NOTRE DAME -- On a sunny, but cold day on campus, Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis was reminded of an equally sunny, albeit much, much warmer day in Hawaii.

Christmas Eve to be exact!

"I've never seen them any happier," Weis said of his team, following their Hawaii Bowl win.

"For these young guys, it was the first time they really felt good. It was a good Christmas Eve for a lot of these guys, and that hasn't waned away, which is a good thing."

As Notre Dame begins spring football practice, Weis is hoping the 2009 Fighting Irish will look a whole lot more like the team that ended 2008 with a 28-point win in the Hawaii Bowl, than the team that at times struggled throughout the regular season.

"Finishing the game. When you have double digit leads, and three times you let those games get away, the team, the coaching staff and everyone has to make sure that finishing the game is the utmost priority. A lot of that comes with maturity."

Many factors will determine how well the maturation process goes between now and opening kick-off on September 5.

Weis cited the need for the running game to improve ... along with consistency at the QB position.

"We were very inconsistent in the passing game last year. We had games when we were very, very good and games when we were very, very bad."

Perhaps Weis' biggest revelation at the start of spring practice, is that he intends to coach from the sidelines this season, as opposed to the pressbox.