'm laughing at their pain. Especially after the season we've just gone through, I've been glued -- GLUED -- to mgoblog, from Ferentz night flights to the Herbstreit leak that you would think had led to the death of every kitten in the world. It ain't so easy any more to conjure up a new legend, and Michigan is finding themselves in the same pickle we did a few years ago -- EXCEPT that their big alumnus candidate -- the one who "gets it" -- turned them down. Am I laughing at their pain? Laughing my ass off!!
Fitzwater | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 4:25 pm | #

It can't be too suprising though. I mean, the last time Michigan had to go out and recruit (yes, recruit) a new head coach was like 40 years ago. Since then it's just been handed down.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 4:28 pm | #

It very well might be handed down to their d-coord this time (I figured he coached himself out of what seemed like an inevitable head coaching gig someplace with the last two games of last year and this year, but it wouldn't surprise me)
Oreo | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 4:42 pm | #

I thought some Irish fans were delusional three years ago at the names that were being tossed out as candidates for the ND job. But living here in the shadow of the Evil Empire, I can tell you they are further gone than you can imagine. I have heard UM fans throw out these names as possible for their next head coach: Pete Carroll, Bob Stoops, Urban Meyer, Jon Gruden ... yeah, I'm sure they're all salivating to take that job. I can't wait until we start hearing all the announcements from coaches who are taking themselves out of consideration (even if no one asked them).
rays15 | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 4:49 pm | #

Gabe-
I wasn't referring to the track record at ND. (yes the line was pretty bad, and practically terrible last year)

I was referring to Ole Miss.

From what I understand, Latina was hired b/c his track record as a college line coach was pretty darn good, grooming some of the better SEC lineman.

I truly would not underestimate how important full contact practices are, especially for college lineman. This is when they learn to play and react with speed.

It is like wrestling also, in the sense you learn to use leverage properly.

The only way to practice leverage is to go full speed.


Also, I am not saying this is the only problem...just that i would think the problem isn't with Latina.

But you never know...it could be. Perhaps he is just sitting on his laurels, or something happened along the way of his coaching career.
buttface06 | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 5:02 pm | #

wrestling?

I wonder if Laws ever wrestled. he seems to know how to leverage opponents right out of the way.

could it come from wrestling experience?

might anyone know if TL used to wrestle?

;)
domer03inbmore | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 5:55 pm | #

I found it comical that CW said the recuits had become "boys". I always find it amusing when middle aged men speak like teenagers. Next thing you know Charlie will be wearing his pants low on his ass and showing off new spinner rims (nothing less than 24").
Voice in the Wilderness | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 6:26 pm | #

domerinbaltimore,


Trevor Laws was the top heavyweight wrestler in the state of Minnesota during highschool.

I forget his exact record and championships, but he was a straight badass.
Brad | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 6:58 pm | #

Hey who do you guys play in the BCS?
tOsu is Righteous | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 7:10 pm | #

Anyone know what comment(s) Clausen made after the Stanford game that prompted all the questions during the presser?
Mark | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 7:35 pm | #

tosurighteous, you guys are playing in the BCS that is a good thing for you, the bad thing is you arent playing Youngstown St.
Doug | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 7:35 pm | #

Oh Voice, the visual of Charlie wearing low-hanging pants is positively dreadful. LMAO, but give a warning next time!

I'm curious about the Clausen comments as well. I was there and only saw him hanging with his brothers, then signing an autograph for someone who called out to him just as he was leaving the field.
OC mj | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 7:52 pm | #

tosurighteous, can't wait to see what happens to you when you get LSU in New Orleans. I have officially changed the name of your school to "No. 2 U" It's a real shame Greg Oden couldn't come back to finish second again. Maybe, if you can hang in the game long enough, an official will give you a mulligan after you lose just like last time. Pray for Hester to blow his knee out in the game, because Willis Mcgahee's misfortune was the only thing that kept you in that game.
Oh yeah, thanks for 4 more years of Bush too while we are at it. That's working out great for everybody.
jdubbs | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 8:19 pm | #

Oh good, the Righteous one is back, having crawled out from under the carcass of the car he once lived in, then promptly torched after losing to the Zookers.
OC mj | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 9:17 pm | #

buttface06

I can understand the importance of full contact but my question is why didn't the line improve at the end of the year. Duke even got a few sacks. They did contact practices later in the year and plenty of contact in the games. Why couldn't they pick up the blitzes?
GB | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 9:22 pm | #

LA Times is reporting that UCLA should consider Lou Holtz to replace Karl Dorrell.

