Thursday, August 15, 2002
Notre Dame coach confident, calm
Willingham has titles in mind
The Associated Press
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Tyrone Willingham smiled slyly when asked why he took the Notre Dame coaching job knowing he would be living in a fish bowl.
“Because I get to swim with the fishes,” he said.
It has been choppy so far, though, taking over a program far from its glory days.
Willingham was hired amid turmoil following the embarrassing resignation of George O'Leary after just five days on the job and has seen the team lose six players during the offseason, including three who were expelled from school after a woman said she was raped.
It has been the most tumultuous offseason in Notre Dame's history.
It has been tough on the field as well. Notre Dame hasn't seriously challenged for a national championship in nine years, when it finished the season ranked No.2 behind Florida State. Since then, the Irish have a 58-36-1 record, averaging 4.5 losses a season.
Notre Dame hasn't won a national championship since 1988. Despite that, Willingham said the Irish will win championships again.
“Why not?” he said when asked by a reporter about it.
Some have said Notre Dame's tough academic standards, difficult schedule and lack of a conference tie combine to make it increasingly harder to compete against schools that can take in virtually anybody, play weak nonconference schedules and have league affiliations.
But others, including former Irish coaches Lou Holtz and Ara Parseghian, say Notre Dame can be a power again.
“I know when I was recruiting, there were certain kids out there who were just waiting for Notre Dame to call,” former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne said. “They have a national fan base and a national television contract. There's no reason Notre Dame can't win, and I think they will win under Tyrone Willingham.”
Willingham thinks so, too. And he's also aware of the scrutiny coaching the Irish will bring.
If he wants to see how eager the school is to win, Willingham need not look back any further than last year. After Bob Davie led Notre Dame to a 9-3 record and a Fiesta Bowl appearance in 2000, the school rewarded him with a new five-year contract. After opening the season 0-3 last year, Davie was told he could be fired before the season was over.
Asked how he will deal with such pressure, Willingham said he wouldn't pretend to be unaffected.
“But I believe that hopefully there is a system within me, a system I created, that will allow me to focus and do the things I need to do,” he said.
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Notre Dame coach confident, calm
