(NDNation.com) – NDNation asked Seattle writers, broadcasters and publishers to give us their take on the Willingham, Notre Dame and Washington. In order of response, here’s what they told us and a link to their most recent articles or broadcasts.
Is Willingham’s Failure Vindication?
Husky fans initially wanted to believe that everything they had heard about Willingham at Notre Dame would be proven wrong. Sadly for UW fans, I think they now believe that all they heard from their ND counterparts was true. It just hasn’t worked out for Willingham here. His first two years, he had a lot of chances at getting big wins that might have gotten the fan base behind him, but the Huskies could never quite get it done other than an upset of WSU in 2006 — and Husky fans don’t ever really feel beating WSU should be regarded as an upset. There was always just something that went wrong late. His best chance at making it work was 2007 when the excitement of Jake Locker’s debut and a couple wins early seemed to have it all back on track. But he has simply never been able to put together a very well-rounded team here, always with a fatal flaw or two, and this year it has all fallen apart, the last straw coming when Locker was injured against Stanford. Most fans now are just counting down the days.
Molly Yanity, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Weis Doesn’t Have Ty on Speed Dial
Things obviously haven’t worked out for Willingham in Seattle. But I do think things would have been different had Isaiah Stanback not gotten hurt in 2006. The team was on its way to a bowl game and that would have done wonders for morale, recruiting, etc. Willingham hasn’t endeared himself to Huskies fans, but wins would have made that moot. Instead, fans can’t just complain about Willingham’s guarded or stiff naturs, they have on-field evidence to mull over, as well. Willingham’s first three recruiting classes were subpar. What will be his final class, however, was superb, but he won’t get to see it mature. Personally, I like Willingham. He has made the job of a reporter a bit more difficult, but he is always fair. I have appreciated that. If I had a son that was looking to play in college, I’d love for him to play under Willingham just because I know things like discipline, academics and being a good person are important to the coach. If I wanted my son to play in the NFL or win a lot of games, I’m not so sure, though.
The thing about the situation with Willingham and Notre Dame is just how uncanny it’s worked out in almost the exact same way Rick Neuheisel did with respect to Colorado fans. When Neuheisel was first hired away from Colorado, fans would come in droves and talk about his flaws and how he would ultimately leave the UW program in worse shape than he found it. UW fans wouldn’t hear of it right away, and why not? He won a Rose Bowl his second year. But just like the pattern that emerged in Boulder, Rick couldn’t maintain the momentum he generated the first couple of years and eventually mired the program in scandal. With Willingham and Notre Dame, the Irish took a beating by not letting him serve out his contract, and UW fans would point that out to ND fans when they brought up his flaws. After a while a dossier, known as the ‘Willingham Fact Sheet’ made the cyber-rounds, and it would basically shadow Willingham’s tenure at UW. The fact sheet wasn’t pretty, and neither has Willingham’s stay at Montlake. Just like CU fans were right to warn Washington fans of Neiheisel’s foibles, ND fans couldn’t have been more on the mark in their portrayal of Willingham.
** Editor’s note: Willingham had a six-year, not a five-year contract with Notre Dame. Both Willingham and Notre Dame agreed in advance to buyout numbers in case of a third year “parting of the ways.” Notre Dame fully honored their agreed upon contract with Willingham who remained the highest paid coach at Notre Dame last year (2007.)
Dave Mahler, Softy, KJR AM Sports Radio
Everything Notre Dame Warned Us About Turned Out to Be True
He doesn’t understand Husky football and he’s never wanted to. He picks stupid fights over nothing with the media. He stays home when all of his assistants are on the road. Everything Notre Dame warned us about, everything they ever told us about this guy has turned out to be true. Maybe it’s a lack of confidence with hi
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