Change is coming to Notre Dame football and it's hardly insignificant. Its' impact could be seismic. Headstrong Charlie Weis has decided after much reflection to alter his approach as to how to run the program.
Having stepped back from the rubble of a 3 and 9 season, Weis has concluded he needs to shift gears and do some serious adjusting. Revealingly, most of the tinkering involves himself. It's as though Weis stood in front of a mirror for months and didn't like what he saw. This is self-evaluation to the max. This amounts to a complete face-lift. The Weis makeover has begun.
The biggest and most dramatic change has Weis relinquishing play-calling duties. That rates as a 10 on the shock meter. No one could foresee this happening. So much of Weis' identity and persona is wrapped up in strategizing on the field so for him to give up running the offense is beyond astounding. It has left many dumbstruck. He literally lived for the chess game that took place between the lines.
It's going to be fascinating to see if Weis can keep his distance and allow offensive coordinator Mike Haywood the autonomy that this move suggests. Will Weis stay true to his word and basically keep hands off or will the temptation to intrude prove too intense should the offense sputter and stall at times? In other words, will Weis be able to resist his deep-seeded urges to take over or will he modify his ways enough to permit Haywood to have unfettered control? This will be a subplot worth watching. It could make for some great theatre to say the least.
Honestly, no one expects Weis to be totally out of the loop. Given his past successes charting plays that would be counterproductive and the waste of a valuable resource. There's no doubt that Weis will continue to offer his counsel and make recommendations. But unless this amounts to nothing more than window dressing, it looks like Haywood will be the guy most accountable for the success or failure of ND's offense. This is Haywood's chance to prove to the world that he can scheme, orchestrate and game plan with the best and brightest in college football.
Haywood is reputed to be a sharp, gifted and insightful coach. He did a bang-up job down at Texas and there's no reason to think he can't shine at ND. As long as Weis was calling the shots, Haywood was basically the offensive coordinator in name only. He was more figurehead than originator. Now, he appears to be the man with all the inherent responsibilities and pressures that come with that tag. This is one of those seminal moments when a bright young coach confronts a great opportunity. How Haywood does will not only dictate how the Irish fare but will go a long way in determining just how much of a future he may have in the game.
No doubt, Haywood will be under intense scrutiny but that won't faze him. He's not the type who shrinks form a daunting challenge. Rather, he welcomes it!
The truth is perhaps the Irish were in need of a fresh voice when it came to calling plays. In his first two years at South Bend, Weis did a splendid job of mixing things up and keeping the offense reasonably unpredictable. But when the likes of Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardija, Rhema McKnight and Darius Walker graduated, Weis didn't seem nearly as cleaver.
Saddled with a young team that sprung leaks everywhere, Weis sometimes was at a loss as to how to jumpstart his attack and put points on the board. Weis must have cringed at just how woeful the Domers were when they possessed the ball. It went beyond bad. Often, it was downright embarrassing. Making first downs and moving the chains became tantamount to pulling teeth.
By season's end, slight improvements were taking place but not enough to cover up the horrors of what had gone on before. On balance, ND was an offensive bust in '07.
Though he was operating at a decided disadvantage because of a weak offensive line that could neither run block or protect, Weis' heretofore stellar reputation as a play-caller took a major hit as his team lagged. Nothing he tried seemed to work and Weis' inability to get a firm grip on things surprised those who thought he could all but walk on water.
Given that backdrop, it's surprising Weis would turn over the reins at this time. It's not like him to hand over the headset with such a bad taste in his mouth. Considering his notable ego, you'd swear Weis would insist on continuing to micromanage the offense until it showed signs of significant resurgence and renewal.
But to his credit, Weis objectively viewed the landscape and came to a hard conclusion. He had to dispense with his heavy-handed ways and start delegating more authority to his assistants. He needed to be more overseer than hands-on manager. He had to begin investing more trust in his staff and less in himself. Put another way, he had to think big picture.
Weis said it was requisite for him to stop being such a one-trick pony and become more involved with the entire team. Now, free from the burden of wet nursing the offense, he can freelance more easily and troubleshoot when necessary. He can go where he's needed and attend to areas that have the most pressing problems. As a result, he'll have a much better understanding of his team and personnel, which is no small consideration.
Upon announcing this epic shift, to be forthwith known as the Weis makeover, the Irish coach admitted it was incumbent upon him to become more accessible to his players. He needed to be more available and open to them. He wants them to see him in a different light, a lot more approachable and a tad more human. He still doesn't want to be their best buddy but by the same token, he wants them to know that he's there to listen. He wants some of the intimidation factor to dissipate.
You don't have the time to engage in such personal interaction if you're working diligently on a game plan. To be more of a coach to his entire team, Weis needed to put his ego aside and figuratively, let the offense go. He should be saluted for taking such a bold step.
Whether it works out or not, remains to be seen. A lot will depend on Haywood's acumen and savvy and if the chemistry that Weis is attempting to foster between himself and his charges, takes hold. On the surface, this has the feel of a crapshoot. But give the Irish coach his due for taking a gamble and not standing pat. He's done some deep thinking and has opted to move in a different direction based on that analysis. He's readily admitted he's made some mistakes and in his search to evolve and mature as a head coach, Weis has shown himself more flexible and open-minded than ever imagined.
And so the Weis makeover is underway. The question is whether it will prove to be merely a cosmetic change that only goes skin deep or will it have a dramatic and long-lasting impact? Only after the 2008 season concludes will anyone be able to determine with any kind of certainty, just how good the makeover looks. For Weis' sake, it's a facelift that had better be flattering!