Tyrone Willingham is an outstanding hire for Notre Dame, better than anyone else the school could get. None of the NFL head coaches the university sought were interested, but Willingham is well-respected among coaches around the country. Plus, it will be an easier transition for Willingham than it would be for an NFL coach because he is coming from another college program.

Athletics director Kevin White and Notre Dame were looking for the coach who would be the best fit for the program, and Willingham fits the mold. Along with being an organized, thorough coach, Willingham will bring discipline, something Notre Dame has lacked.

Being a minority coach, Willingham will help Notre Dame in recruiting, both for this year's class and for the future. With Willingham on board, Notre Dame should be a factor in the hunt for top recruits before signing day in February. If the school had hired a coach from another school who was not as big a name as Willingham, it would have been tough for Notre Dame to recover in time for this year.

The timing of Willingham's hiring is perfect for Notre Dame. The dead period ends Jan. 10, and the school won't have another recruiting weekend until Jan. 17. Willingham's recruiting list at Notre Dame will be comparable to what he had at Stanford due to the schools' academic standards. The biggest difference is that Notre Dame, because it has such a storied history, will have a shot at more top national recruits than Stanford.

In recent years Notre Dame has been able to recruit top athletes, but the school hasn't chosen the right ones. The selection process is the key. While Notre Dame has a shot at nearly every player in the country, it can only take 20-25. The school has to make sure it takes the right ones and then develops them into solid college players. Even though Notre Dame has recruited some of the best players, they either didn't develop or weren't that good in high school. Notre Dame has only produced one first-round NFL draft pick in the last five years.

Everything at Notre Dame is based on wins and losses. Initially, the school has patience, but it also wants to see immediate improvement in recruiting and in performance on the field, signs of a program headed in the right direction. By the third year, if a coach isn't playing or competing for a national championship or playing in a BCS game at Notre Dame, he is in trouble.

Because so many recruits are within Notre Dame's grasp, I have told several coaches who have called me about the Notre Dame job that a coach could win a national championship at Notre Dame within three years. It comes down to selection and development, and I believe Willingham will excel in both areas. He will put together a quality coaching staff and will do a good job in the selection process. Stanford, for instance, has had more draft picks than Notre Dame in recent years.

By hiring Willingham, White has turned a bad situation into a good one for Notre Dame.

ESPN.com NFL analyst Vinny Cerrato was Notre Dame's football recruiting coordinator (1986-90) and later served as player personnel director for the 49ers and Redskins.