There’s been a lot of speculation this off-season about Urban Meyer and his supposed interest in the head coaching position at Notre Dame. Popular speculation has been that some day Meyer would still like to coach at Notre Dame eventually. Numerous Florida newspapers and blogs have rehashed the topic ad nauseum ever since the temperature on Charlie Weis’s seat reached it heights after the USC loss last November.
On Monday, however, the Gainesville Sun ran a report quoting Meyer as saying he would never coach at Notre Dame.  Here’s the relevant text from the article.
Midway through the talk, Meyer was talking about the “nonsense” that came up again last week when a column by Paul Finebaum in the Mobile paper indicated (again) that Meyer is leaving Florida for Notre Dame after this season.
He turned to me and asked. “Is it OK to make this announcement here?”
I knew what he was going to say because he said something similar when the speculative story surfaced three weeks ago.
Meyer turned back to the golfers and said, “I’m not going to Notre Dame. Ever. I’m going to be the coach at Florida for a long time, as long as they want me.”
My response to this is – GOOD. I might be in the minority here, but I for one don’t want to see Meyer roaming the sidelines of Notre Dame Stadium. The way I see it, Meyer had his chance to coach at Notre Dame in 2005. If Notre Dame really was his dream job, he would have taken the job back then. I’m also getting a little tired of the speculation since as of right now Meyer is the coach at Florida and Charlie Weis is the coach at Notre Dame. As long as both of things remain true, then there is really no point in speculating.
I realize that Meyer is a great coach. I’m not denying that in the least. I’d be an idiot to try and make a case that he isn’t since he is easily one of the best head coaches in all of college football today. There is still something about the video of Kevin White and Father Jenkins arriving in Utah in the presidential style motorcade and returning empty handed with Meyer accepting the head coaching job at Florida a few days later that I can’t get over.  Throw in the number Meyer has done against Notre Dame on the recruiting trail over the past few seasons and it’s all just a little too much for me to deal with.
Call me naive, but I also still believe that there’s a very good chance that Charlie Weis will remain the head coach at Notre Dame after this season and beyond which would make all of this a moot point to begin with. With the talent Weis has assembled on the field through recruiting and on the sidelines in terms of staff changes, I believe that things are indeed on the way up for Notre Dame and Weis this year.
Hopefully this latest article will cut down on the message board posts and blog comments on all the ND sites from fans pinning for Meyer for a while. Then again, a 10+ win season from Weis and the Irish should take care of that as well.
THIS AGED WELL!!!??
what do you think now that hes leaving FL for so called Health and FAITH reasons lol ya to get his family back to his growing up Faith at Notre Dame thats what i think.
Will just sit back and watch and see what happens huh
Urban can stay at Florida forever.
Who needs him?
Charlie doesn’t gripe about standards and plays by the rules. He just needs to start calling plays like he did in NE and we’ll be counting National Titles ourselves.
Bleed,
It is summer vaction time. By the way, it is interesting how quickly you stone your fellow irish fans if they don’t share your narrow view point 100%. But hey it’s america, I’ll let you fill in the blanks.
Best Regards,
JC
Bleednd82…it seems as though you are calling me out as a “bandwagon” fan. You are quite misinformed my friend. I’m quite sure my ND roots run MUCH MUCH deeper than yours, or anybody else on this board for that matter. The fans who “live in the glory days” EXPECT 10 wins seasons and a BCS bowl victory EVERY year. We are Notre Dame we are not Stanford, we are not Boston College, we are NOT and NEVER should be a mediocre program, EVER. The fans who live in the “Glory Days” are the one’s who fund the program, the one’s who know what’s BEST for this program, the one’s who know what it takes to win national championships and produce Heisman Trophy candidates.
In regards to numerous posts about blaming Weis’s lack of success to Tyrone Willingham “sub-par” recruits…you are ignorant. Let me run a few names by you…Brady Quinn, Tommy Z, The Shark…these men were the core elements of the two ND BCS teams and were recruited by whom???? Tyrone Willingham.
