Charlie Weis’ tenure at Notre Dame appears to be hanging on like a piñata that needs just one more big whack to break it wide open.
If so, USC is coming on to the Coliseum field Saturday night with a very big stick.
Vegas odds makers now have USC as a 32-point favorite over Notre Dame as the teams prepare to renew their rivalry. That kind of beat down — and we’d lean toward giving the points — could send Notre Dame faithful already sickened from a loss to Syracuse (not to mention barely escaping a game against Navy with a win) into full cardiac arrest.
For two of the last three Notre Dame coaches, their last game was a loss to USC in the Coliseum (Lou Holtz and Tyrone Willingham). It is the Waterloo for Irish coaches.
Part of the reason that Saturday’s game could be such a blowout is USC has a great defense and Notre Dame’s offense is, well, sad. Notre Dame comes in 71st in the NCAA in scoring and 92nd in rushing yards per game. Despite the “offensive genius” tag often applied to Weis.
The question isn’t how much do ND fans want Weis out — his supporters are few and hard to find on ND blogs and message boards — the question is really will the university administration write the big check? Of course, just how big a check that is depends on who you ask. Could be $4 million, could be $15 million.
But, a 32-point, ugly defeat to their most heated rival on national television could have Notre Dame alumni pulling out their pocket books to pitch in and help make that change.
