Coach Kelly Situation

[mjb1979]

THey have lost any crediability they might have had.

I'll play devil's advocate here because the site has been largely right about stuff. Putting the pieces together...BK was not one of ND's initial targets. Once Meyer, Stoops, Frerentz, etc turned down the job, ND offered the job to BK. BK either a) rejected the offer to stay, or b) refused to talk to them until after Pitt. As a result, ND has moved on to other candidates, Edsall, Holtz, Harbaugh.

[lucy4242]

not sure if this was posted before but apparently his latest twitter was "Pitt is tough enough to prepare for but it will be nice given the current weather that we will have an indoor bubble this time next year."

[Major ----de Coverley]

I'll play devil's advocate here because the site has been largely right about stuff. Putting the pieces together...BK was not one of ND's initial targets. Once Meyer, Stoops, Frerentz, etc turned down the job, ND offered the job to BK. BK either a) rejected the offer to stay, or b) refused to talk to them until after Pitt. As a result, ND has moved on to other candidates, Edsall, Holtz, Harbaugh.

I like your reasoning. When asked to kiss the pope's ring you are expected to pucker up asap.

[Dambee]

I don't really see it. None of the guys the ND has hired since Holtz have had a resume comparable to BK's (Weiss had never even been a head coach). Davie was a career coordinator and Weiss had only been a head coach at the high school level. Willingham is the closest in terms of head coaching success and his success was taking a Stanford team without much recent success and turning them into a slightly better than .500 team. Kelly has almost as many wins as a UC coach in three years as Willingham had at Stanford in seven years. And Kelly has had coaching success at two other programs prior to UC.

Davie was aready inside the ND system as the D-Coordinator under Holtz when he was annointed as the next head coach, so his resume does not really count.

Coach Ty took Stanford to the Rose Bowl in 99' and comparing his overall record in the Pac-10 (respectable 32-25 in 7 seasons) to BK's in BEast is comparing apples to oranges, Pac-10 (Ty with Stanford) was no question a better conference than the BEast (is now).

Weis was an ND alum that had won 3 Super Bowl rings with the Parcells pedigree, if you want to argue his resume with BK's then you go right ahead.

My original point is that...Coach Ty is now 56, Davie is 55 and Weis is 53 they all were hired in the prime of their careers to turn ND around, which didn't happen. BK leaves at 48...he has a window of 5 years to put in place "his system" to get a shot to win to the N.C. game. He already has his system in place here at UC, so if he really wants to win... it seems pretty evident to me that it's much easier to get to that goal here at UC.

[cincy34]

I'll play devil's advocate here because the site has been largely right about stuff. Putting the pieces together...BK was not one of ND's initial targets. Once Meyer, Stoops, Frerentz, etc turned down the job, ND offered the job to BK. BK either a) rejected the offer to stay, or b) refused to talk to them until after Pitt. As a result, ND has moved on to other candidates, Edsall, Holtz, Harbaugh.

bingo. I think the offer is on the table and Kelly said that he will address it after the game. To cover their butts ND has to continue the search. I think Kelly has been true to his words about not addressing the situation until after the season. Hopefully this means UC win and Kelly stays, as the season wouldn't be over with rankings and NC controversy to play for. Lose and the season is essentially over and BK bolts before the bowl game.

[DMoney_70]

Guys, this is total smoke screen IMO. Get to Pittsburgh and cheer your butts off for the Bearcats on Saturday, but prepare to hear that Coach Kelly is the next Notre Dame coach not long after. I would LOVE to be dead wrong on this of course.

This is where I am at, now. After yesterday's conflicting reports, I think it's all a smoke screen while they wait for their #1 choice to finish his season.

[DMoney_70]

not sure if this was posted before but apparently his latest twitter was "Pitt is tough enough to prepare for but it will be nice given the current weather that we will have an indoor bubble this time next year."

It's been posted but what exactly does that say about his future? If he's staying, he doesn't need veiled comments. His silence is not serving anyone well in this situation. Especially his team.

You're putting too much hope in the word "we".

[vegasbearcat]

It's been posted but what exactly does that say about his future? If he's staying, he doesn't need veiled comments. His silence is not serving anyone well in this situation. Especially his team.

You're putting too much hope in the word "we".

Totally agree. People who see this tweet as meaning anything are people desperate for reasurance.

[qsilvr2531]

Davie was aready inside the ND system as the D-Coordinator under Holtz when he was annointed as the next head coach, so his resume does not really count.

Coach Ty took Stanford to the Rose Bowl in 99' and comparing his overall record in the Pac-10 (respectable 32-25 in 7 seasons) to BK's in BEast is comparing apples to oranges, Pac-10 (Ty with Stanford) was no question a better conference than the BEast (is now).

Weis was an ND alum that had won 3 Super Bowl rings with the Parcells pedigree, if you want to argue his resume with BK's then you go right ahead.

My original point is that...Coach Ty is now 56, Davie is 55 and Weis is 53 they all were hired in the prime of their careers to turn ND around, which didn't happen. BK leaves at 48...he has a window of 5 years to put in place "his system" to get a shot to win to the N.C. game. He already has his system in place here at UC, so if he really wants to win... it seems pretty evident to me that it's much easier to get to that goal here at UC.

