Rebecca Cook / Reuters

The vast majority of Notre Dame players have not lost faith in Charlie Weis and they don't welcome a coaching change, writes Eric Hansen of NBCSports.com.

The problems
There is nothing that occurred in the five losses this season that isn’t fixable, and fairly quickly at that. The question is, can Weis fix them?

ND’s single biggest on-field problem is its inability to run the ball consistently. It keeps the Irish from closing out games. It exposes the defense’s weaknesses. It prevents the Irish from controlling tempo and the clock for more than short stretches.

If personnel is not the issue, and by all accounts it is not, Weis needs to surround himself with people who can help him fix it and people he is willing to listen to. That means changes in the offensive coaching staff. Point blank.

Its second-biggest problem is a lack of difference-makers on the defensive line. New defensive assistant Jon Tenuta’s blitzing influence was limited this year, because teams just concentrated on picking up the blitzers and took their chances that ND’s front four couldn’t get much of a push on their own.

Playing Ethan Johnson and Darius Fleming extensively as freshmen was the smart thing to do, even if they weren’t physically ready. In 2009, they will be. Now Weis needs to go out and get more players like them. Another plus in the trajectory column -- if Weis reconfigures his staff.

The evolution
This is the toughest to measure and yet also the likely tipping point in the argument. The final record won’t show it, but Weis’ offseason makeover made him a better coach in 2008 than the one that came crashing into college football in 2005 and stormed to a surprise BCS berth.

Unfortunately for Weis, it’s a process and not an instant transformation. That means steps backward at times, and growing pains and adjustments on the fly.

And patience from his bosses?

There are no perfect parallels. But the nation’s No. 1 team, Alabama, was 7-6 in 2007. And Ball State coach Brady Hoke, presiding over a storybook season at 11-0, went 4-8, 2-9. 4-7, and 5-6 before finally breaking through with a winning season last year -- barely (7-6).

“I think that the team has a chance of being pretty darn good next year,” Weis said when asked about his job security. “I can't worry about my job status. I'm the head football coach. And that's what I intend to be.”

More news

Joe Raymond / AP

Who will be the starting QB?

After Notre Dame's Blue and Gold game, it appears to be a three-way race for the starting QB position. Keith Arnold breaks down this race and each area of the offense as he projects the opening day starting lineup.

A Blue and Gold glimpse

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