College Football | Charlie Weis says Irish are on right path

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Amid growing fan discontent, Charlie Weis insisted Notre Dame is on the right path and he is the coach to lead the Fighting Irish out of their latest rut.

"I'm confident that the program is going to go where we all want it to go. That's as honest as I can be," Weis said Tuesday. "Because I think we have pretty good players. When you have pretty good players, you have a chance to be pretty good."

But Notre Dame fans aren't looking for pretty good. They are looking for national championships, something they haven't celebrated since 1988. The Irish went 3-9 last season and, despite an easier-than-usual schedule by Notre Dame standards, the Irish (5-4) are a game above .500 and have lost three of their last four.

Weis, who as a Notre Dame student more than 30 years ago called the university president to complain about a loss, said he understands fans being upset.

"I think that I'd be perturbed, too, if I were them, to be honest with you," he said.

Some blamed last year's dismal record on Weis' predecessor, Tyrone Willingham, whose last recruiting class left Weis to rely on a bevy of inexperienced players. But Weis has four recruiting classes — three full, highly rated classes — in place and isn't showing as much progress as many fans expected.

Forced-to-resign Willingham is in his final season as Washington's coach.

Weis was rewarded with a 10-year contract before completing the first year of his initial six-year deal. Since then, the Irish are 1-8 against ranked teams.

Weis, who has a 27-19 record, will call the plays for Saturday's game against Navy (6-3) in Baltimore. Irish offensive coordinator Mike Haywood will be attending a funeral for a family member in Texas this week.

Ball St. rises to 10-0

OXFORD, Ohio — For the first time in program history, Ball State is 10-0.

Nate Davis threw for a touchdown and ran for another in a quick-strike offense, and the 14th-ranked Cardinals beat the Miami RedHawks 31-16 in a Mid-American Conference game.

Ball State's MiQuale Lewis had two 1-yard touchdowns in the second half and finished with 165 rushing yards, one shy of his career high.

Notes

• Kevin Riley will be California's starting quarterback at No. 23 Oregon State on Saturday in a game with Pac-10 championship implications.

"His escape dimension and athletic ability gives you more options on offense," Golden Bears coach Jeff Tedford said of sophomore Riley, who has briefly lost his starting job twice.

Riley has started six games for Cal (6-3 overall, 4-2 Pac-10) this season and Nate Longshore started the three others.

• Nebraska linebacker Cody Glenn has been suspended indefinitely from the team for allegedly violating team rules.

Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini said he would not elaborate on why Glenn, the team's third-leading tackler, was suspended.