As the college football season winds down, the biggest story is at Notre Dame, where Charlie Weis is on the verge of being canned after another so-so season in South Bend. ESPN analyst Mark May talked to The Post’s Justin Terranova about Weis and the national-championship race.
Q: You and former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz have a friendly rivalry when it comes to your alma mater, Pitt, and the Fightin’ Irish. How great has this year’s success been for you?
A: Yes, it has been awesome to finally have Pittsburgh back playing the way they should. And it’s been great beating Notre Dame. In fact, I have a Pitt hat on my desk right now from Coach Holtz that says, “You won.”
Q: Is there anything Charlie Weis can do to save his job or is it now just a matter of when not if he will be fired?
A: No, it’s just going to be a tough pill to swallow for Notre Dame — a lot of money. They still owe Weis $18 million, and it will be about $40 million to bring in a new staff. Weis didn’t recruit defensively, he just recruited offensively, bringing in wide receivers and quarterbacks. He is not a manager of the entire team, just an offensive coordinator.
Q: Who do you think is the best fit to replace Weis if he is fired, and any chance Coach Holtz would return if Notre Dame came calling?
A: The best fit would be former Colts coach Tony Dungy. He was coaching in Indianapolis, which is in the area, and he’s well respected by everybody. Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly is basically pitching for the job harder than Barack Obama. And I think Coach Holtz would probably take it as a two- or three-year deal to get Notre Dame back where it should be. And he can get the job done.
Q: Any reason to believe this year’s SEC Championship game will be different than last year’s when Florida topped Alabama on its way to a national title?
A: Yes, I think Alabama will win this year because they are a better-balanced team — offensively, defensively and on special teams. I think the defense is better this year. And as long as their quarterback, Greg McElroy, doesn’t turn the ball over — I think that’s the key.
Q: If Texas stumbles, which undefeated team would have the best chance in a title game?
A: That would be TCU, who would be going against the SEC champion. They are a very balanced team. Look at the defense led by defensive end Jerry Hughes, who is phenomenal. They have a tremendous running game and Andy Dalton has been doing a magnificent job managing their offense at quarterback.