Charlie Weis: Big Man On Campus

"One of the things that people have told me is that you have a pretty high opinion of yourself," Kroft asks Weis.

"Who told you that?" he asks.

"You're not denying it," Kroft says.

"In coaching if you don't think you are good then you have no chance," Weis explains.

"Is there anyone in college football you think that can out-coach you?" Kroft asks.

"I would not give that up," Weis says. "I would not want to think that somebody's gonna out-coach me."

To understand Weis' style, you have to understand his career. When he graduated from Notre Dame in 1978 with a degree in communications he wanted to be a sports announcer. Instead, he wound himself teaching English and coaching high school football in New Jersey, where he eventually won a state championship, and an entry level job with the New York Giants, analyzing game tapes for coach Bill Parcells, who wasn't much interested the first time Weis offered a coaching suggestion.

"And he looks down at the end of the table with his scowl. Says, 'You've been in the league for five minutes. No one cares what you think. So just sit there and shut up.' So, needless to say I was humbled into going into my shell and not saying a whole heck of a lot for about the next two months," Weis recalls.

Weis acknowledges he was a bit of a whipping boy for Parcells. "Oh, I was it," he says.

Asked how he would you describe that, Weis says, "Anytime you say something that's even the least bit wrong, the hammer is coming out. And it is being swung and swung hard."

"And now you're giving it," Kroft remarks.

"Yeah, I'm – it's nice to be on the delivering end instead of the receiving end," he says.

On the field, Weis doesn't hold back. "Hey Brian, will you wait 'til they send the (expletive) field goal team on there. The last time I checked you're not the(expletive) head coach."

"That's why people call you a jerk," Kroft says.

"Oh, that's okay. They've called me worse than that, Weis replies, laughing.

Weis spent 15 years under Parcells and later Bill Belichek, helping them win four Superbowls with the New York Giants and New England - and learning a lot about football from two of the very best.

He is considered a brilliant offensive mind and an imaginative and daring play caller who's not afraid to take chances.

He is also a great teacher and motivator, getting his players to perform at a higher level than any of them thought possible.

"Am I just going to have to yell at you at every one of these kickoffs? That's ok, I'll do that. I'll come over here and yell at you every time, if that's what you need," he tells on his players.

Weis says he likes working with younger players. "It's like working with a bunch of rookies all at the same time," he explains. "The difference is they're even younger. And the difference between a freshman and a senior is like night and day."

"You know, it's almost like you get 'em as kids and they walk out the door as men," he adds.

Recruiting the nation's top football prospects is a big part of Weis' job now, searching for players who want to graduate from playing at Notre Dame on Saturdays, to playing in the pros on Sunday. And he is not above flashing one of his four Superbowl rings to romance a recruit.

"When they sit there and tell me that they want to play on Sundays, I'll act confused and I'll say, 'So you want to play on Sunday, huh," Weis says laughing.

Speaking about the mass of metal of diamonds of his Superbowl rings, Weis says, "It definitely gets prospects attention because they all aspire to go on past, past a college level when the come here."

• « Previous Page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next Page »

[devintacy]

viva la notre dame and charlie weis

[ndfantp]

NDalum2002 you apparently havent' been to campus lately. There are more spanish speaking students than ever before. The majority of students are still white, but the minority population is increasing. Notre Dame meets 100% of financial need for its students, that means that even if you come from the poorest of poor neighborhoods, and you are from a single parent family that can barely provide for itself, than Notre Dame will help you financially if you are intelligent enough to gain admission.

[ndfanhbgpa]

What a great piece done by 60 Minutes on Charlie Weis and the tremendous work he has done with ND's football program. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Being on ND's campus on game day is like no other . . . everyone working there is so nice to ALL the fans attending. The campus is overflowing with great traditions, i.e., the team walk to the stadium, the pep rally, the grotto, the IRISH band, etc.
It is refreshing to see how Charlie and his family have learned to deal with the obstacles in their lif. Kudos to he and his family for starting the Hannah and Friends Foundation. God bless them.
Why are OSU fans so upset with this? They have more than their share of the spotlight every week with being rated #1 in every poll (playing Bowling Green, Minneso??; and they knock ND for playing the service academies who happen to have some of the best rushing offenses in the country). "Troy" is all lined up to win his Heisman and is advised each week by the ESPN analysts to "pick out his suit" for the ceremony. What more do OSU fans want, or are they that jealous of all that ND stands for?
GOOD LUCK Charlie, BRADY and all of the IRISH on the rest of your season! Luv ND!

[ndalum2002]

ndfantp, No S*#t! Of course it's clear what you were trying to convey. Domers1999 was just pointing out your ignorant stereotyped analogy. And, I don't know what planet you are on, but Notre Dame does NOT have a lot of minorities. When I was there, some of the football players told me that some of their buddies that went to play elsewhere were turned off by the lack of diversity in the student population. And, if the players were to name one complaint with Notre Dame, it would be the lack of diversity. Today, I think Charlie is reason enough to come play for Notre Dame.

[joeyrsween]

Kroft, your interview questions reveal that you don't know ozone from the endzone. Are you from Arkansas or Bull Head Lake? Have you even played a touch football game, even in grammar school? Next time 60 Min asks you to do a football interview, why not politely decline?

[bluegoldrn]

to MOM1231 I agree with you Ty has nothing to do with this .. People use his 3 years as an excuse to bash ND .... Nobody cares ... I wonder if the OSU fans have any idea that their current athletic director is a GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME... I can't understand their need to even comment on this story.let it go .

[mon1231]

TO D12ENGERS. Do u know what ur talking about first of all Weis is in his second season so hes not a knew head coach second of all Notre Dame Did play Michigan and we do play USC last time i checked there both in the top 10.

[mon1231]

First of all what dose Tyrone Willingham have to do with this story. If you really want to get to in to it lets see Florida hired Ron Zook the same year Notre Dame hired Tyrone Willingham and they both lasted 3 years. SO let me ask u the same question again what does Tyrone Willingham have to do with this story. Second of all Willingham was going to leave Notre Dame for Wasington anyway he was hired a week later. SO AGAIN WHAT DOES TYRONE WILLINGHAM HAVE TO DO WITH THIS STORY NOTHING HE WENT 9-3 5-7 AND 6-6 WHAT A GREAT RECORD BOB DAVIE ALEAST WENT TO A BCS BOWL GAME. Last but not least who cares about the way he talks on the sidelines and some of the words he use. A lot of coaches around the country do the same so what.

[saposto1]

Thanks for the great piece on ND!

Colorful language or not, this ND alum is ecstatic to have Charlie Weis as a coach. Notre Dame is about faith, intellectual fulfillment, and football - none of which has to come at the expense of the others. I think I am not alone in the feeling that Charlie Weis understands this and is about to add a new, exciting chapter to the long history of Notre Dame football.

GO IRISH!!

[pilney35]

Of all the college football program fan bases to write in only OSU fans found objection with the Weis piece enough to get on line. If they are such a superior program then why all the vitriol? Why would they care?

Excellence is more than a game or two against ND during down cycles.

Examples of no class OSU fan comments I've personally heard have been, "Break his F..king arm" when playing against ND in 1996.

I've never wished harm on an opposing team's players and that was my first introduction to OSU fandom. Then I heard of the riots in Columbus like the one after this year's Texas game. Assault charges too.



It's more of an inferiority complex. Being a "flash in the pan" program under Tressel is not going to put them in elite status. They'd have to have about 3 more Tressel careers to rival ND in titles.

I think it's having to deal with losing the original "Game of the Century" in 1935 and stewing about it for 60 years.

That breeds a lot of resentment.