Charlie Weis

All signs are pointing toward former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis becoming offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs. Coach Todd Haley , an old friend of Weis, said Wednesday that he would be a "good fit" calling plays for Kansas City, and Weis later told the Associated Press "there is action going on" between him and the Chiefs. "Until a deal is done, I really can't say anything," Weis, fired after five years with the Fighting Irish, said from his home near South Bend, Ind. "It's not to be disrespectful of you or the Chiefs.

UCLA's search for a head coach remains unsettled, but the Bruins appear to have lost an assistant coach. Former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks coach Jim Mora Jr. is still being considered for the Bruins job, but little progress toward hiring a coach was made as of Thursday. Meanwhile, assistant coach Jim Mastro is expected to take a job with Washington State, according to a person in the program who was not authorized to speak publicly on the subject. Mastro, the Bruins' run-game coordinator, was hired away from Nevada in February to massage UCLA's "pistol" offense.

Charlie Weis is no longer Notre Dame's coach, but that doesn't mean he's out of Pete Carroll's hair. Weis said Sunday that comments he made about Carroll in an interview published by a website were taken "totally out of context." In a question-and-answer session posted Saturday by IrishIllustrated.com senior editor Tim Prister, Weis was asked: "Is it frustrating to you Pete Carroll, for example, portrayed in one way . . ." Weis was quoted as responding: "Let me ask you this question: You guys know about things that go on in different places.

All signs are pointing toward former Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis becoming offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs. Coach Todd Haley , an old friend of Weis, said Wednesday that he would be a "good fit" calling plays for Kansas City, and Weis later told the Associated Press "there is action going on" between him and the Chiefs. "Until a deal is done, I really can't say anything," Weis, fired after five years with the Fighting Irish, said from his home near South Bend, Ind. "It's not to be disrespectful of you or the Chiefs.

UCLA's search for a head coach remains unsettled, but the Bruins appear to have lost an assistant coach. Former Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks coach Jim Mora Jr. is still being considered for the Bruins job, but little progress toward hiring a coach was made as of Thursday. Meanwhile, assistant coach Jim Mastro is expected to take a job with Washington State, according to a person in the program who was not authorized to speak publicly on the subject. Mastro, the Bruins' run-game coordinator, was hired away from Nevada in February to massage UCLA's "pistol" offense.

As if Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis hasn't been reminded enough, a billboard a half mile from his office provided another indication of his on-the-hot-seat status. It reads: "Best wishes to Charlie Weis in the 5th year of his college coaching internship. -- Linebacker Alumni." "Everything was great until the last word," Weis said, laughing with reporters. "So tell them, 'Thanks a lot for wishing me best wishes.' " That won't happen yet. Though the billboard sits above the Linebacker Inn near the Notre Dame campus, the hotel's general manager told WSBT of South Bend, Ind., they had nothing to do with the sign.

The Times' Chris Dufresne unveils his preseason college football top 25, one day (and team) at a time: No. 23 Notre Dame The echoes of Notre Dame's famous fight song have phoned the front desk at the South Bend Marriott and requested a Sept. 5 wake-up call for Nevada. It's the same hotel that charges the equivalent of a house payment in the Hamptons for a football weekend stay -- but this is neither the time nor place to whine about football price-gouging during a recession.

The Times finally gets around to acknowledging the woes of the Notre Dame football program; but instead of analyzing what's wrong, Domer alum and Irish apologist Bill Dwyre writes a fawning homage to his team that focuses on past glory and all of the famous alums in the stands. He even sticks up for self-proclaimed genius Charlie Weis. As a lifelong Trojan, my fervent hope is that the Deluded Irish give Charlie Weis a contract extension. Mike Mitchell Atlanta

'He hasn't shown any signs of dozing off. He hasn't asked me to call any recruits.' Christian Fauria, New England tight end, on offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, who will be Notre Dame's head coach next year

It was interesting to see Notre Dame give Charlie Weis a 10-year extension. I'm curious what they'll give him if his home winning percentage gets above 33%. ROB OSBORNE Manhattan Beach

Notre Dame has settled on Brian Kelly as the man who can restore its faded glory, just as he turned Cincinnati into a national title contender. Just 10 days after Charlie Weis was fired, it's up to Kelly to revive the fortunes of a team that just completed the worst decade of football in the history of the storied program with a 70-52 record and three losing seasons. Kelly received a five-year deal from Notre Dame and will be introduced as coach in South Bend, Ind., today.

