Charlie Weis is on course to fall the path of previous Irish coaches Hunk Anderson, Terry Brennan, Joe Kuharich, Gerry Faust and Bob Davie. None lasted beyond five years with the Irish, with Kuharich coaching only four years, while Anderson and Willingham were ousted after three.
However, there is one item Weis has yet to achieve while the others did: We call it the “Where The Hell Did That Come From?” victories posted by the Irish under those coaches. They stretch back as far as 1933 with Anderson, and two occurred in 2004 under Willingham. Weis has such a chance today at USC.
The good news is these victories epitomize the “what tho’ the odds” Notre Dame spirit. On his deathbed, George Gipp supposedly did not beseech Knute Rockne to win a game for him that decided a national title. Rather, the request was to find the courage to attain victory “when the breaks are beating the boys.”
Weis will be coaching with his back to the wall when his Irish face the Trojans.
The bad news is most of these kind of conquests have to occur during a down cycle when the program is trying to find or re-establish an identity. Here are the necessary ingredients:
• A beleaguered Notre Dame head coach. Questions about his future at Notre Dame are raised as the fandom circles the perceived carcass. Weis certainly qualifies in that area.
• The second requirement is facing a vaunted, hot opponent who has either 1) crushed you the year before or 2) won impressively the week prior to playing Notre Dame. USC definitely qualifies with its six straight conquests of the Irish, including 38-0 last year.
• Notre Dame was either unimpressive in victory the week before or suffered a stunning defeat. The loss to Syracuse last week more than qualifies.
• Finally, the Notre Dame program must be reeling and the public has to believe the Irish will get hammered. That checks out to as Weis’ troops are 32-point underdogs, which is believed to be the highest figures since odds first became posted.
Here’s our top 10 countdown of the greatest Irish “Where The Hell Did That Come From” games with their beleaguered coaches:
10) USC, 1960 The Beleaguered Coach: In his second season, Kuharich was in the throes of a school-record eight-game losing streak. Now the 1-8 Irish had to conclude the season at USC, directed by first-year coach John McKay.
One Week Earlier: The Irish were crushed at home by Iowa, 28-0. Meanwhile, McKay’s Trojans upset No. 11 cross-town rival UCLA, 17-6.
Where Did That Come From?: The streak of futility ends with a 17-0 white-wash of USC in the L.A. Coliseum. This wasn’t one of McKay’s better teams, but the Trojans captured the national title two years later.
Epilogue: With the momentum of this victory, the Irish opened the next season with wins against three programs with College Hall-of-Frame coaches: Oklahoma (Bud Wilkinson), Purdue (Jack Mollenkopf) and USC (McKay). It proved to be a tease as the Irish finished 5-5.
9) Syracuse, 1961 The Beleaguered Coach: After the promising 3-0 start, Kuharich’s Irish lost three of their next four. Now it had to host No. 10 Syracuse, led by Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis.
One Week Earlier: Syracuse was reaching a “crest” by annihilating Colgate, 51-8.
Where Did That Come From?:Joe Perkowski’s game-winning 41-yard field goal as time elapses – after a roughing-the-kicker infraction the previous play – results in a stirring 17-15 comeback victory.
Epilogue: The 5-3 Irish finish the season with losses at Iowa (42-21) and Duke (37-13). Kuharich would coach only one more year.
8) Michigan, 2004 The Beleaguered Coach: After a 5-7 campaign in his second season, Tyrone Willingham couldn’t afford to open Year 3 with a defeat. Thus, one of the weaker Irish foes, Brigham Young, was shifted from Oct. 30 to the Sept. 4 opener so Notre Dame could more assuredly begin 1-0.
Brigham Young 20, Notre Dame 17.
Next up, Michigan, a 38-0 winner versus the Irish a year earlier.
One Week Earlier: Notre Dame rushed for 11 yards in the loss at Provo. Michigan was arriving with a staunch defense and the nation’s best receiving corps. The Wolverines opened with a 43-10 drubbing of Miami (Ohio).
Where Did That Come From?: Trailing 9-0 at halftime, Notre Dame got its jump-start from little-used Matt Shelton’s 46-yard scoring reception and 115 yards rushing from freshman Darius Walker, who did not play at BYU. The Irish go on a 28-3 tear en route to a 28-20 victory.
Epilogue: Because this game and Syracuse 1961 were at home, we don’t rate it higher. The only upsets in Notre Dame Stadium are supposed to come from the opponent.
7) Boston College, 1983 The Beleaguered Coach: Gerry Faust finishes his third regular season with three consecutive losses, the last coming at home to Air Force, to finish 6-5. Athletics director Gene Corrigan seeks permission to look for a new coach, but Notre Dame president Rev. Theodore Hesburgh vetoes the idea, vowing that the five-year contract will be honored.
The school paper The Observer blasts the administration for accepting a Liberty Bowl bid with a 6-5 ledger to play 9-2 Boston College. Even the Irish senior players vote not to go, but are talked out of it.
One Week Earlier: Although this is bowl preparation, the hot Eagles win six of their last seven, including Penn State and Alabama.
Where Did That Come From?: The maligned Irish hold Doug Flutie in check while tailback Allen Pinkett and fullback Chris Smith both surpass 100 yards rushing in the 19-18 victory.
Epilogue: The Irish celebrate in the chill of Memphis.
