Following his team's upset of Notre Dame, Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo basically said he saw the Irish coming. He didn't want his comments "to come across wrong," but said the Midshipmen "had a pretty good clue they were going to do the same things as they did last year."
To Irish defensive assistant Corwin Brown, that came across all wrong.
"I thought it was very disappointing, what the Navy coach said after the game," Brown said Wednesday night. "He didn't want something to be misconstrued, but then he said it, regarding how we prepared and what we prepared to do. I'm going to tell you this - we came out in the second half, minus one mess-up, they don't get anything."
Navy had 14 points and 194 yards in the first half against Notre Dame, and seven points and 210 yards in the second half. But that was just Brown's warm-up Wednesday.
"Whether you think it's the right thing to say or not, in this profession, with all the classy guys that I've watched and played under and studied, they would never say a thing like that," the secondary coach and co-defensive coordinator continued. "To say that we didn't prepare well or we didn't have a good game plan, that's crazy.
"What I think is crazy is a lack of imagination for what they do. I don't ever get up here and talk about the illegal cut blocks. They hit (Brian Smith) illegally last year and put him out. They hit (Robert Blanton) on one of the most malicious plays I've ever seen since I've been playing. And I called him about it. And I told him I thought it was very poor. He probably thought I called because we lost; I was going to say something to him before the game but I didn't. Very malicious. And in this game, which we're supposed to be playing for our kids, you don't let your players do something like that.
"Now, coach (Charlie) Weis, and (defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta) do a great job getting us prepare on offense and defense. And I don't care what foxhole they're in, I'm jumping in the foxhole with them every time. We had a damn good game plan. And that's all I got to say."
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I have been a Notre Dame fan since 1955. With the talent that exists on this team and the easy schedule that is now being played, I think that it is a disgrace to be losing this many games. I just do not think that Charlie is a college coach. It is time for a complete overhaul of the
coaching staff.
Notre Dame whining about Navy playing dirty? Who is serving the country, and who are the spoiled brats?
So sad ...the once proud fighting Irish complaining about the Navel Academy cut blocking them ...a perfectly legal play in college football.... I've seen I AA programs that can out coach and out play the Irish....
Don't look now but ND could lose again
I've my semi-pros gave up 400 yards to the Navy cadets I'd blow my top too.
I have been a ND fan since age five, which is now 75 years.
ND must clear up the football picture. Football in the US has meant ND for years and years. Football got its big time look and start with Rockne.
For many years, way too many, poor judgement has been used in selecting coaches.
Charlie and his coaches must go. I don't know about the coaches, but Charlie would never have to work again if he didn't want. Its football; they must go, win or lose the rest of the year.
Charlie was arrogant from the outset, and hurt the ND image terribly. I think he tried to improve his PR, but he is in way over his head, way over.
I believe his son and wife are right to criticize him so severely.
ND administration, you are hanging onto the greatest traditon in history, but just barely; actuaally I fear it may be too late.
Cor-lose Brown, you are a liar. Ken Niumatalolo did not question your preparation. Read his comments.
I have nominated you for the McDonalds Just Shut Up Award. Congrats!
NO COMMENTS From ILLINOIS READER
TRIBUNE ND Weasels and Puppets.
And that is why more people in ILL are rooting
See how Pat Fitz spit and scolded that team.
Keep on doing and more frustration for you ND weasels
Wow, lotta Notre Dame haters out there. Find something better to do with your time.
Niumatalolo's Comments:
“I think the one thing that helped us, and I really hope this doesn’t come across wrong, but I think the thing that helped us this year was last year because we knew that they’d line up the same way. We didn’t execute very well last year, and coming into this year they did a great job against us last year defensively, so we had a pretty good clue that they were going to come back and do the same things as they did last year, and we had a few things. We were expecting that same defense that we saw last year. But it was still a grind. I mean, they’re still a great defense, and we thought we had some alignments in some of our formations. But it was a grind to get yardage against them even though we thought we had some numbers advantages in certain formations.’
Anyone still believing Navy's coach was unsportsmanlike in what he said, please inform the rest of us. Otherwise, end of discussion.
