The American Spectator

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Charlie's All-In

By Joseph Lawler on 10.14.09 @ 3:52PM

Here's an interesting note from college football: apparently Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis has arranged for an unusual number of highly-touted high school recruits to make their official campus visits this weekend, for the showdown between the #25 Irish and the #6 USC Trojans.

The decision to have so many big-name recruits is notable on Weis's part because recently the annual USC game has been one to scare away potential Irish players: in the past two years Notre Dame has lost 38-0 and 38-3. Weis's struggles against USC -- he's 0-4 -- are a big part of his precarious status as head coach. After mediocre 3-9 and 7-6 seasons, and with no victories against high-caliber teams like USC in his five years, Weis's chances to prove that he can lead Notre Dame to the top might be all used up without a win this weekend against the Trojans.

So having all the recruits visit on this crucial gameday might be an indication that Charlie is going all-in and betting that he will win the game and in doing so convince a few top recruits to sign on with ND, at the risk of losing the game and consequently important recruits and... his job.

Weis is famous in college football and the NFL for risking games by going for it on fourth down. It's definitely within character for him to pin his Notre Dame legacy on a similar gamble.

topics:
Sports, Notre Dame