So much to do, so little time: the best of the recently hired coaches already are building toward next season, but the tasks ahead are daunting.(College Football)

Publication: The Sporting News

Publication Date: 14-JAN-05

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The initial meeting was brief and to the point: We stink. Now let's do something about it.

This was Charlie Weis' first powwow with his players as the new coach at Notre Dame. No time for greetings and giggles, just a quick introduction to a completely new lifestyle before Weis returned to his day job of helping the New England Patriots defend their Super Bowl title.

"You never want to hear your coach tell you something like that," says Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn. "He basically let us know it's not acceptable. Maybe that was something we needed to shake things up a little bit."

So it wasn't Rockne-esque. It was, however, the first step in a rebuilding process at the school with the most high-profile coaching change this offseason. Of the top five new coaches, none will be more scrutinized than Weis--whose only head coaching experience is at Franklin Township High School in New Jersey. Each new coach has a plan, one that centers on the understanding that positive change occurs when players embrace a new philosophy.

Sounds easy, right? In most cases, easy is far from reality. These coaches already are sizing up their to-do lists.

Charlie Weis NOTRE DAME

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