General

Weis’s Future Might Depend on Crist’s Knee

Nov 4, 2009, 10:00 PM UTC

If you buy something from a link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

â†µâ†µ

â†µâ†µIt doesn’t take much to construct a universe in which Charlie Weis isâ†µstaring down the barrel of an almost certain firing in 2010. Take oneâ†µplay here or there -- or a correct call against Washington -- and put theâ†µIrish definitively out of the BCS this year and you’re almost there.â†µWithout a BCS bid this year to justify the last two years of pain, twoâ†µevents would conspire to make next year an almost inevitable farewellâ†µtour. â†µ

â†µâ†µEventâ†µthe first: â†µ

â†µâ†µâ‡¥ND has lost Dane(sic; it’s Dayne) Crist, the team’s backup quarterback, for theâ†µâ‡¥remainder of the season. Crist will undergo knee surgery Friday for aâ†µâ‡¥torn right ACL. Weis said Crist, a sophomore, will be out from four toâ†µâ‡¥six months.â†µâ†µâ†µThat knocks the highly-touted redshirt freshman and Clausenâ†µheir apparent out for the rest of this year and through spring practiceâ†µnext year, even if that four-to-six-month recovery period -- which seems optimisticâ†µfor an ACL tear even in this modern era of surgery -- is realistic. â†µ

â†µ

â†µThis would be only hypothetically bothersome for Notre Dame ifâ†µClausen returns for a his senior year. According to many around theâ†µprogram, thatâ†µis unlikely.
â†µ
â†µ
â†µ

â†µâ†µâ‡¥What’s significant about Crist’s seemingly insignificant injury isâ†µâ‡¥that Clausen will likely leave for the NFL after this season.â†µâ†µâ†µThat is event the second, and though that’s speculation from a guy atâ†µthe Sun-Times, it’s speculation that’s echoed all around theâ†µinternet, speculation with a patina of accuracy. Clausen is old for hisâ†µrecruiting class after getting held back two (!) years early in his K-12â†µcareer and is a potential first-round pick the year before the NFL willâ†µrenegotiate its CBA to include a rookie salary cap. If there is a timeâ†µto get while the getting is good, it’s now. â†µ

â†µâ†µThe nextâ†µbest option if Crist is not healthy? â†µ

â†µâ†µâ‡¥If Dane(sic) Crist has a torn ACL, and will be out until August, wouldn’tâ†µâ‡¥John Goodman be the most viable candidate for back up QB (in Fall) ifâ†µâ‡¥Clausen goes pro?â†µâ†µâ†µJohn Goodman is a fifth-string freshman receiver who playedâ†µquarterback for one year in high school. Notre Dame does have twoâ†µquarterbacks coming in, but Clausen’s departure would leave Notre Dameâ†µin a seriously precarious position at the most important spot on theâ†µfield in a year Notre Dame fans were thinkingâ†µthey should contend for a national title. â†µ

â†µâ†µThis is just life in major college football these days: look at Ohioâ†µState, where Terrelle Pryor’s presence chased off recruits in his class,â†µthe class after it and his two backups. At Notre Dame, backupâ†µquarterbacks Zack Frazer and Demetrius Jones fled after Clausen’sâ†µascension to the top of the depth chart. Either would be aâ†µstopgap option that would provide some hope for better play in a year ofâ†µuncertainty. See also: Jevan Snead, Ryan Mallett, Mitch Mustain.â†µQuarterbacks now transfer at the drop of a hat, leaving major programsâ†µone bad break from serious deficiencies at the most important spot onâ†µthe field.â†µ

â†µâ†µMaybe it’ll be fine, Crist will show no ill effects from theâ†µmissed time and Notre Dame will be functional. Having Mikeâ†µFloyd around will tend to make any quarterback look functional. Butâ†µthere will be a lot of concern in South Bend over the next eight months,â†µbecause these days quarterbacks and coaches give up on each other asâ†µsoon as someone else claims the starting job.â†µ

â†µ

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.

See More: