World/National

"No one can doubt the brilliance of Weis' 0-3 start," said ESPN analyst Mark Ravel. "A lot of people are worried. But I just know he's setting up something huge. We just can't see it yet because we don't see things on his level."

SI sportswriter Dan Young agrees, "This is pure Charlie Weis. This is The Genius. He's lulling everyone to sleep with poor game plans, lackluster efforts, and blowout losses. By the time they play #1 USC they'll be 0-7 and no one will see it coming. They'll beat the Trojans and then they'll be well on their way.

“They say no team that has started out 1-7 has ever won a BCS championship. But I'm assuming Weis has figured out some type of 'Good Will Hunting' statistical anomaly and they'll be #1 after beating the Trojans.”

And if that is indeed the case, then no one can challenge the genius of Weis' cunning tactics. Brilliant strategies such as not scoring a single offensive touchdown all season, getting shut out by an 0-2 Michigan team with a terrible defense, and getting blown out in bowl game after bowl game are all clear evidence of Weis' offensive coordinating mastery.

"You don't think Charlie could have figured out how to beat Michigan?" said a miffed Peter Hammond. "He's so brilliant he could come up with a winning strategy in Iraq if he wanted to.

"But he's trying to look horrible and he's doing a brilliant job of it. Clearly there's no other explanation. I mean, zero touchdowns in three games? The great offensive mastermind has done it again."

Nevertheless, even to the most Weis-crazed adulators it appears Notre Dame's national title hopes are over. But there is one analyst who is not wavering in his belief.

"There's no question in my mind Notre Dame goes undefeated and wins the BCS championship", said ESPN's Lou Holtz.

(It should be noted that Holtz has gone on record to say that the Irish could soundly beat the Indianapolis Colts, that he believes in leprecons, and that he is 100% positive Charlie Weis could run a 4.4 forty.)

College Football Analysts Hail the 'Genius' of Charlie Weis' 0-3 Start

This is how most college football analysts picture Charlie Weis coming up with an offensive game plan.

By MATTHEW MONROE

SOUTH BEND—By most people's account Charlie Weis and his Notre Dame Fighting Irish are having a horrible football season. They are winless after three games and recently lost 38-0 to a hapless Michigan team playing without starting Senior quarterback Chad Henne.

All around the country players, coaches, experts, and even a handful of Notre Dame fans have conceded that the Irish are a poor team and that Weis is a marginal head coach. However, there is one group of people whose support has never waned: college football analysts.