Weis, Irish going back to basics

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- During Notre Dame's first training camp, Charlie Weis let his players pick the pace while the coach exercised unprecedented patience.

Yet one month, 3 losses and a playbook of embarrassing stats later, Weis has an emotionally fragile squad on the verge of an unprecedented low. If Notre Dame loses today to Michigan State, it will mark the first time the Irish have ever started a season with 4 straight losses.

"How do I think their confidence is?" Weis asked. "Not very high."

Now patience has left the building.

Weis ignored convention this week by grinding Notre Dame through a full-pads practice the day after its 38-0 pounding at Michigan. Weis called for a repeat performance Tuesday before finally backing off for the team's final two workouts in advance of the unbeaten Spartans.

Weis' choice of players practice attire wouldn't have been newsworthy if not for the coach setting those workouts at game speed with tackling turned up to Saturday volumes.

That's a departure from Weis' coaching commandments. It also means risking injury -- which might cost the Irish starting rush end Justin Brown -- for the potential reward of a physically competent roster. In theory, that should help Notre Dame improve its NCAA rankings: last in rushing offense, scoring offense and sacks allowed.

"When you're taking them to ground, you have no way to hide," Weis said. "One way of doing it is everyone knowing what to do and either you're going to whoop them or they're going to whoop you."

Notre Dame has been on the business end of those beatings this season, thanks in part to playing three quarterbacks, running two offenses, installing a 3-4 style defense and grasping at countless straws.

The Irish opened with an option offense against Georgia Tech but scrapped it and starting quarterback Demetrius Jones before halftime. A week later at Penn State, Jimmy Clausen took over with a series of short passes, none of which floated into the end zone. By the Michigan game, Jones was on his way to Northern Illinois, with Clausen seemingly set to run the full offense. He responded with an interception and lost fumble before halftime.

Not surprisingly, Clausen's leash shortened by a few inches this week. And if all goes according to plan today, he'll do more handing off than throwing downfield.

"This has been a good week for Jimmy because I've cut all the fluff out," Weis said. "The picture is very clear when you're doing it this way. Now, you don't have a lot of firepower this way, but there are very many mental mistakes."

And, Weis hopes, the beginning of an offensive modus operandi.

"We're maybe trying to do too many different things to scheme week by week that doesn't give you a chance to have an identity."

If Notre Dame shows that singular identity today, it won't center on the quarterback as much as the running game and offensive line. The embattled front will be without injured starting right guard Dan Wenger while tackles Sam Young and Paul Duncan switch sides.

Young moved from right tackle to the left side to protect a preseason injury to his right wrist. Despite battling pain, Young appreciates the hardened practices.

"It allows us to be a little more physical," Young said. "We could have 100 plays in the game plan, or we could have two. Whether we execute it or not, that determines how we do."

No matter the volume, plenty of plays figure to go to running back James Aldridge. The sophomore rushed for a modest 51 yards against Michigan, but he showed a bruising efficiency fit for a 222-pound running athlete.

"When everybody is new coming in, there's going to be some bumps in the road, but we're all getting it clicking now," Aldridge said. "Running the ball with toughness and physicality is something we've been stressing and we've been doing it.

"It can set the game at our pace instead of playing at another team's pace."

And that speed has been all catch-up for Notre Dame.

Now, after letting his team pound away at one another during the week, Weis hopes the Irish are ready to take their frustrations out on somebody else. But if Notre Dame finally does notch a victory this weekend, Weis' physically demanding schedule may be here to stay.

"Let's say you go and win this week, it's not all of a sudden everything's OK," Weis said. "You still got the crud kicked out of you for three games and you're 1-3."

Sounds like a coach with as much patience as his offense has touchdowns.

None.