Charlie Weis is no longer Notre Dame's coach, but that doesn't mean he's out of Pete Carroll's hair. Weis said Sunday that comments he made about Carroll in an interview published by a website were taken "totally out of context." In a question-and-answer session posted Saturday by IrishIllustrated.com senior editor Tim Prister, Weis was asked: "Is it frustrating to you Pete Carroll, for example, portrayed in one way . . ." Weis was quoted as responding: "Let me ask you this question: You guys know about things that go on in different places.

Charlie Weis was dismissed as Notre Dame's football coach Monday, a move he knew was coming for a week and most everyone expected for longer. He did not speak to his team as a whole, having a few conversations with individuals and mulling when and if and how he might say his piece publicly later in the week. Upon arrival, Weis could not comprehend failing, and he had. A 35-27 overall record and another 6-6 season overflowing with disappointment and unfulfilled expectations spoke volumes amid Weis' silence.

Charlie Weis said he doesn't think a decision about his future as Notre Dame coach has been made. "Oh no, I don't think that any decision's been made because I probably would know, and I don't know," Weis said Tuesday. "With that being said, it's full speed ahead . . . that's exactly the way we're approaching it." Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick has said he will evaluate the program after the season. Last season Swarbrick met with Weis three days after the season ended, during a recruiting trip in San Jose.

No one can deny fifth-year Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis' dedication or intellect. His breakdowns of upcoming opponents at weekly news conferences are pommel-horse displays of brain gymnastics. Position by position, detail by detail, name by name, he deconstructs the enemy's strengths and weaknesses. "Sixty-five yards rushing a game, two yards a carry, 173.8 passing a game, 238 a game total, 29% of third down, 21 sacks, 23% touchdowns in the red zone," Weis spoke this week of USC's defense.

USC middle linebacker Chris Galippo said it last year and he still feels the same: No hard feelings. But Galippo admits that he especially looks forward to being in the starting lineup when the sixth-ranked Trojans play at Notre Dame on Saturday. Galippo, a third-year sophomore, visited Notre Dame as a high school junior, touring the campus with a group of highly rated prospects that included current Fighting Irish quarterback Jimmy Clausen and USC tailback Marc Tyler . Galippo said Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis was so intent on getting an oral commitment from Clausen that he neglected to speak to Galippo or even shake his hand.

I looked forward to last Saturday's edition in hope you might preview college football and, boy, did you. To my disgust I was met with a full-color picture of Charlie Weis. I care about Notre Dame only insofar as I know what to expect and how to beat them. I am less than indifferent to the medical history of their coach's family or the traumas his children suffered as a result of his last move. Someone, and I'll take the burden in that regard, needs to explain that this isn't Chicago and "Our Lady" is not the hometown team here.

Five things to watch this week in college football: 1 Nice job, Charlie. Way to go, Rich. You can relax now . . . for 10 seconds. Notre Dame and Michigan, two high-profile programs under intense scrutiny, opened the season with must wins for beleaguered coaches Charlie Weis and Rich Rodriguez. This week, though, the pressure gets cranked back up when Notre Dame visits Michigan in Ann Arbor. Two years ago, Notre Dame lost in the Big House, 38-0. 2 USC and Ohio State meet in Columbus in Act II of a home-and-home series rivalry that will influence the race for the Bowl Championship Series national title.

Atlantic Coast Conference teams went 4-6 Saturday -- two of the losses to Division I-AA teams -- and somehow still came away having not any less luster than the Big Ten, which went 9-1 in openers. The reason: two nationally ranked Big Ten teams needed special plays from their special teams to avoid what would have been huge upsets. A four-point switch saved No. 6 Ohio State, which led Navy, 29-14, in the fourth quarter before the Midshipmen scored two touchdowns in four minutes.