I am by no means a Charlie Weis hater. I am hater of losses. I am a hater of losses to BC, I am a hater of losses to NAVY, I am a hater of embarrassing losses to USC on an annual basis (with the exception of ’05 when Tyrone Willingham’s players almost took down the might Trojans), I am a hater of accepting lame bowl invitations, I am a hater of constantly being told that MY IRISH either suck or are overrated.
Yes, bleednd82 this is the mindset of folks who live in the “Glory Days”. The folks who want US to return to the days of Knute Rockne, Frank Leahy, Ara, and Lou and all the men they developed into CHAMPIONS. Bleednd82 I’ll see you at the USC game when Manti Te’o and my good friend Mike Anello put Joe McKnight on his ASS.
GO IRISH.
I hope that these “Great” ND fans are still around after this season to show support for CW and ND. Winning seems to bring on the band wagon fans or the fans who live in the “glory days”.
I believe Weis is a great NFL coach who is still learning the college game. Two things he has impressed me with is: his ability to recruit well in particularly the west coast and his ability to put his ego aside at times by allowing his assistants to coach and taking blame when needed. Two things he has yet to prove are coaching young players to mature early and grasp his NFL-style offense and his ability to win big games. I think the winning big games will come to him, but he has to learn to coach young players by helping them develop their skills early and not allowing distractions to get to them. If he has a mature class, like this years class, he will do well, but when he has another young class, it will be a long couple of years again for us Irish fans!!!
24 arrests. ‘Nuff said. We wouldn’t be able to field a team even if he DID coach as Student Affairs would be booting kids left and right.
Charlie gets it at least. I sincerely hope he can win big, too. Go Irish.
Urban took one look at the ND program in regards to number of recruits and talent level, that the Willingham death penalty was leaving ND with and cringed. He knew that his season 3 and 4 were going to be full of youngsters if he took the ND job. And as far as season 3 goes he still only had the ability to recruit for less than two months against the stigma that ND fired Willingham because he was black. There was no logical reason for Urban to ‘Decommit’ from his Florida job acceptance. ND officials questioned his commitment to Florida and both parties decided to take the high road and say an offer was never made.
Urban took the a look at Florida as a chance to win a National Championship with someone else’s recruits and not have to wait six years for his own fifth year seniors. A National Championship chance, the money, the ease of recruiting, the weather, and taking over for a coach who didn’t leave any racial baggage behind. Based on all the ND negatives when Weis was hired, we should be honored that Meyer even took the meeting with ND back then.
Gruden? What real collegiate credentials does he bring to the plate? NONE!
Bobby D., there are a great number of people who support and want CW to succeed. If he has the season as head coach many of us believe he will have, you are going to have to wait a number of years before there is even a vacancy at Notre Dame for a new HC.
I hope that these “Great” ND fans are still around after this season to show support for CW and ND. Winning seems to bring on the band wagon fans or the fans who live in the “glory days”.
CW has had one horrible year and yes I do blame that on TW and his bad recruiting. CW had a mediocre year last year due to once again TW and CW coaching. We won a bowl game and lets hope this trend continues. I have a hard time selling out our program to a cheat and known liar just to win. ND does not stand for that.
Bobby D,
I hope to see you back on here in January to show your support when ND goes to a BCS game and wins.
Frankie V. I agree with you on many many many things and I appreciate all the time you put into this website which I visit multiple times a day BUT I have to VEHEMENTLY disagree with you on this article. First of all let me say that I attended Notre Dame football camp as a 7th and 8th grader when Urban was the WR’s coach for the Fighting Irish. He was undoubtedly the most intense, knowledgeable, and demanding coach within the offensive staff that included Donavan McNabb’s tutor Kevin Rogers. Yeah he might have snubbed the Irish several years back, but who cares. The bottom line he is a MUCH MUCH better coach. The major difference that separates Weis and Meyer is the fact that Meyer and his staff DEVELOP their players. Weis gets recruiting classes that contend w/ Meyer but where is the player development??? Nowhere. That’s why we go 7-5 and get all excited when we beat a shitty Hawaii team and Florida wins the Nat’l Championship. Let us for a brief moment compare the college coaching resumes of Charlie Weis and Urban Meyer…keep in mind I not only bleed blue and gold I also bleed Patriot blue and silver.