“This is the beginning of something great,” Faust said.
6) Tennessee, 2004 The Beleaguered Coach: After a third straight loss to Boston College, at home no less, Willingham’s Irish record falls to 20-13. That happens to be the same mark that got Ron Zook fired later the next week at Florida.
One Week Earlier: Notre Dame squanders a 20-7 halftime lead in its 24-23 loss to Boston College. Meanwhile, Tennessee all but clinches the SEC East Division with a 43-29 victory at South Carolina – even though Lou Holtz had two weeks to prepare.
Where Did That Come From?: No. 9 Tennessee was ripe for an upset, but Notre Dame’s resolve and guts were evident with its 17-13 victory in Neyland Stadium.
Epilogue: The Irish lose at home to Pitt the following week, and then close with a 41-10 defeat at USC, costing Willingham his job two days later.
5) LSU, 1997 The Beleaguered Coach: First-year head coach Bob Davie struggles to a 4-5 start, and doubt already surfaces about his previous lack of head coaching experience. Now he has to go to “Death Valley” to face No. 11 LSU.
One Week Earlier: Already victors over No. 1 Florida, Gerry DiNardo’s Tigers destroy Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 27-0. The Irish have a bye week but came within two yards of losing to Navy the previous Saturday.
Where Did That Come From?: For the first and only time in history, a Notre Dame team finishes a game without committing a turnover nor a penalty in its 24-6 demolition of LSU.
Epilogue: After a 2-5 start, the Irish finish the regular season with five straight victories – and an unfortunate rematch with the Tigers in the Independence Bowl, a 27-9 loss.
4) LSU, 1984 The Beleaguered Coach: Fourth-year head coach Faust is 3-4 – with games at LSU, Penn State and at USC staring him in the face.
One Week Earlier: The Irish are booed off the field at home after a 36-32 loss to South Carolina, and fall to 3-4. Meanwhile, Bill Arnsparger’s No. 6 Tigers improve to 5-0-1 with a 36-10 win at Kentucky.
Where Did That Come From?: After falling behind 7-0 in the heat, the “Tiger bait” Irish go on a 30-7 rampage during a 30-22 victory. Faust makes the cover of Sports Illustrated as a symbol of the resiliency found in the human spirit.
Epilogue: Notre Dame survives versus Navy (18-17), crushes Penn State (44-7) and wins at Rose Bowl-bound USC (19-7) for the first time in 18 years to end the regular season with a four-game winning streak. But the Irish lose to SMU in the Aloha Bowl, 27-20.
3) Pittsburgh, 1982 The Beleaguered Coach: Second-year coach Faust’s team enters No. 1 Pittsburgh, led by quarterback Dan Marino, as a 10-point underdog. Faust’s debut campaign the previous resulted in a 5-6 finish.
One Week Earlier: While Notre Dame had its problems against Navy during a 27-10 win, Pittsburgh punished Louisville, 63-14.
Where Did That Come From?: The 5-1-1 Irish hadn’t scored more than 28 points in their first seven games and averaged just 16.8 in their last five. Yet against a Panther team that featured six players who would NFL first-round picks, Notre Dame wins going away, 31-16.
Epilogue: With a possible match-up against Georgia for the national title in the Sugar Bowl looming, the 6-1-1 Irish lose their final three (Penn State, Air Force and USC) to finish 6-4-1.
2) Army, 1933 The Beleaguered Coach: Third-year mentor Hunk Anderson is 2-5-1 as the Irish travel to Yankee Stadium to face 9-0 Army. The Irish had been out-scored 68-19 during the year – and didn’t’ tally a point in four home games. Going into the Army game, Anderson already heard from influential alumni that a replacement (Elmer Layden) had been offered the job.
One Week Earlier: The Cadets defeated arch rival Navy 12-7, meaning they had out-scored their nine opponents 215-13. They included shutouts of powerhouses Illinois, Harvard and Yale.
Where Did That Come From?: Trailing 12-0 in the fourth quarter, the Irish blocked two punts that set up or resulted in touchdowns during the 13-12 victory in the finale.
“With just 15 minutes of her football season left, Notre Dame finally found her soul,” wrote Grantland Rice.
Epilogue: Anderson’s “resignation” is announced a week later by Notre Dame.
1) Oklahoma, 1957 The Beleaguered Coach: After a 2-8 finish in 1956, fourth-year head coach Terry Brennan’s team falls to 4-2 following a 34-6 loss at Michigan State. Now it has to travel to Oklahoma. The Sooners have won an NCAA record 47 consecutive games – including 40-0 at Notre Dame the previous year.
One Week Earlier: The Irish were trounced 34-6 at Michigan State while the Sooners won at Missouri, 39-14.
Where Did That Come From?: The 19-point underdog Irish score with 3:50 remaining, a Dick Lynch touchdown on fourth down, for its greatest upset victory, 7-0.
Epilogue: The Irish lost at home the next week to Iowa but finished 7-3 and No. 10 in the country. With most everyone returning in 1958 and expectations at a peak, Notre Dame fell to 6-4 and Brennan was fired.
The moral of this story is when the four aforementioned ingredients are in place and picking Notre Dame seems asinine and preposterous…that’s when the Irish have a history of rising to the occasion.
Will this be Weis’ last chance to secure such a conquest?
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