Mark, everything that I have heard/read seems to be the players wanted him gone. He appearantly told them that if he decided to tke the ND job, they would be the first to know and it turns out they were the last to know. He brought the team into a meeting to tell them and most of them walked out. Mardy Gilyard, their star wide receiver was in the meeting for less than a minute. Here is my favorite quote about the entire situation. It is from tight end Ben Guidugli, who's family is legendary in football in Northern Kentucky.

We don't really care what he has to say anymore," tight end Ben Guidugli said after a post-banquet team meeting. "He can go talk to his Notre Dame team. We're ready to move forward with whoever wants to move forward with us. He's not on the boat anymore, so we've got to continue on."