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Notre Dame Has Momentum For '09

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The Associated Press

Published: December 26, 2008

HONOLULU - Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis was "an emotional wreck" before the Hawaii Bowl and found himself in a place he hasn't been since 2001 - the coaches box.

Unable to walk without crutches because of bad knees, Weis led from above as the efficient Fighting Irish got their first postseason victory in 15 years, 49-21 over Hawaii on Wednesday night.

"The guys came out here on a mission," said quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who set Notre Dame bowl records with 401 yards passing and five touchdowns.

Golden Tate had six catches for 177 yards and three touchdowns, also Irish bowl records, including a 69-yarder that sparked a 28-point outburst to help the Notre Dame (7-6) end its NCAA-record bowl losing steak at nine.

With Weis calling plays from the coaches box, the Irish were unstoppable.

"I'm very happy for Notre Dame. This was a great step forward for us," he said. "It leads us into 2009 with a good taste in our mouth."

Weis used to coach from the box as offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots, until quarterback Drew Bledsoe got injured in 2001 and was replaced by an unheralded player named Tom Brady.

"Tommy was a very inexperienced quarterback at the time, and Bill Belichick and I felt we needed some more leadership on the field," he said. "We went on to win the Super Bowl doing it that way, so we figured why change it. But as far as seeing the field, it's not even close."

This time, Weis is inclined to return to the field.

"As a head coach, you want to be on the sideline with your fellas," he said. "You want to be there with them."

5th Hurricane Gets Suspended

CORAL GABLES - Miami punt snapper Chris Ivory will not play in Saturday's Emerald Bowl because he violated an unspecified team rule. He is the fifth Hurricane suspended for the final game of the season.

Ivory did not accompany the Hurricanes to San Francisco, where Miami (7-5) will face California (8-4).

He also was suspended for the season opener against Charleston Southern for another rules violation, but won Miami's Albert Bentley Award as the team's most valuable walk-on player.

Jake Byrne, who handles snaps on field goals, will take over Ivory's punt-team duties. Byrne will also be the backup quarterback behind Jacory Harris, who will start after Plant High graduate Robert Marve was suspended for missing classes.

Tight ends Richard Gordon and Tervaris Johnson, along with linebacker Jordan Futch, also were suspended last week for the bowl game because of team rule violations.

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