(Source: University of Notre Dame)He wasn't their first choice, but perhaps he'll prove to be a good one. Notre Dame has chosen Charlie Weis, the New England Patriots' offensive coordinator, as their new head football coach. The university hopes Weis can bring some of his Super Bowl magic to South Bend.



Weis calls this his "dream job." I can see why. Notre Dame is his alma mater (he didn't play football there). For those keeping score, Weis's contract covers six years at $12 million. Not bad pay for a nonprofit. Oh, and he'll still have a quarterback named Brady (as in Quinn, the ND QB).

But not all is rosy for the university. It came under fire for axing Tyrone Willingham, the first black head football coach in school history. Willingham had a somewhat inglorious three seasons with the Fighting Irish, but many critics said he wasn't given enough time to build a successful program. Most vocal was outgoing president Edward Malloy, who said he was "embarrassed" by the decision. His assistant even shaved her head in protest.

So Weis comes into a sticky situation, where, like all others before him, he'll be expected to succeed. And fast. He'll have to recruit players, abide by NCAA regulations, and keep an eye on graduation rates.

Moving from the pro ranks to the college game isn't easy, though some have done it well (e.g. Pete Carroll, another Patriots refugee, at Southern Cal). Here's hoping Weis doesn't go from the Super Bowl to the toilet bowl.