Weis able to enjoy more time with family as a college coach
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis can hardly believe the season is heading down the stretch.
The NFL season is just half over, and the Super Bowl isn't until February. Notre Dame has just two regular-season games left, and its season will be over around New Year's Day.
"It's a thing of beauty," Weis said. "To think that in two weeks, you won't play a game for another month, that's just unbelievable. People talk about the difference between the pros and college. I mean, time wise, it's utopia."
First year difficult
Weis said the past year was especially hard because he split his time as New England Patriots offensive coordinator and Notre Dame coach for two months. He said being a head coach for the first time was especially worrisome.
"Even in the summertime, it never really felt like vacation even though I took some time because you're always worrying about the first time through," he said.
Despite those worries, though, Weis still has been able to spend more time with his family than he could while in the NFL.
"I've had more time this year than I've had in my entire life. I've had more time to take it easy this year. That might sound crazy to you, but my wife and son are almost getting sick of seeing me," he said.
"My son said to me, 'I've seen you more this year, Daddy, than I've seen you in my entire life.' And he's 12."
The negative, though, is that each game in college football is so much more important, Weis said.
"You lose one game, you could be out of it, especially watching how this whole thing is going down the stretch," Weis said.
Controversial ending
The last time Syracuse played at Notre Dame Stadium there was a controversial ending, with the Irish upsetting No. 10 Syracuse 17-15.
Down 15-14 with 3 seconds left, Notre Dame attempted a 56-yard field goal that was blocked. But the Syracuse player who blocked the kick, defensive end Walt Sweeney, was called for roughing the kicker. In those days, the kicking team became the defensive team the moment the ball was kicked. Syracuse argued they should be allowed to keep possession of the ball, but the game officials ruled Notre Dame was entitled to another try from 15 yards closer.
Joe Perkowski kicked a 41-yard field goal for the Irish, the first time Notre Dame ever won a game on the last play with a field goal.
It took several days for the NCAA to uphold the victory for Notre Dame. The next year, the rule on ball possession in field goals was changed.
By the numbers
Notre Dame is 341/2-point favorites against Syracuse on Saturday. The last time they were favored by that much was Lou Holtz's last home game in 1996, when the Irish were 41-point favorites against Rutgers. The Irish won that game 62-0. ... Notre Dame has outscored its opponents by 129 points so far this season. That's the biggest point differential since the 1996 squad in Lou Holtz's final season outscored opponents by 226 points. ... Syracuse safety Anthony Smith is tied for the lead in the nation with six interceptions. ... Syracuse leads the nation in red-zone offense, scoring on 14 of 15 trips inside the 20. The problem is, they don't get there enough. By comparison, the Irish have scored on 35 of 39 trips inside the 20.
"It's been a pretty wild ride, up and down with 31/2 different coaches," said offensive guard Dan Stevenson. "There's not too many people who can say they've done that. I don't know if that's a good thing. It definitely wasn't what I expected when I came here. But there's no better way to end than the way it has."
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