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Davie's new deal runs through 2005
Associated Press
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame coach Bob Davie signed a
contract extension that runs through 2005 on Tuesday, two days after the Irish were invited to their first major bowl in five years.
"We're moving in the right direction," athletic director Kevin
White said. "Bob and I have spent a lot of time looking at the
last seven or eight months and have forged a plan to move forward.
That is what this is a result of."
No. 10 Notre Dame (9-2) will face Oregon State (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today, No. 5 AP) in the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., on Jan. 1.
Davie's contract was scheduled to run out after the 2003 season,
but there was much speculation he could be fired if the Irish
didn't play well this season. Notre Dame went 5-7 last season, the
school's first losing season since 1986 and its first seven-loss
season since 1963.
"All of us are excited about the potential shown by our
football team this year, and we look forward to the future with
great anticipation," Davie said in a statement Tuesday. "With the
momentum we have, it feels a little bit like a new beginning."
Co-captain Grant Irons, out most of the season with a separated
shoulder, said Davie's ability to ignore criticism from the outside
helped the players.
"There were a lot of things that were said, a lot of things
that happened or were done, but never once did we pay attention to
those things because when you do you have a tendency to become
distracted," Irons said.
Guard Mike Gandy said the contract was a reflection of the job
Davie has done.
"It just shows the benefit of winning," Gandy said. "When we
win around here, everyone gets their way: the players get to go to
a bowl game, coaches get offered jobs and coach Davie gets a
contract extension."
Davie is 30-18 in four seasons at Notre Dame.
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