Weis- Career Record: 29-21
Bowl Record: 1-2
0 Nat’l Championships
Meyer- Career Record: 83-17
-Bowl Record: 5-1
-2 Nat’l Championships
-2 SEC Champs
2 MWC Champs
-1 Home Depot Coach of the Yr
-1 Eddie Robinson Coach of Yr
-1 Heisman Trophy Winner
-Numerous stolen ND commits
-Actually PLAYED NCAA football
I could go on and on with this, but until Weis BEATS a top 10 program and WINS a legit BCS game, can we actually say that it is “GOOD” we do not have the BEST coach and arguably recruiter of the past 3 years. I’d take Urban over Weis and his terrible, look at me attitude ANY day of the week. Regardless of the fact he may have snubbed up in ’05. I want Urban and I want him NOW.
your nuts
First of all, I support Coach Weis. But I am old school and believe in Weis mostly because of the fact that he hasn’t brought down Notre Dame’s standards. But ND has an uphill battle in today’s sports culture. USC gets away with a truly shifty program. Basically ESPN controls college football. The ethic now is of Boyz in the Hood rather than the Lads on the gridiron. It’s all supposed to be OK, because winning football games trumps ethics. Isn’t the need to win at all costs what got us Enron and AIG? Yep, but like addicts, folks let too much cheating go on because it’s all about the win.
To bring this concept into the picture, I say that Meyer may be tainted now. I also say that while cheating is allowed and standards are lowered to the degree they are, ND will have a great challenge.
I also say that ESPN has declared ND it’s enemy until ND gives in and signs it’s independence to the ESPN marketing wing. Do I know anything specific, no, but boy it sure seems that way.
Charlie Weis certainly has learned on the job. My hope is that with integrity, he can become that dominant coach with 8 plus win seasons for the next 10 years. I also hope that USC is caught and punished. But only after Weis gets three to four straight years of revenge on Pete Carroll.
Go Irish!!! Lead America!!!
I believe that Urban Meyer will one day be head coach at Notre Dame but not for a least a few years. I believe once his kids are grown down the road and he is less restrained with recruiting nationaly it will happen providing the ND job opens up again at the right time.
If Charlie were to get the boot after this season I would like to see Jon Gruden as the head coach. His father was an assistant when he was younger and he is actually available. It actually wouldn’t be a hard transition for the players at all since Gruden comes from an NFL back as Charlie does. If Notre Dame were to switch to the “spread” they would probably have a bad first seasnon because of the reansition and that is one thing that Notre Dame can not afford.Plus,I don’t know if Meyer can actually recruit kids that have to make grades and maintain a decent GPA throughout the School year. Maybe I’m wrong maybe I’m right but thats the way I feel.
bleednd82, I am with you and the others who support Charlie.
How can anyone really believe that Charlie has had more than enough time to show improvement regardless of talent level?
With little recruiting talent in the resevoir from TW, Charlie took the Irish to BCS Bowls his first two years.
He then had to rebuild the team from the ground up. Now the Irish are on the cusp of once again playing with the best.
Chris, it will be a feat of great success, and maybe luck, if we are 11-1 this coming season. However, we certainly may be a much improved team setting the stage for the future.
Urban Meyer may have had the chance to coach at ND, but he wanted ND to relax it position on transfers (JUCO players) and grades for incoming students (suitability for a university that prides itself with student success at more than sports). No, Notre Dame stands for much more than having a winning team with many players who are constantly in trouble with the law.
There really isn’t reason to believe that UM could succeed at ND with the total package that ND represents and stands for.
I think we are good with CW. I have been on here supporting this guy for atleast a decade (how I feel). We will win 10-11 games this year and everyone will be praising CW and not slamming him (where is that JC guy talking about the Charlie Kool-Aid) anways Urban is a liar and a cheat. I dont want him here at ND. All of you make good points. UM can do well with kids whose GPA is 2.0 and have a few felonys on their record. That wont fly at ND.
