Before the 2007 season, Navy had not beaten Notre Dame in 43 straight tries.
The last two seasons in South Bend? Navy 2, Notre Dame 0.
Needless to say, this latest “embarrassment” has the natives restless. As well as the media.
In a column that could portend the doom that is the Charlie Weis Era underneath Touchdown Jesus, the South Bend Tribune‘s Al Lesar skillfully fillets the current state of the Irish football program without actually calling for Weis’ head on a platter.
Lesar starts his piece with “Let the free-fall begin”, and ends with what the loss to the Midshipmen may mean for Weis’ future.
“It could be a deal-breaker” Lesar wrote.
In between, the Tribune writer takes Weis to task for being outcoached — two years in a row — by a service academy coach and asks if the current state of the program is “a situation out of control”.
All in all, this is a helluva read, and one that shows just how tenuous Weis’ hold on the Irish job may indeed be.
[Writer's note: I screwed up the when's as far as Navy beating Notre Dame the last coupla years. I corrected them. Thanks to the alert who pointed out the misstep. It's appreciated.]
what, i thought ND was awarded at least three National Championships when Wies took over…oh wait, that was the media, now they say he is doodoo…what do we believe…at least we have Baarrryyyy
Umm, I think you mean the last two times Navy played ND at South Bend, don’t you?
navy beat ND in South Bend in 2007, lost to ND in Giants Stadium in 2008, beat ND today, so it’s 1-1 over the last two years I think.
I know that close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, but Weis damn near played the Middies to a tie, and had he done so, probably could have pulled off the win in overtime. The Midshipmen won by a single safety, and the Irish, having dominated the Middies’ pass defense, almost immediately answered with another TD. In the end, they just ran out of time.
No question that the vaunted Notre Dame team is not what it was, and that Weis is on the hot seat, but overall, I don’t think this was awful. Navy doesn’t get enough credit – that triple option offense is a bitch.
Navy played a great game and earned this win
i agree with overratedgators. yes navy doesnt have the sexy names on the roster or coaching staff but if there is any mid-major team who can literally beat anyone on any given day its navy.
when my buckeyes barely pulled one out against them the media freaked like it was a huge deal. the whole time i was really praying that my bucks wouldnt over look navy cuz they have made a name for themselves by beating teams they shouldnt.
navy is a major trap game for ANY team in college football.
That triple option is a bitch. I just get pissed off watching them run it.
I say Weis gets one more chance against Pitt next week. I don’t think ND is in any hurry to buy Weis out and they probably know that Clausen’s decision to stick around could be swayed by whether or not his coach is around.
He was outcoached yesterday, evidenced by that game even being close, but if ND’s kicker makes either of the gimmes he missed yesterday, it’s a different story today. And if and buts were candy and nuts, Charlie Weis would weigh 450 instead of 350. (Sorry Charlie, that was a shot, but you can’t keep losing to Navy.)
Regardless of the “close” losses, there have been way too many “firsts” over the past few years. We have the talent now so we can’t blame the recruiting. We either have to eliminate Michigan, USC, Navy, Michigan State, Purdue, Pitt and some others from the schedule and add Vassar, Wesleyan, Spelman College and Agnes Scott College OR get some coaching. I mean, after all, even Davie, Faust, nor Willingham lost nine games or lost to Navy even ONCE!
If Clausen wasn’t considering the NFL before yesterday, I’ll guarantee he is now. I wouldn’t him a bit.
I get tired of hearing people using ‘the triple option is tough to stop’ excuse. Look every offenseive is tough to stop when executed properly. The defense’s job is to stop the other team from executed regardless of the scheme. And how small minded are you people that the triple option is soo much tougher to defense than other offensive schemes? If that were the case you would have more than a handful of teams running it. Hell Charlie Weiss is an offensive genius, wouldn’t he be using it? Furthermore, if the triple option is so tough how did Temple manage to beat Navy and the vaunted triple option last week? Lastly, if the triple option is so tough to stop how did Notre Dame manage to stop it and beat Navy when they were coached by that guy who was fired and replaced by Weiss???
Bottom Line: Navy beat Notre Dame!
(P.S. How many BCS bowls has Navy won because they run that unstoppable triple option?)
Who cares? ND has been overrated for years because they are a media darling. Navy is a good football team, despite being a “academy team” as so many people point out. Weis may or may not be the guy, but ND fans and the media need to get it out of their thick skulls that the program is a powerful as it was in the past. They may get there again but they aren’t now.
There is nothing shameful about being beaten by a good team.
Navy is 7-3 this year. Navy has gone to a bowl game every year since 2003.
Bill Bellichick grew up with Navy football. His father coached at Navy. Bellichick often uses former Midshipmen on the New England Patriots.
It could be that Navy’s current head coach, Ken Niumatalolo, turns out to be very good coach himself.
Notre Dame and Michigan should trade coaches.
Any day that ends with a ND loss is a great day.
The fact it was from an opponent that is perceived to be inferior makes it even more delicious.
@Hail2ThaRedskins
“(P.S. How many BCS bowls has Navy won because they run that unstoppable triple option?)”
Typical meathead nd “fan.” How many BCS games have your Cryin Irish won? Oh, that’s right, NONE!