By(e) By(e) Ty

ESPN reports that Tyrone Willingham has been fired. 

While I've been frustrated with play this year and posted several times about frustrations with the program, I'm still a little disappointed.  He's a class guy and I wish he'd been given another year.  That said, they played very inconsistently over the last two years and the offense never substantially improved from the doldrums of the Bob Davie days.  I hope the team improves and I certainly wish Willingham the best, but I take no relish in his firing (nor, I think, should anyone else).   

UPDATE - An ESPN columnist states (brutally):

This move makes one thing clear: the Golden Dome might as well be located in Auburn, Ala., or Lincoln, Neb., or Tallahassee, Fla. All the things Notre Dame used to hold dear -- the class-and-dignity stuff, the special-institution stuff -- is officially of secondary importance.

But here comes the reality check for the Domers. Now that you've licked Willingham's blood from your claws and outed yourselves as a football factory, can you win like one?

Ouch!  I honestly don't think it's racism, I think its the fact that the teams have done so poorly (and inconsistently, particularly on offense) the last two years coupled with the fact that people were impatient to begin with.  The clock was already ticking (probably unfairly, but he was probably paid accordingly) when he got there. 

UPDATE II - Willingham speaks - in case anyone was confused about how classy a guy he is. 

Comments

[Nate]

Rumor has it that Willingham may have wanted out. I guess (ESPN reports) that Ty has longed for a way out of the ND job and is very excited about a Washington coaching prospect. I agree though, I think he's a very classy guy and I was willing to let him have another season. However, we need to find some way to start winning again. Any predictions on who the new coach is going to be? I say, bring Lou back from retirement. Who knows, if we throw enough money in front of him maybe he'll come back!!