Weis likes fight in the Irish as they prepare for BC

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame walked off the field following a 17-0 loss at Boston College a year ago with Eagles fans mockingly chanting: “Where’s your heart? Where’s your heart?”

Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis doesn’t expect to be hearing that chant this year. Midway through the season, he says heart is the biggest asset going for the Fighting Irish (4-2).

“They’re a bunch of guys that have shown intestinal fortitude. They’re tough,” he said.

He points to Notre Dame playing five games decided in the final minute, including coming back from an 11-point deficit against Michigan to take a fourth-quarter lead before losing 38-34 and trailing USC by 20 and still having a chance to tie it with three passes into the end zone in the final nine seconds before losing 34-27 on Saturday.

Mental toughness was emphasized during the offseason after the Irish blew double-digit leads to North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Syracuse last season.

“This team gets it,” Weis said Tuesday. “I think that when you get to the point when the team gets the thing about mental toughness, you have a chance every week.”

Some might see the loss against USC, the eighth straight to their rivals, as setting the Irish up for a letdown this week. Weis doesn’t think that will happen against Boston College (5-2).

“How can be you flat when you are playing a team that just beat you six times in a row?” Weis asked.

Weis believes the Irish still have a chance to show how good they are.

“We’ve got six opportunities to make a statement,” he said. “The first step is Boston College.”