Charlie Weis spent Memorial Day at the White House visiting the President, after returning from a trip to the Middle East with four other college coaches.

"We went over there to help motivate the morale of the troops -- but I think we came home probably more inspired than even they were," Weis said Monday at the White House.

"I mean, it was just an unbelievable experience to watch the enthusiasm and the pride and the teamwork over there."

Joining Weis on the trip was Georgia coach Mark Richt, Miami coach Randy Shannon, Yale's Jack Siedlecki and Tommy Tuberville of Auburn.

"I'm so grateful to you all for going," President Bush said to the coaches. "And I'm really grateful that you expressed the gratitude of the American people."

Bush then introduced Weis, calling him "The Notre Dame man."

"We got something special going on over there because there wasn't one person, of the thousands and thousands of soldiers we met, that had one negative thing to say," Weis explained.

"That's almost overwhelming to think about it; not one."

Weis and the four other coaches spent plenty of time with the troops, evening coaching them in a flag football game.

"I think all five of us said we just wish we could have brought our players over there, you know, the 18-to-23-year-olds that we deal with, so they could see what maturity looks like at a young age and teamwork at its utmost," Weis said.

"It was just an invigorating experience, one that we'll always treasure the rest of our lives."