Fansided

25 worst college football coaching hires in history

By Nicholas Ian Allen

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 1: Head coach Mike Price of the Washington State University Cougars manages the game from the sidelines during the 89th Rose Bowl game against University of Oklahoma Sooners at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2003 in Pasadena, California. Oklahoma defeated Washington St. 34-14. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 1: Head coach Mike Price of the Washington State University Cougars manages the game from the sidelines during the 89th Rose Bowl game against University of Oklahoma Sooners at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2003 in Pasadena, California. Oklahoma defeated Washington St. 34-14. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
14 of 25
Next
25 October 2008: University of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis watches action against University of Washington during the second half of play at Husky Stadium in Seattle, WA. Notre Dame won the game 33-7. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images)
25 October 2008: University of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis watches action against University of Washington during the second half of play at Husky Stadium in Seattle, WA. Notre Dame won the game 33-7. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images) /

12. Charlie Weis, Notre Dame

  • Hired: November 2004
  • Fired: November 2009
  • Record at Notre Dame: 35-27 (.565)
  • Career head coaching record: 41-49 (.456)

A Notre Dame alum, Charlie Weis began coaching at the high school level in 1979. After six years, Weis then spent 1985-88 with the South Carolina football program, then worked one season as a high school head coach before beginning an NFL coaching career with Bill Parcells and the New York Giants in 1990.

Weis worked for Parcells with the Giants, New England Patriots and New York Jets, later served as the offensive coordinator with the Patriots from 2000-04. Understandably given the Hall of Famers he worked for, as well as the four Super Bowl rings he earned along the way, Weis gained a solid reputation as a play-caller, and was hired by the Fighting Irish in November 2004.

Notre Dame excelled in Weis’ first two seasons on the sidelined, winning 19 of his first 25 games, climbing as high as No. 2 in the AP Top 25 and finishing both 2005 and 2006 ranked among the top 20 teams in the country. His final three seasons in South Bend – like the rest of Weis’ head coaching career – were a far different story.

Notre Dame fell to 3-9 in 2007, and lost six games in both 2008 and 2009, when he was fired with nearly $19 million remaining on a 10-year contract extension he signed in 2005.

Home/College Football