Saturday was a collective fail for many in the Notre Dame family.  The team wasn't ready, the coaches weren't ready and a lot of fans - yours truly included - had overlooked Navy in anticipation of the big primetime showdown in Pittsburgh.  Granted, fans are allowed to have their eyes wander and focus lapse, but you expect a bit more from those actually participating in the games.  But it wasn't that effort and execution weren't there the entire time, particularly on offense outside the ten yard line.  The offense hummed right up and down the field like they should, and the defense made a few necessary stops in the second half after getting shredded for the majority of the game, but there was a feeling very early on that this just wasn't meant to be.  Charlie Weis' tenure at Notre Dame was, for all intents and purposes, going to end on that field against the Midshipmen, who haven't lost at Notre Dame Stadium since 2005.

Two missed field goals from a kicker who had set the Notre Dame record for success a week prior.  A fumble at goal line by your all-world quarterback, and an interception at the goal line caused by a miscommunication between that same quarterback and an all-universe receiver who was still knocking some rust off.  At one point when it looked like Kyle Rudolph's collarbone had gone the way of the Dodo and Clausen looked like someone needed to outline him in chalk on the goal line, it seemed like a perfect end to a season and a coaching tenure: just sheer, unadulterated chaos and horrendous luck.

Charlie Weis has brought a lot of bad things onto himself.  There are the play calls and personnel usages that seem to be randomly drawn from a hat every game.  There's a decided lack of schematic advantage in a lot of cases, and the way he handled himself his first couple years on the job put him in a rather large hole in regards to public relations.  But make no mistake; he's had some bad luck.  Despite showing a clear willingness to find that right guy, he's never gotten the great defensive coordinator to help him out, like Spurrier had Stoops.  His tenure coincides with some of the best runs in both USC and Naval Academy history*.  He's been so so close to getting the big defensive tackle the team so desperately needs a handful of times, only to have the rug yanked out from under him at the last second every time.  No, Weis has done a lot of damage to himself, but the comedy of random, Angry Football God errors that plagued the team Saturday is a nice representation of Weis' tenure as a whole.

*A lot of people are shouting about "We lost to Navy, you can't do that!", while ignoring the fact that Navy nearly won at Ohio State and has consistently beaten or kept up with very good teams over the last half decade.  I'm not saying the loss isn't inexcusable and the final nail in Weis' coffin, but a lot of teams would lose to Navy this year, especially when every single bounce went the other way.

So where does the program go from here, at 6-3 with three very losable games ahead and a fan base that's already starting to track private jets?  Before the season started, I wanted 9-3.  After USC, I wanted 9-3, and that record is still possible, however highly unlikely with two road trips against good teams and a home game against a UConn team long overdue for an emotional win.  I don't think Weis wins out, and if he doesn't, it's over.  Even if he wins out - even with the absurdity of firing a 9-3 coach - I'm not sure he can come back.  So much of the fan base is just poisoned against him and in need of a change, I don't know if he can make it.  The fact sheets are created, short lists are being trimmed and if the administration is any sort of competent, they're already sending out feelers for a replacement.  There isn't a group of ND fans in the country who haven't already started their e-mail chain looking for a replacement.

That's what makes Saturday night's game at Pitt so interesting.  I'm very confident in the Irish's ability to compete, despite the fact Pitt is a top ten team with a balanced offense and tenacious defense.  If the Irish lose, well then that's it.  It's Kelly or Gruden or Meyer or Stoops or Patterson or Eric Taylor or whoever you want to dream of in the slot.  If it's a win?  Then there's another week of teeth gnashing and garment rending and seeing if Weis can survive two more games.  If you're interested in high drama and sad because Mad Men just went on hiatus, there's no better place to look than the Notre Dame community as they plan the funeral of a man who is still among the living.

My position regarding Weis is that I wanted 9-3 and that record is still possible, so until it becomes unachievable, I'm going to hold off on posting about potential coaching changes.  I'll be listening to Monday Night Football  for secret signals from Jon Gruden and looking into Brian Kelly's system, but I'm going to cover this team like the games do still matter, at least until they don't any more, which could be this weekend in time for Saturday Night Live.  The FanPosts are available for anyone and everyone to discuss coaching rumors or potential options, but for a few more days at least, I'm going to act like Charlie Weis is the head coach at Notre Dame for the future.  That might be the epitome of naiveté, but that's how we're going to play it until Pittsburgh.