The fact is that Willingham got fired because ND thought they were getting Urban Meyer, who wisely took the Florida job instead. Willingham had some rebuilding to, and was recruiting some talent(see all the guys who put up the numbers the last two years). It is reasonable to think Ty could have got very close, if not matched what Weis did over the last two years with the players that were there. Take a peek at who ND played those two years. Most of the credit they got(and that 10 year contract) came from losing to USC. in 2006 they played 4 ranked teams, and lost to 3 of them, and dint just lose, got shelled. In 2005 they played 3 teams that were ranked at the end of the season, and lost to two of them. They got those BCS games from being ND. Any other team doesnt make a BCS game with what they did.
Weis has that NFL mindset along with Callahan, they know what they are doing(or at leats they think they do) and anything before them be damned. Neither can develop talent, and when ND misses post season play again next year, ND is looking at a big time buyout.