Good luck against Pitt because the worst thing that could happen to ND is you win out and your clown coaches come back next year.
cut blocks are legal, corwin. thanks for some bulletin board material for next year's game in east rutherford. in the mean time, stay classy, nd.
the only thing more satisfying than navy beating nd would be to build a time machine and prevent the navy from saving nd during wwii.
Let's be fair here; yes, Brown's comments were over the top here, but let's not forget that the Navy coach after beating ND said they were poorly coached. I don't know about you, but I think that's a pretty unbecoming thing to do. It's poor sportsmanship plain and simple. In Brown's shoes, how would you respond, particularly if you thought Navy essentially played a dirty game?
Just a thought Corwin, but if Charlie beats you to that foxhole, there aint gonna be any room for you!
Coaching staff is pointing fingers, players pointing fingers, Weis arrogant as always. The train has been off the track for a will. No emotion, no fire, no motivation by Weis. With jimmy not being back next year and with a whole new OLine, time for a fresh staff, change is always good. Come to South Bend Gary Patterson.
I am a die hard Irish fan probably from the very first time I knew what a football was for. I have countless times defended our losses and rejoiced in our victories as any loyal fan of any team would do, and so it is simply tough to absorb what has happened to what many considered at one time to be the "standard bearer" of college football.
Losing to Navy ..well..that should not have happened..yet those future naval and marine corps officers, accomplished what many would say is not probable, and though this was "just a game", they will some day again when the odds are against them and when it's not a game, they will prevail!!
And now, I hope Santa is listening and checking my list because I will ask him for a new coach and a new fighting spirit for my Irish, because evidently the powers that make such determinations at that great university simply do not get it!!
Now if
Way to go, Brown. It's laughable to see the coaching staff start to crumble right before our eyes. Like watching a train wreck, only with a comedic ending.
Navy has, more times than not, played a close/tough game with ND. When I was at the Academy, it was considered by many of us the biggest game each year.
NAVY was disciplined and made little if no mistakes -- ND made a bunch of mistakes on both sides of the ball.
Its poor judgement to bad mouth a service Academy and it doesn't get him anything but a bad reputation and comments on a blog, like this.
Come on Coach Brown he never said you were ill prepared. I am disappointed in your response and I am a lifelong Notre Dame fan.
Typical Notre Dame attitude. I love Navy and Pitt and whomever else is playing Notre Dame. Notre Dame asking for some class is funny considering Charlie Weiss is the biggest (no pun) jags in the business. GO PITT!!!!!!!
Disgraceful and petty. Brown's comments show he cannot acknowledge that Navy won, fair and square, and that his own team got outplayed and made plenty of errors (on its own) and could not execute enough to beat the supposedly 'inferior' team.
Malicious is bad mouthing any service academy on Veteran's Day, which is what these organizations do, produce combat leaders to take care of this country. Disgusting.
The funniest part about Saturday was watching ND's D-backs look for an illegal formation call on Navy's touchdown pass. That's bad coaching and Mr. Brown has no one else to blame. As for the run D, over half of Navy's yards were from...wait for it...fullback dives. Not razzle-dazzle trickery, but straight up the gut.
Navy doesn't need the charity of oft-repeated comments like they are "undersized" or "unheralded"...those boys can play and simply beat Notre Dame soundly. The truth hurts, Mr. Brown.
Is Corwin Brown kidding? He and the rest of the staff should be doing everything they can to avoid even mentioning the latest Navy embarrassment. After 47 years of not losing to Navy, this staff has lost to them twice in three years, both times at home. Gerry Faust never lost to Navy. Davie and Willingham never lost to Navy. Even if they somehow manage to win out, and win a bowl game, two losses to Navy in three years is grounds for the dismissal of Weiss and his staff.
Corwin Brown and Charlie Weis are both poor sports, poor coaches and poor losers. The Navy coach in his second year outcoached and his players outplayed the arrogant Weis and his team.Weis is an embarassment ...people in the ND community are sick of his arrogance...at stores, restaurants, etc. The sooner he is gone from the scene, the sooner ND can reclaim some vestige of genuine human spirit. As Weis said "I never change" sadly, that's true.
