DAILY DOMER: Ty Gone
Tyrone Willingham is out at Washington. You probably already know that. Washington's 0-7 record, and Willingham's 11-32 record with the Huskies, probably is not about to change your mind as to whether or not you believe Notre Dame was justified in firing him. However, as the aftermath has better than slightly proven, Notre Dame certainly upgraded in terms of coaching acumen.
Yes, the Irish finished 3-9 this season. Notre Dame had the season in 2007 that Michigan is having in 2008. But I don't believe Rich Rodriguez cannot coach as much as I know that all of his talent are underclassmen. And while a team can survive a few true freshmen and sophomores on the two-deep, there is a point beyond which it becomes untenable.
The most illuminating aspect of Saturday night's 33-7 Irish win is just how opposite the directions Notre Dame and U-Dub are traveling. However the Irish finish this season (I'll go with 8-4), I can guarantee you they'll be better in '09 and even better in '10. Whereas UW, had they not fired W, seemed headed further backward.
Yes, the Irish began 8-0 under Willingham and some of the wins were genuinely impressive: None more than the win at Florida State. But a few of those victories were duct-taped together, in particular the home win against Purdue and the road win at Michigan State. And I think the offense scored like one TD in the first two games (both wins, thanks to cornerback Shane Walton and special teams).
It is hardly racist to say, after the past six-plus seasons have given Willingham a 32-47 record, that he is not an exemplary head coach. Yes, he took Stanford to the Rose Bowl. That Cardinal team also finished 8-4 and lost 69-17 at Texas.
Still, Ty Willingham did a terrific job (44-36-1 overall, 42-34 in the Pac-10) in Palo Alto. He's the last coach to post a winning record with the Cardinal (though Jim Harbaugh soon will). The last to take them to the Rose Bowl. And he led them to as many bowls (4) in just seven seasons as any Cardinal coach ever has.
But he didn't do a good job in South Bend. Or Seattle. And, with the $1 million buyout Washington must now pay him in addition to the $1.3 million he received in compensation for the final two years of his contract from Notre Dame, that's $2.3 million Willingham will have earned from 2005-2009 for not coaching football. That's good non-work if you can get it.
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ABC/ESPN announced that the November 8 Notre Dame game at Boston College will air in prime-time at 8 p.m. No word yet on whether ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 will televise it.
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