Willingham not to blame for Notre Dame's dismal season

By Aaron Juarez

I was relieved when I read the newspaper Sunday morning and discovered the sky had not fallen on South Bend, Ind. Still, after the events which transpired in South Bend on Saturday afternoon, you just can't put it past many Notre Dame fans to go Chicken Little. The reason for the discontent was a 37-0 massacre the Fighting Irish suffered at the hands of the Seminoles of Florida State. With the loss, Notre Dame's record fell to 2-6, a record not seen for 40 years.

But before we all go off the cliff here, let's be realistic. The Irish simply are not a greatly talented team. I would go out on a limb and call them a somewhat talented team. They were slightly better last year, but their 10-3 mark was the result of Tyrone Willingham's coaching and inspirational ability combined with an invigorated group of players who overachieved.

That is why I implore Irish fans out there to put this season in perspective. Don't rush headlong into blaming Willingham for this, and certainly don't abandon ship over one bad season. Notre Dame's 2002 season was a double-edged sword for Willingham. Replacing the much-vilified Bob Davie, Willingham led the players, who Davie himself conceded he could never win with, to a 10-3 record and a berth in the Gator Bowl. It also proved to skeptical Irish fans east of the Pac-10 what those of us on the West Coast already knew, that Willingham was the answer to rebuilding the Notre Dame program.

On the other hand, with the success came heightened expectations. Fans now acted under the misguided notion that the team was ready to contend for a national title and "return to glory." Realistically, the Irish still have plenty of rebuilding to do.

Simply put, Willingham is still playing mostly with Davie's recruits. The sight of Vontez Duff being burned by a new receiver every week should not be a surprise. Last season's game against USC, in which Mike Williams repeatedly burned Duff for 10 catches, 169 yards and two scores served as a precursor to this season, in which Williams, Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald and Florida St.'s Craphonso Thorpe have all run freely through the Notre Dame secondary.

Julius Jones and Ryan Grant provide a decent running game at times, but soon enough the opposing defense stacking eight guys in the box stops the rush, daring the Irish to win with the pass. Quarterbacks Carlyle Holiday and Brady Quinn have each proven their inability to pass effectively, especially in third-and-long situations, which they are often left in.

In Holiday's case it is simply an option quarterback attempting to learn the West Coast offense. That is akin to teaching someone a brand new language, something that takes at least a couple of years to master. The person may understand parts after some time, but fluency doesn't come right away.

For Quinn, as a true freshman he is still adjusting to the college game. Rushed into starting action the fourth game of the season, he can't be expected to make an immediate difference. Irish fans, though, can be assured that Quinn is learning by the second, and by his junior season should be fully competent in running Willingham's offense.

Quinn is also the first of Willingham's recruits to see significant action. Once Willingham is able to bring in his second recruiting class, he will finally be able to begin the installation of a long-term plan. With freshmen such as wide receiver Jeff Samardzija and linebacker Dwight Stephenson, Willingham is laying the foundation for his future teams.

So fellow Irish fans, don't start hyperventilating yet and look ahead to the future. Give it two years, and the Irish will be contending, and in five, then we may expect the arrival of a 12th consensus national title returning to the Golden Dome.

Contact Aaron Juarez at (408) 554-4852 or at ajuarez@scu.edu.