This is so embarassing for ND. They have blue chip recruits, tremendous advantages with TV and being non-conference, an unlimited budget, and a very loyal supportive fan base that's one of the best in the land. The coaches refuse to have any accountability, something that is taught to 18 year old kids on their first day at the Naval Academy. I guess we shouldn't be surprised that Navy won. It's unforunate that Brown's ignorance and ineptitude forces him to criticize the overacheiving kids at Navy who just kicked his butt.
"you'r doing a heck of a job Brownie"
Interesting foxhole analogy. Corwin Brown, John Tenuta and Charlie Weis together in a foxhole. I hope that they aren't up against the future Marines that play for the Navy team that just kicked the snot out of them. I think we know who'd win that fight.
Spare me Mr Brown. What was disappointing was the way YOUR team played. You got beat, so shut up. Try winning games and then you can complain about others, meantime...
Can Cowin Brown SPELL convoluted? What did he say?
Hey Corwin, you just indicted yourself, Tenuta and Weis. No imagination? Then you should have seen them coming 2 years ago and this year. But you didn't. You gave up over 400 yards of offense to a team with "no imagination." And if you're gonna say "it's not the scheme, it's the execution" like your boy, coach frontbutt, it's STILL your fault. YOU all recruited these guys. YOU all lack the ability to scout talent properly. Instead, according to what Jabba the Weis said at his presser on Sunday if we take that to it's logical conclusion, you got a bunch of guys who either can't or won't adjust to what's going on on the field.
So you can't scout talent or you can't develop it. You can't stop teams with "no imagination" or those with it (USC). What exactly CAN you clowns do? Besides continue to drag Our Lady's university farther into the mire, that is.
This is all kind of irrelevant since Corwin Brown will soon be unemployed, just like Charlie Weis will be, like any coach should who says "we had a damn good game plan"--in a game were they got beat worse than the final score indicates by a measurably inferior opponent, talent-wise. Not withstanding is this is a coach at Notre Dame spouting this utter nonsense, where they get recruiting classes that match up with anybody's on an annual basis. There are very few places that I can think of where less have been done with more than at Notre Dame. They should be able to beat Navy just by showing up with the talent they have at-hand. Hats off to Navy for being so ably lead and having a coach with the guts to state the obvious, which in this case also happened to be the truth. Corwin Brown's comments are what they are, sour grapes. His 15 minutes are just about over.
I am so sick of all the whining from ND, first it's the officials, then it's the turf, then it's NBC's long commercials taking ND out of its rythym, now it's illegal chop-blocks? Puh-lease. Navy so outschemed ND it was ridiculius, and Corwin Brown to get pissed off at the ND coach stating the obvious is the height of arrogance. Just admit it, your crappy team sucks. The better team won, and Navy is a far, far better team you friggin idiot. You'll be out of a job come January anyway, like the rest of that staff, you pea-brain.
WAHHHHHHH
I have been a Notre Dame fan since I was born. I am not the greatest fan, but I love Notre Dame nonetheless. I am sickened with what I see every saturday with this team. To lose to a terrible Michigan team, a down year USC team at home (both games that should have been won) and then to lose to Navy again?! Charlie Weis is as terrible a head coach as he is arrogant. I have never been more disgusted with a college football program. Either the scouts overestimated these kids talents, or the entire coaching staff is less than adequate.
I think its a combination of both and they need to find a real coach who can bring the caliber of this program back to where it was in the late 80's with lou holtz. Man I love Lou.
I have a feeling that once Notre Dame gets clobbered this weekend at Pitt they will finally do the right thing and get rid of that jerk. C'mon Irish lets get with it!
So much for the "schematic superiority" Charlie was supposed to install. Even Navy is dissing ND's game plan
What a wimp.
You are Notre Dame. You get just about every blue chip recruit you want. Your program has to be light years ahead of them.
They are the Naval Academy. Recruits? Nope. Program? It's not football.
They whipped you fair and square. They out-hustled, out-fought, and - like your own players said - out-schemed you. On your own field.
They will forever be known as the service academy that beat you twice in 3 years.
And you will forever be known as the Notre Dame coach that lost to Navy, again.