09 BCS bound
Go Irish
Hiring Meyer will be asking for an administrative nightmare for Notre Dame.
Meyer’s players have been arrested 24 times in his four year tenure. Even though most of the arrests were for misdemeanors, Notre Dame’s student conduct code would kick these players off the team for at least a year for the same offenses.
Meyer would have to increase his recruiting efforts to replace suspended players.
Weis has had more than enough time to at least show improvement regardless of talent level. If Swarbrick is not another White in disguise this will be Charlies last year if they dont go 10-1. Meyer was the guy to have from the get go! ND should have gotten it done then but failed – period. Would take Urban in a heartbeat! Floridas coaching staff currently are is a flashback of previous ND coaches…Meyer – Strong – Mattison…
@ Kyle…. that comment made me laugh. It is true, this article depressed the crap out of me too. I want CW to turn things around, but sometimes I just wish a coach like Meyer would step in and bring ND back to the top.
@ JD…. good points and I agree. Very impressive that you were able to type out all of your thoughts in one sentence. haha, jk
Frankie V, I am thrilled to hear your responses.
I agree with you that CW is going to have us on the road to the elite. He already does through his recruiting and the hiring of new and excellent coaches.
This will be the year we really turn it around. Next year will be even better. That will put an end to this silly speculation.
Urban is an excellent coach and would be an obvious choice( on ND’s part) if Charlie is given the door.. However,I dont think it will ever happen because ND will have great success in 2009 and beyond and Charlie will stay for the duration of his contract…
I live in Florida and all the sports shows are talking this up as we speak. They are hooked on Meyer here, and they should be for all he has done for the “Gator Nation”, even though I believe Tebow has more to do with it.
I bleed Blue and Gold and I do not want Meyer at Notre Dame, Florida can have him. He is a great coach but I like the little bit of sassiness and swagger that Charlie has brought to the program. I think he is a good fit for this program now and into the future. Granted these last two seasons have been a true test for any ND fan, but we stand firm. Charlie’s now had a chance to acclimate himself to the college game and its players. There’s no excuses this year.
I believe after this season this headline will disappear for good. Even if ND is Meyer’s dream job, he better say “Never Ever” at the SEC Golf event to appease the alumni, and future recruits. Which by the way the Irish seem to be poaching his territory more and more lately. Right On.
GO IRISH!
Pete / Jacksonville, FL
Frankie V I agree!
@Kyle, Don’t worry, Charlie and Jimmy are leading us back to the elite this year.
I think the recruiting aspect is somewhat askew. ND recruites students who can handle the classroom work and are of sound personal charater. That leaves a whole bunch of players who won’t get any consideration from ND no matter how good they may be on the field. Meyer is more than happy to scoop them up, although I doubt he’s too happpy about having to explain why so many of his players seem to get into trouble. That stuff won’t float at ND.
i dont want urban meyer at ND hes a good coach with players with a 2.0 gpa that run fast witch nd will never have his QBs will never play well in the pros look at alex smith i dont want the spread offense at ND there are a handful of teams in college football that run pro-style offenses and ND is one of them weis is going to build us up to were we all want this program to be…..look at what he was left with after the quinn class nothing and hes built up a solid team they were young…highschool all starts cant compete with college players ever thats what we were the last 2 years a highschool all-star team!! we have grown and learned and with out weis we wouldnt have any of the players we have today…and if u dont support weis your not a true fan!! hes our coach and we need to support him any less then 9 wins and hes out its put up or shut up time!! so until the seasons over shut up!!
Thanks, this article just depressed the crap out of me.
i agree with Jeff. I think he just said that to get the media off his back. College coaches lie through their teeth daily now. Its really sad that there is no allegiance to a program from the coaches or the athletic department. The internet brought instant gratification and destroyed long run coaching careers.
Chuck Norris’ other name is Urban Meyer. And for all I care, he can say and do whatever he wants. He will be at ND soon. Very soon.
I totally agree. He’s a good coach, but for the reasons you mentioned, I don’t particularly want him at ND