SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame coach Bob Davie, whose job
was shaky after the Irish posted their first losing record in 13
years, said he and athletics director Kevin White have had
preliminary talks about his future.
"During the open-date week we visited and we decided, 'Look,
there are just too many things more important now, let's have this
conversation after the season,' " Davie said Tuesday. "I feel great
about that, and I think Kevin does as well."
|  | | Two Notre Dame wins might give Bob Davie some job security. |
White declined comment. John Heisler, assistant athletics
director, said White has said from the beginning that Davie's job
will be evaluated after the season "and he doesn't want to deviate
from that. He and Bob talk every day. Kevin doesn't think it is
fair to get into all that right now."
There is still a lot at stake this season. The No. 11 Irish
(7-2) need wins over Rutgers (3-6) and Southern California (4-6) to
remain in contention for a Bowl Championship Series berth.
"Kevin and I both understand that this is about one week at a
time and trying to finish this season," Davie said. "I'm not
going to do anything, Kevin's not going to do anything that's going
to hurt our players and our staff as far as one second of my
concentration and the focus being taken away from day-to-day
coaching. But we have talked about it."
The season is going well so far, but could change quickly. Two
seasons ago the Irish were 9-1, ranked No. 9, and needed a win over
USC, then 7-4, to ensure a BCS berth. But with Jarious Jackson out
with a knee injury, the Irish lost 10-0 and did not go to a BCS
game.
"All of a sudden it's like, 'That was an $8 million game,' and
'How'd you screw it up?' " Davie said.
He is one loss away from facing the same questions. But a
five-game winning streak despite the loss of starting quarterback
Arnaz Battle in the season's second game has made life easier.
"Obviously it's a lot better right now with positive things.
I'm not someone that's so strong mentally that I can block out
everything swirling around. Nobody is superhuman," he said. "So
sure, it's a lot more enjoyable when things are going well and
there's a positive spin put on things. It's human nature."
Davie started the season with a 21-16 record, a .568 winning
percentage. The only people to coach more than two seasons at Notre
Dame with worse records were Gerry Faust at 30-26-1 (.535) and Joe
Kuharich 17-23 (.425).
At 7-2, Davie has improved his winning percentage to .608.
That's still not up to Notre Dame's standards, but it's getting
closer. And Davie has repeatedly said he expects next year's team
to be even better.
"I think we can really, really be good next year. I mean
that," he said last week. "I think next year can be our best
football team probably since I've been at Notre Dame, definitely
since I've been head football coach at Notre Dame."
Davie said the biggest change for the Irish this season was a
coaching decision to be more aggressive, more reckless.
"Quit being so tentative and take it to them a little bit more
in all areas," he said. "Let's be the one out there causing
people problems more than people causing us problems all the time.
It's like we're the big Notre Dame with everything to lose all the
time. That's over. We've got to fight and claw. We're the underdog
half the time. So let's go. It's just the mindset of that."
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