Weis: Game against Pitt wasn't good enough

By TOM COYNE, AP Sports Writer

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Pittsburgh wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin, right, catches a pass in front of Notre Dame cornerback Raeshon McNeil for a touchdown to tie the game late in the fourth quarter during an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008. Pittsburgh defeated Notre Dame 36-33 in four overtimes. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Nov 4, 2008 at 6:20 PM EST

Story Updated: Nov 4, 2008 at 6:20 PM EST

SOUTH BEND (AP) — Notre Dame players had an unpleasant start to the week.

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Not only did they have to report at 6 a.m. Monday to lift and run, but before getting started they got an earful from an unhappy coach. Usually they wouldn't have heard what Charlie Weis had to say about their 36-33 loss in four overtimes to Pittsburgh until Monday afternoon, but he couldn't wait.

"The message was, 'It's not OK,'" Weis said. "You lose a game and there are people who will come to you, 'God, that was a tough game, four overtimes. That was a good game. God, that was close.' Well from my standpoint the message was, 'It's not OK.'"

The Irish were up 17-3 at halftime, but their offense stalled in the third quarter to allow the Panthers to get back into the game. Weis said he was playing the role of bad cop, letting the Irish (5-3) know that they can't afford to let such games slip away. He let his assistants play the roles of good cop later on in the day.

"What I didn't want was for me to hammer them, then have them hammer them and have it prolong into the day. Now you leave here Monday no better than when you left on Saturday. But that was not the case," he said.

Notre Dame travels Saturday to Boston College (5-3) to face an Eagles team that has won 20 straight nonconference games, the longest streak in the nation. The Irish lead the series against BC 9-8, but the Eagles have won the last five. Notre Dame lost last season 27-14 in one of the team's better efforts during a 3-9 season.

"I thought it was a competitive game," Weis said. "We had some games last year that weren't competitive. ... I thought we slugged it out good with them."

But he's looking for better this time. The only team with a winning record this season the Irish have beaten so far is Stanford (5-4). Their three loses are to No. 18 Michigan State (8-2), No. 19 North Carolina (6-2) and No. 25 Pittsburgh (6-2). Aside from their season-finale against No. 7 USC, where they will be heavy underdogs, the game against the Eagles might be their last chance to get respect.

Weis said he's happy the Irish are playing a good team this week because it will help them put the Pitt loss behind them.

"It gives the team another opportunity right after that four-overtime loss to go on the road and beat a good team," he said.

Weis expects a hostile crowd, with the BC students having a whole day to prepare for the Irish.

"It's a small stadium and it's right on top of you, it's kind of like an us-against-the-world mentality. I think that's the way the players are going to have to go in there," he said.

Weis, who spent nine years as an assistant coach during two different stints with the New England Patriots, knows how big this game is for Boston College, the only other FBC Catholic school.

"I know there's a lot of very similar compositions of the schools. I have a lot of respect for Boston College and I know they'd like nothing more than beating Notre Dame," he said. "Conversely, we'd like nothing better than beating them."

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