Coach Kelly/Tennessee Rumors

[Irishbearcat]

Time to make two outlandish predictions:

1) Brian Kelley will be our Joe Pa. He has a clear path to the NC game. He could possibly be lured away for more money, but there is still a question about which is the better financial situation - go to a UT where you make $3 mil for 4-5 seasons - $12 - 15 mil total or stay at a UC for 20 years with increasing salary levels.

I think there is one scenario where BK leaves. If the BCS division goes to a play-off system and a BE champion gets left out (a likely scenario this year if there were an 8 team play-off - Alabama, Florida, Texas, OK, Penn State, USC, . . .).

At that point, BK can't win a NC at UC and he has to jump to a place where he can. Still, by the time the BCS division goes to a play-off, I expect UC to be able to play with anyone.

2) ND will be in the BE by the end of the decade. Their "unique" status is quickly dying off. Younger fans haven't seen ND win a bowl came since when? They haven't been a serious NC contender since?? Once they have a loss, they have nothing to play for - no conference championship. In a few years, as their TV viewship fades, they will need the BE to make them relevant again.

ND will not join the BE as a football school. Never going to happen. Why? They don't need to. Don't let the past two years fool you.

[Bearcat Otto]

With conferences getting larger and teams have more in conference games to schedule, ND might have some trouble scheduling. Most teams are already having to schedule Div IAA teams to fill their schedules.

They can play all the armed forces teams and some no names on NBC. I am sure that NBC will let that happen for a long time.

[Bearcat_DF]

ND will not join the BE as a football school. Never going to happen. Why? They don't need to. Don't let the past two years fool you.

The only reason they don't need the BE is because they have a large TV audience. That audience is dying off and they are not drawing in new fans. If you are Catholic and want to play at a good school - go to BC.

I'm sure the military academies always thought they would have strong footbowl programs too . . .

[Irishbearcat]

The only reason they don't need the BE is because they have a large TV audience. That audience is dying off and they are not drawing in new fans. If you are Catholic and want to play at a good school - go to BC.

I'm sure the military academies always thought they would have strong footbowl programs too . . .

It's obvious you don't follow ND, so why comment on it? The following is very large, despite the last two years. The Irish had a number 1 recruiting class (by one service) last year, despite the 3-9 record.
Once the frosh/sophs grow up, the team is going to be very good..regardless of who coaches them.
Weis has made some mistakes, whether he stays or not will be determined by next years campaign. Most expect 8 wins or better (the homers expect 10).
ND is in good shape, and the BE needs them in football more than ND needs the BE.
BTW-when UC plays ND in a couple of years, the Irish will look nothing like this years team.

Go Bearcats!

[jeffto]

To all of you who thought Coach Kelly was leaving for UT, go to Bill Koch's blog now to see a from Coach Kelly himself. Hopefully, this puts this UT nonsense to bed for awhile if not forever.

As a rule, coaches moving to a new job deny it until the press conference announcing the move. His words need to be taken with a grain of salt.

[jeffto]

It's obvious you don't follow ND, so why comment on it? The following is very large, despite the last two years. The Irish had a number 1 recruiting class (by one service) last year, despite the 3-9 record.
Once the frosh/sophs grow up, the team is going to be very good..regardless of who coaches them.
Weis has made some mistakes, whether he stays or not will be determined by next years campaign. Most expect 8 wins or better (the homers expect 10).
ND is in good shape, and the BE needs them in football more than ND needs the BE.
BTW-when UC plays ND in a couple of years, the Irish will look nothing like this years team.

Go Bearcats!

Excuse me, but no team that loses to Cuse is in "good shape" Weis is a loser. Winners win, losers move on.

[richard k.]

ND is in good shape, and the BE needs them in football more than ND needs the BE.

Go Bearcats!

You keep saying this and I have yet to see a reasoned explanation for the comment. I'll concede that when the last bowl contracts were negotiated, what with BC, Miami, and Va. Tech having left, the BEast needed something to help out, as UC, UofL, and S. Fla. certainly didn't have the same name recognition as the 3 departing schools, while the ND name still carried some cache. I'm not so sure that is true anymore, what with the success of the 3 schools entering the conference and ND's actual football achievements on the field over the last decade or so.

It is rapidly approaching time that the football schools of the BEast challenge ND to either get in or get out. I don't blame ND for their set up - if they can get away with it more power to them - but the BEast must decide if it is a power conference or not. No other BCS conference has a member that plays 1A football, but outside the conference. This has given ND the best of all possible worlds (which has actually been admitted by their athletic department). In football they have the easiest way to a BCS bowl of any school in the country, while they have dramatically improved (by their own admission) their "non-revenue" sports due to their membership in the BEast. Since the ONLY unique thing that ND brings to the BEast is its football name, and since it withholds that from the conference, it seems to reinforce the notion of the BEast as a less than a power football conference. That needs to end - one way or the other.