 "Photo: Joe Raymond/The Associated Press")
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Notre Dame's return to glory under Tyrone Willingham was brief. Too brief.
That's why he was fired Tuesday after just three seasons at Notre Dame - the shortest tenure of any full-time coach since Hunk Anderson was there from 1931-33.
"We simply have not made the progress on the field that we need to make," athletic director Kevin White said. "Nor have we been able to create the positive momentum necessary in our efforts to return the Notre Dame program to the elite level of the college football world."
The school thought they found the perfect coach during Willingham's first season. He got off to an 8-0 start - the second best start in school history - and after a surprisingly easy victory at Florida State, the Irish, at No. 4, had their highest ranking in eight years. Then they played Boston College.
Fans wearing green "Return to Glory" T-shirts flooded Notre Dame Stadium, and the Irish wore green jerseys for good luck. The Irish lost 14-7, though, and the glory days were over.
The Irish went 2-3 their last five games that season, including a 28-6 loss to North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl. They went 5-7 last season, losing by 30 or more points to Michigan, Florida State and Southern California.
This season the Irish pulled off upsets of Michigan and Tennessee but also were beaten badly by USC and Purdue. They also lost games they were expected to win against BYU, Boston College and Pittsburgh.
"We've been up and down and sideways a little bit, a little bit inconsistent," White said. "I think the program is closer than when he arrived. I think we were making progress, by in my view and in the view of the university, we just didn't make enough progress."
Players were considering whether to play in the Insight Bowl on Dec. 28, and White said he didn't know who would coach the game. Notre Dame accepted the bowl invitation Sunday.
White said he met Tuesday morning with Willingham to tell him he was fired, then both met later with some players to tell them.
Players were stunned.
"I think it's a shock to everybody," tight end Jared Clark said.
Other players declined comment, but were clearly surprised and saddened by the announcement.
"As a player, you think it's our fault. We didn't get the job done," Clark said. "I think coach Willingham was a great coach, and I enjoyed playing under him."
Notre Dame officials said Willingham had decided not to speak publicly Tuesday about his firing.
White praised Willingham's handling of the team, especially the Irish's strong academic record.
"From Sunday through Friday our football program has exceeded all expectations, in every way," he said. "But on Saturday, we've struggled."
The timing of Willingham's ouster broke with recent Notre Dame practice that even gave struggling coaches Gerry Faust and Bob Davie five seasons to prove themselves.
"If it says anything, it's an underscore of the notion that football is very important at Notre Dame and the competitive expectations are not downwardly negotiable," White said.
Notre Dame hired Willingham, the first black head coach in any sport for the Irish, from Stanford to replace George O'Leary. The former Georgia Tech coach resigned five days after taking the job because he lied about his academic and athletic achievements on his resume.
With Tony Samuel fired by New Mexico State and Fitz Hill resigning from San Jose State last week, there are now only two black head coaches in Division I-A: Karl Dorrell at UCLA and Sylvester Croom at Mississippi State.
Floyd Keith, executive director of the Black Coaches Association, said he was disappointed with Notre Dame's decision.
"In three years, I think he has done everything, short of winning a national championship, and I don't think he inherited national championship talent," Keith said.
So White, who conducted the searches that led to O'Leary and Willingham being hired, said he would set out Wednesday in search of a coach. He said he would head the search and likely would not talk to the media again until the search is complete.
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