Davie was a co-ordinator and so was Weiss, regardless of their success at the position neither had been a head coach. In Weiss' case especially, how have the other guys with 3 Super Bowl Rings on that staff done as head coaches? Head Coach is a completely different job from offensive or defensive coordinator and neither of those two had any history as a head coach, much less the kind of success Kelly had. I'm not saying both were clearly never going to be good head coaches and ND should have known this ahead of time, but I am saying that comparing those two to Kelly you have to give Kelly the edge based on his success turning teams around as ahead coach at multiple levels.

The Pac 10 was tougher than the Big East is now, I will certainly grant that. I'm not sure it was so much tougher that it makes up the 15 point difference in their winning percentages, and Stanford was Willingham's only head coaching experience. UC is the 3rd team Kelly has turned around in three attempts.

I see your point, but Kelly hasn't shown any difficulty installing his system (this is partly because his system isn't really all that complicated) or turning teams around quickly. I don't think he is going to stay at UC over another school because he thinks his life will be easier at UC, mostly because he's been successful at every stop he's made. Why would he think the next one will be different?

[lucy4242]

Totally agree. People who see this tweet as meaning anything are people desperate for reasurance.

I know, I know... just hoping too much

[AeroCat]

From a friend's Facebook status:

"Notre Dame jet sighting at Lunken Airport "

Obviously, this isn't a reputable source (my friend's mom apparently has a contact at Lunken), but does anyone have any new info?

[jadam222]

Davie was a co-ordinator and so was Weiss, regardless of their success at the position neither had been a head coach. In Weiss' case especially, how have the other guys with 3 Super Bowl Rings on that staff done as head coaches? Head Coach is a completely different job from offensive or defensive coordinator and neither of those two had any history as a head coach, much less the kind of success Kelly had. I'm not saying both were clearly never going to be good head coaches and ND should have known this ahead of time, but I am saying that comparing those two to Kelly.

The Pac 10 was tougher than the Big East is now, I will certainly grant that. I'm not sure it was so much tougher that it makes up the 15 point difference in their winning percentages, and Stanford was Willingham's only head coaching experience. UC is the 3rd team Kelly has turned around in three attempts.

I see your point, but Kelly hasn't shown any difficulty installing his system (this is partly because his system isn't really all that complicated) or turning teams around quickly. I don't think he is going to stay at UC over another school because he thinks his life will be easier at UC, mostly because he's been successful at every stop he's made. Why would he think the next one will be different?

Good point Nick. However, you are really stepping - Kelly or any coach - into unknown waters. I think the ND job will be very difficult and the odds are stacked against any coach. They have not won in so long at the level they want that patience will not be a virtue. You will have very little time to get it going.

If it were me in Kelly's situation - because I cannot speak for him - as long as UC is stepping up, I am staying. Why leave a place where I can build a legacy (my own), my family is happy, get paid well, obtain the facilities, recruit the players I need and win a NC much easier than I could at ND? ND being independent will have to play all the "big name" schools to remain relevant in the national perspective. They have not shown that they can do that anymore. I don't think its just coaching. Its not like the previous coaches knew nothing about football. Kelly will be making a big mistake if he leaves. UC will be making an even bigger one if they don't do everything to make it possible for him to stay.

[milfordcats]

BK said on air that he is staying and I believe him. He has given us no reason to doubt his word yet. I am willing to withdraw this statement however if he pulls a Dantonio...then he will put in the category of coaches that I cannot stand because they are not honest.

[Best Body]

ND doesn't have any higher academic standards for its athletes than UM or Ohio State. And talent hasn't been a problem at ND under Weiss, they've consistently recruited like a top 10 team since he got there, but the only teams he's been able to win with were the teams comprised of Willingham's "bad" recruits.

Is ND's schedule particularly brutal? One of the big reasons they got picked to be in a BCS game this pre-season was that they had, for the second straight season at least, a fairly easy schedule.

Actually, I've heard they do have much higher academic standards than the football factories - some of the same limitations as Northwestern. They've not been able to get the DBs, RBs, etc. that they've needed to be an elite program. Nationally, "experts" have indicated that this is due to tougher academic standards. Its not something i have first hand experience with, but it is fairly well accepted. Further, O$U, Texas, and Michigan have well more basket weaving type courses to keep kids not interested in an education able to play football, than does ND. ND does not have the reputation of making it easy for a kid who's not interested in class to be there solely to play football, as many big schools do.

Their schedule is typically very tough.

[DMoney_70]

BK said on air that he is staying and I believe him. He has given us no reason to doubt his word yet. I am willing to withdraw this statement however if he pulls a Dantonio...then he will put in the category of coaches that I cannot stand because they are not honest.

He has given us no reason to doubt his word other than refusing to publically say he's not leaving. Sorry. The Dawn Patrol doesn't equate to the multiple chances he's had in press conferences and one on one interviews with the media. Tonight is a perfect chance for him to put an end to the "silly season".