Please God, tell me it ain't so..
Jan | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 11:34 pm | #

Opps... here's the link.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/co...ports-coll- ucla
Jan | Email | Homepage | 12.04.07 - 11:36 pm | #

Dwyre is a graduate of Notre Dame. Let's just hope it's wishful thinking (please, dear God!). I have enough to contend with out here in the land of Troy.
OC mj | Email | Homepage | 12.05.07 - 12:31 am | #

Voice, that was my first reaction, too, but he used the term later describing his own friends, which I think takes away some of the awkwardness :) Consistency!
Oreo | Email | Homepage | 12.05.07 - 9:26 am | #

Ray15,

Yeah, some of the Mich "candidate" names getting thrown around are pretty funny. But our fanbase can't exactly throw stones in that area. Anyone remember a decade or two ago when we were so sure that Don Shula would be ND's next coach?

I wasn't gloating over Michigan's pain (though I admit to reading MGoBlog with a bit of relish myself). I just find it very interesting how the old models in college football are breaking down.
Hal | Email | Homepage | 12.05.07 - 9:55 am | #

I, too, have broken my own rule and visited the mgoblog comments section in the last week or so. It is pretty amusing. My favorite was the astute commenter who said something like, "Hey, guys, do you remember how we were all making fun of ND's coaching search a few years ago? Karma."

I'm not sure what Clausen actually said after the game, but you could tell by watching the game itself that he was getting a little attitude worked up, talking trash and stuff (and kudos to Olsen for sticking up for him, because that didn't happen much this year). It was kind of awesome to see that kind of personality from our QB, especially since he seems so quiet and reserved.
Jade | Email | Homepage | 12.05.07 - 12:32 pm | #

tOSUisAntiChristish -

We do now, truly, owe your school of choice - and owe it a lot. After no one could find a way to dismantle the putrid mess that is called the BCS, OSU did. And, they did it in true OSU style! After all, for decades Div 1A was college football's top tier. So what if the folks in Columbia, Coulumbo, wherever, were a tad behind the times in who they scheduled. Hey, Div 1A still gotta mean somethin', right?

Everyone else bit, and your guys gets a fat check for the ruse! This year, half of your team's opponents came from there. And, you beat your archrival with a late game rally - and they had problems with one of those "new" Div 1A teams!

Keep coming back to this board. Over the next few weeks, I'm certain that our largesse and our charity will proffer any number of excuses for what will occur when you play LSU. How's this for starters: "We didn't know the state was so close to Florida"?

BYW: could you fill us in on how that qb you had last year did? is doing? where he's at? And, how someone goes about getting an autograph from a guy named Clarett(sp)?

Back to football - the other side of the TL wrestling equation: John Sullivan was a heavyweight state champ in HS (CT).
Anonymous | Email | Homepage | 12.05.07 - 12:46 pm | #

The bucknuts will be blown away again. LSU will sweep them out just like a hurricane sucking up the red sweater vest.
Ted | Email | Homepage | 12.05.07 - 3:17 pm | #

I'm not sure why everyone is suprirsed about Clausen showing some attitude, or why people thought he was reserved. He looks like an asshole to me, and he comes off as very cocky/confident.

I love that about him, and I love the attitude. But if he were on a different team he seems like the kind of player I wouldn't like. No one else got that impression? Again I mean these things as praise, I really like the guy.
Oreo | Email | Homepage | 12.06.07 - 11:04 am | #

Actually I think back in high school he gave off the impression that he kind of cocky and arrogant like you said (case in point: that infamous press conference). But since he started at ND, it kind of looks like he's withdrawn a bit. I know I've read interviews with other people saying he's actually pretty quiet. Maybe it's just because he hasn't really had much to be cocky about this past season. But I like that about him too. I think a little arrogance is great in an athlete.
Jade | Email | Homepage | 12.06.07 - 12:28 pm | #

Doug's comments to the OSU fan, were kind of funny, but he should have added "you won't be playing youngstown state or ND."
Mattw | Email | Homepage | 12.09.07 - 7:40 pm | #