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Ten things Charlie Weis can learn from Coach Pete
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Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis is sitting in the hottest coaching seat in college football. With spring ball approaching, many are talking about what Wise could change to bring the Fighting Irish back to the college football elite. With the Broncos’ dominance during the past years, Coach Weis could take a cue from Coach Petersen in these 10 areas.
1 Recruiting. Weis is always going after the “expert” pegged five star recruits, while Petersen ignores the star rankings and goes after athletes who are a good fit for the program. The star system of rating recruits is one of the most flawed systems in college football that constantly places too much hype onto a recruit. Many football players that come through Boise State would never have been given a chance by Notre Dame yet these players have beat the likes of Oklahoma and Oregon. Notre Dame now loses to the sisters of the poor, with recruits who were supposedly better than those Boise State signs. If Wise wants to build a program, he has to look beyond a five-star ranking and obtain someone who will fit with what he is trying to do in South Bend.
2 Class. Coach Petersen has it and Coach Weis definitely does not. Whether it is his tough eastern attitude, his constant use of profanity or his massive ego, class is just something Wise doesn’t possess.
3 Hiring the right coaches. Justin Wilcox and Bryan Harsin are two of the best coordinators in college football. Coach Petersen has a way of making the right choices and picking perfect coaches for his program. During Coach Wise’s stint at Notre Dame, offensive play calling has been like a ping-pong match between Weis and his coaching staff. Coach Weis could learn from Petersen’s analysis of coaches and possibly be able to find a coordinator he trusts to run his offense.
4 Finding the perfect quarterback. Coach Petersen found a diamond in the rough in Prosser, Wash. Charlie Weis saw five stars next to a recruit’s name out of Oaks Christian High School in California. We all know which quarterback has been a more successful choice.
5 Understanding college football. Coach Weis thought that with the success he had in the NFL it would transfer to college football, he was horribly mistaken. Coach Weis is proving each season behind the clipboard at Notre Dame that he doesn’t understand college football workings. Coach Petersen never got bigger than himself, often proclaiming he never saw himself as a head coach, happy just being a coordinator.
6 Rapport with athletes. While Petersen commands respect from his players, they feel comfortable with him as their leader. In countless interviews, players at Notre Dame don’t hold back their thoughts on being afraid of Coach Weis. No one knows what goes on at practice, but it’s easy to see a difference between the two coaches.
7 Winning. Petersen knows how to, Weis doesn’t.
8 Understanding his place. Petersen never gets too big for himself even though he is one of the best coaches in the nation. Coach Wise on the other hand, makes sure everyone knows that he was with the Patriots and won super bowls. Petersen is approachable and a great face for a program and a city. Weis isn’t and will never be a Coach Pete.
9 Philosophies. While both coaches strive for wins, Coach Pete approaches winning on a different basis. His here-and-now philosophy has been one of the most successful coaching philosophies in the nation since taking over the reins at Boise State.
10 Trickeration! Wise gambles on several fourth down plays, what he doesn’t do is use trick plays effectively. The timing is always off, showing the lack of practice given to plays that are often used. Coach Petersen is the coaching guru of trick plays. Not only are they executed perfectly, they are always called at the right time during a game.
Weis could do himself and Fighting Irish football a favor and spend a week in Boise observing Coach Pete and the Broncos.
BRITTNEY JOHNSON
Arbiter Journalist