Weis ready to commit

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Charlie Weis told a story yesterday about a Notre Dame recruit he was talking to in the past few weeks, something he has been doing a lot of since agreeing to become head coach of the Fighting Irish.

The recruit, perhaps kiddingly, said it might be better if the Patriots lost in the playoffs because that would mean Notre Dame could get its new coach doing full-time work instead of part-time work. Weis quietly informed the athlete that if that was his attitude, Notre Dame was no longer interested in him.

"I told him, `I'm not into losing,' " said the Patriots' offensive coordinator, who has been juggling two jobs for a month. "That's not the type of kid I was interested in."

This morning, while Weis continues preparing his offense for Sunday's Super Bowl, the fax machine will be busy in the football office at Notre Dame as recruits officially commit on national letter-of-intent day. Weis will participate in a teleconference with Notre Dame during his lunch break in Jacksonville.

"He's been in touch quite a bit," said Notre Dame associate athletic director John Heisler from South Bend. "A lot of calls to recruits and a lot of e-mails. I will say this: I have gotten e-mails at unusual times from Charlie."

When Weis took the job, he said, he made a deal with Patriots coach Bill Belichick to compartmentalize his time, with the Patriots coming first.

Free time? That doesn't exist. But Weis knows he is in the final lap of his NFL career.

"I'm leaving [for South Bend] next Thursday," said Weis.

And is he all ready to move in?

"We found a house," said Weis. "Well, my wife and son bought the house -- I haven't seen it yet."

Since he took the job in December, Weis has dealt primarily with the Patriots as they made their way through the NFL playoffs. He has taken two trips to South Bend in the past three weeks, both during bye weeks for the Patriots, and both on key recruiting weekends.

Heisler acknowledges it has not been an ideal situation; the recruiting services don't list the Irish as top 10 or even top 20 material in the 2005 recruiting season.

"I won't try to say everybody is happy about it," said Heisler. "But there is a feeling that if the Patriots do well, it's good for Charlie and it will be good for Notre Dame. We've all become big Patriot fans out here."

"It's important for me to succeed in both jobs," said Weis.

In recruiting, he said, he is interested not in quantity but in quality.

"Anyone can fill a roster," said Weis, still using NFL-speak. "Anyone can get 19 players. I want to have the right 19."

Weis knows that success on Sunday against the Eagles could mean success down the road for Notre Dame; having a coach who was part of three Super Bowl champions in four years will carry extra weight with recruits, particularly those with NFL aspirations.

Weis knows one world very well, but beginning next week, he will enter an entirely new world on a full-time basis.