Now I admit, I was one of the true Bob Davie supporters from the start. I thought he was the right man for the job when he was hired. I must admit the prospect of Gary Barnett or Dave Wannstedt coaching the Irish was less than thrilling. I felt he was the right man at the time, and although I knew there would be growing pains, I thought Notre Dame made the right hire. My opinion was reinforced last season, when the overachieving 9-2 Irish made it back to a BCS Bowl. I was even willing to accept the embarrassing drubbing they received at the hands of the poorly behaved Oregon State Beavers.

But let’s face it: the Irish seem unenthused, sloppy, and overmatched this year. A team that had 15 penalties yesterday beat them. Never once in yesterday’s abysmal performance did I feel that Notre Dame could win. To think that the oddsmakers made us a nine-point favorite!

Let’s review some of the head-scratchers. First, why doesn’t Coach Davie let Matt LoVecchio throw downfield? When forced to yesterday, he was usually successful. Yet, he continues to insist that the offense has to be "dumbed-down". When, exactly, is LoVecchio going to be allowed to use his talents? Second, he insists that Julius Jones is the featured tailback, when it is obvious that he does not have the speed at his current weight to make him successful. Tony Fisher was blasting through the line for seven yards per carry, yet Coach Davie kept inserting Jones. Why? Third, can anyone explain the fake-field goal? Was it an intentional fake, or a bad snap? Why not go for a first down? Fourth, when are people going to realize that we cannot play offense with nine players? Coaches Davie and Rogers insist on ignoring the fullback and tight end. This limits offensive creativity, and makes defensing the team so much easier. And the one time they did use the fullback, it was a pass to Tom Lopienski for big yardage. So why not do that again? Finally, when did ND players stop tackling?  Once again, a missed tackle cost the Irish the game. There had to have been at least a dozen occasions where a missed tackle led to major yardage gains for the Spartans. That is inexcusable.

There were some bright spots in yesterday’s game. Rocky Boiman and Anthony Weaver were outstanding. Courtney Watson continues to impress as Anthony Denman’s replacement. Joey Hildbold may be the best punter in college football. Nicholas Setta continues his solid placekicking. Javin Hunter stepped up and played to his ability.

It is obvious that Bob Davie will never win at Notre Dame. The last three games that Notre Dame has had more than a week to prepare (a virtually guaranteed win under Lou Holtz), ND is an embarrassing 0-3. There never seems to be a cohesive game plan – they can’t run the ball well, they do not run the option well, and they cannot pass the ball well. The conservative first down approach sets up the offense for failure because there are too many third-and-long plays, which they are ill equipped to tackle. The defense remains inconsistent – from awful to awesome one series to the next. The secondary continues to disappoint. These are recurring themes over the last five years – an all point to a head coach that is not capable of running the Notre Dame program.

Bob Davie is a nice guy, and he says all of the things one might expect out of the Notre Dame head coach. He is a classy individual who puts the reputation of the university above all. For that he should be credited. He obviously is an outstanding recruiter – the talent level now matches the best of the Holtz era. But he does not motivate – where is the emotion? – at a time when the players need it. He is not a good "Xs-and-Os" coach, and his players continually fail to execute fundamentals. The players change, but the mistakes are the same.

Firing Coach Davie (despite the inexplicable contract extensions he has received) may be easier said than done. When Gerry Faust was mercifully axed, there was a Lou Holtz out there waiting for the Notre Dame job. Who is out there for the Irish? For starters, I would try Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin (Holtz’s defensive coordinator in 1988). He is a proven winner, but short of an unlikely national title, what more does he have to achieve at Wisconsin? Maybe the challenge of trying to win at ND would lure him away from Camp Randall Stadium. How about Terry Bowden? I know he states that he has no desire to coach again, but would an offer from South Bend tempt him? Coaches such as George O’Leary at Georgia Tech and Tom O’Brien of Boston College should not be overlooked, either. Perhaps a veteran like Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech should also be considered. Tom Coughlin, if he ever tires of the NFL would seem like a good fit.

Another thing I would try to do is to rehire former director of recruiting Vinny Cerrato, this time as director of football operations. After two player-personnel stints in the NFL with San Francisco and Washington, he currently works for ESPN. Tom Lemming has called him the greatest evaluator of high school talent in football history. Maybe he can help the new coach rebuild from the rubble the program has been reduced to.

Lastly, here is a slightly blasphemous thought. There is a coach that is currently unemployed, who has won at both the college and professional levels. He is a great motivator, a great recruiter, and his players rarely fail to execute at crucial times. He is a proven winner, but he looks for a new challenge in life. Granted, he is currently "retired", but the allure of a great job has lured many coaches back to the college level.

Would Notre Dame consider Jimmy Johnson? I’m willing to bet he can do a better job than Bob Davie.

John Romanelli, MD, ’91

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