Notre Dame AD: Buyout won’t affect Weis decision

Sun, Nov 15, 2009

Charlie Weis: an $18 million question PITTSBURGH — Somebody better come up with a boatload of cash. If this truly was the last chance for Charlie Weis to save his job at Notre Dame, if the inevitable has finally become reality after Saturday’s 27-22 loss to No. 8 Pittsburgh, the Notre Dame administration is ready to spend what it takes to find another coach.

Asked if economics would play a role in the decision to retain or fire Weis, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick firmly told Sporting News, “No.”

Should Notre Dame fire Weis, it will owe him $18 million for the remaining six years on his contract, sources told SN, and more than $1 million for the guaranteed contracts of his assistant coaches.

When asked where his program goes from here — after two consecutive losses and three in the past five games; from BCS hopes to minor bowl reality — Weis said, “That’s too big picture right now. I’m trying to get this team focused on the next game.”

If a change is made, it won’t happen until after the season.

Jack Swarbrick: “I evaluate programs.”
“I evaluate programs at the end of the season,” Swarbrick said. “I don’t evaluate coaches, I evaluate programs.”

The question that remains: Where exactly is this Irish program headed? Notre Dame is 35-25 overall under Weis, who has the same winning percentage as his predecessors Tyrone Willingham and Bob Davie. Willingham’s teams were woefully unprepared; Davie’s teams couldn’t score points.

And Weis’ teams? Defense has been the biggest issue. The defense’s sporadic play has defined this team this …