Would Soccer Give Weis A Kicker? Bobby Clark Answers

After seeing yesterday's IrishIllustrated.com interview with Charlie Weis, what stood out the most was the potential for Weis to go to Notre Dame's soccer team to recruit a kicker if juniors Ryan Burkhart and Nate Whitaker and sophomore Brandon Walker don't work out in the spring.
We gave Notre Dame men's soccer coach Bobby Clark a call to see if he had heard of Weis' potential poaching and to hear his thoughts on it.
Clark had not heard of the idea.
"It's one of these things you wait to see what happens," Clark said. "It's a hypothetical question. I won't answer it. You'd have to wait. Charlie could have well been saying that with tongue in cheek. I'm sure he has plenty of guys who can kick."
In all seriousness, Clark said he'd help any team on Notre Dame's campus as long as it wasn't "detracting from our team." But he also stressed how difficult it would be to do, especially with both sports being in the fall.
"If there is something that would work, maybe it could work," Clark said. "But it could be very difficult. It could be easy if it was different seasons."
Football and soccer are both played in the fall -- and often have somewhat overlapping schedules.
And, as Clark, who is one of the more humorous coaches on Notre Dame's campus, quipped: "I don't know if any of our guys can kick a football. I don't know if they can kick a soccer ball sometimes."
Notre Dame made 6 of 13 field goals last season and didn't have a kicker in the Top 100 of the NCAA in field goals.

Here's the text of the initial interview with Weis, courtesy of Irish Illustrated:
Irish Illustrated: Most people are thrilled with the (recruiting) class. But some have questions as to why you didn't go out and get another kicker.
Weis: "My feeling was that there wasn't one out there that I said, 'We need to get him.'
"After this spring is over, if we don't feel good about our answer, I'll beg the soccer coach (Bobby Clark) to give me the best he's got. It isn't like I haven't thought this through. We've got a whole bunch of kickers right here on campus. They just happen to be playing a different sport.
"I'm going to give our guys the spring. If that doesn't work, we're going to go poaching."
II: Does the soccer coach know that?
CW: "(Laughing) He will now."
II: Are you confident that the answer at kicker is currently on the team?
CW: "Yeah, I think so."
-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette

Comments

[RajK]

I dont care who kicks the ball. As long as we have someone who can make a field goal so we dont have to go for it on 4th and long anymore. Unless the wind is blowing, then we dont kick and let Navy beat us....again.

[lujack city]

If I remember correctly, when Forbath (UCLA) and Burkhart (ND) were touring the country at kicking camps there was another young man who was consistently in the top 3 with those other 2. That young man just so happened to accept a soccer scholarship to a little private school in South Bend. His name was somewhat foreign and the first and last name were almost identical to each other.

[lujack city]

If I remember correctly, when Forbath (UCLA) and Burkhart (ND) were touring the country at kicking camps there was another young man who was consistently in the top 3 with those other 2. That young man just so happened to accept a soccer scholarship to a little private school in South Bend. His name was somewhat foreign and the first and last name were almost identical to each other.

[Jim Blase]

Why in the world we don't go after a PROVEN Div II or Div III kicker, is beyond me.

It's SO EASY, and there are over 1000 of these schools to choose from!

[Trent McLane]

Although special teams are important (especially the kicker), I believe that establishing the run (which ND has been TRADITIONALLY known for), NEEDS to be first & foremost "established" before we can count on 45 + yd. field gaols! Sustainning blocks for the run & pass blocking must "IMPROVE!" this season to make it a winning one... Once the basics occur the IRISH can throw the long ball with much more success than last year's bismal Embarassment! GO IRISH!!!

[Keenan80]

Lujack, you are refering to Tamba Samba from Indy's Ben Davis High, plays F on ND soccer team. Yes an excellent FG, KO, and punter, but Ryan Burkhart was just as good if not better in most of the competitions. http://www.prokicker.com/rankings/highschool/78?year=2005

[Tee]

Maybe if Clark doesn't let one of his guys go, Charlie could go ask Randy Waldrum. Brittany Bock could do it. I imagine she could do at least as well as 6/13.

[j dougherty]

take away the 3 kicker scholarships- get in the mode that the big enchalada didains all extra points and field goals - go for 2 ponts if and nd tds are scored - no field goals - weis ball go for it on 4th down -ist down or td - charlie is big on ''touchy feely'' kick th kickers off the team ''no excuses- may god strike me dead if i go for 3 or i after a td ''