All indications are that it's Brian Kelly

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 10:33 pm

After a week of no leaks of substence, it was reported that Kelly will be interviewing with Notre Dame as early as Tuesday. Kelly then twittered that he just told his team that ND had contacted him and he would listen.

I highly doubt a coach preparing for a BCS game would tell his team that he was thinking about the ND job without actually taking it.

If true, welcome to ND, Coach Kelly.

Adelpiero · Post by **Adelpiero** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 10:38 pm

hey, Notre Dame will continue to Score 30+ while giving up 40+

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 10:43 pm

Adelpiero wrote:hey, Notre Dame will continue to Score 30+ while giving up 40+

Exactly my concern. Although, they've done a great job at dumbing down the schedule so that should only be limited to 4 times a year. Hello Tulsa!

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 10:44 pm

Killian wrote:
Adelpiero wrote:hey, Notre Dame will continue to Score 30+ while giving up 40+
Exactly my concern. Although, they've done a great job at dumbing down the schedule so that should only be limited to 4 times a year. Hello Tulsa!

Tulsa might beat you... they play better D than Notre Dame.

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:01 pm

From GVSU to Central Michigan to Cincinnati to Notre Dame...that's a helluva climb for a head coach. The guy builds a perennial power in D-II with the Lakers that Chuck Martin has carried on as they are ready to play for another national title this coming weekend. He had a brief stint with the Chips but he left them in '06 on the heels of MAC title and Butch Jones has been able to keep them at or near the top of the MAC since. Now with Cincinnati...he hits the ground running after taking over for Dantonio, wins the bowl game as his first game and then in three full seasons, 33-6 with two conference titles. Is rebuilding Notre Dame too much of a job for him? The guy was due to take over a larger program at some point...he's got to be one of the better coaches available from the mid-majors to graduate to a major program.

Laxplayer · Post by **Laxplayer** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:42 am

Like I wrote before, this is not a good move. What's the difference between this guy and Weis? How is Brian Kelley going to pull recruits out of Florida, Texas, California over coaches like Meyer, Stoops, Brown, Carroll? What a fucking joke.
Brian Kelley doesn't exactly strike fear into the hearts of opposing coaches, nor does it strike recruits with a big name at ND. ND's coaching search is now reminding me of those dudes in the movie Major League. They're reading the paper and looking at the roster going over names....Willie Mays Hays, Dorn...who are these fucking guys?
You need a big name coach and you need to let kids know you're going after those big names. If they hire Kelley they may not beat SC until Killian, Terry and I are in our 80's. FUCK.

M Club · Post by **M Club** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:59 am

Laxplayer wrote:ND's coaching search is now reminding me of those dudes in the movie Major League. They're reading the paper and looking at the roster going over names....Willie Mays Hays, Dorn...who are these fucking guys?

ja, then that team went out and beat the yankees.

but since brian kelly sucks so much, who do you propose in his place? no one's making a lateral move to nd, and no one's turning in the keys to florida or oklahoma for the same job. the next best thing is to take a guy who's made insane winners out of programs with shite resources. uh, ever been to mt. pleasant, michigan? cincinnati? and even if he, like you say, can't recruit optimal talent to notre dame (

), he sure as hell has a track record of getting whatever suckers he gets on campus to play like they were 5-stars.

as far as the difference between kelly and weis: weis has a bad habit of losing to big east teams. brian kelly doesn't.

if you want to know if a team's made a good hire, survey their rivals' fans. weis ='d hahahahahahaha. kelly = oh shit.

Van · Post by **Van** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 2:07 am

FWIW, it was reported here on the radio today that ND has now interviewed Brian Kelly and Jim Harbaugh, and Harbaugh is set to take the job. That same report mentioned that Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate will not be back next season, both of them having chosen to enter the NFL draft.

Good luck then, to ND's next coach. That cupboard isn't exactly stocked and ready to provide immediate success.

Laxplayer · Post by **Laxplayer** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 3:19 am

Mclub, I hope you're right, but I have a bad feeling about this. so he's going into Leon's living room and Leon asks where he's coached before and he says Cincinnati. Fuck, Leon probably doesn't even know where the hell that is. If they hire him I hope he does the job or this program is in trouble for the next 8 years.

M Club · Post by **M Club** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:01 am

Laxplayer wrote:Mclub, I hope you're right, but I have a bad feeling about this. so he's going into Leon's living room and Leon asks where he's coached before and he says Cincinnati. Fuck, Leon probably doesn't even know where the hell that is. If they hire him I hope he does the job or this program is in trouble for the next 8 years.

like i asked, who'd you suggest in his place?

regardless of how stupid you think inner-city black kids named leon are, they're more than capable of finding cincinnati on a map considering they've won two big east titles in kelly's three years there, not to mention they score like 100 points a game. you know, because offense doesn't sell. and like someone's going to ask where you've coached before when you're coaching at notre dame right now.

Laxplayer · Post by **Laxplayer** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:30 am

Well I think it's important to find out where a guy has coached before. Most kids think they're NFL, NBA, MLB material and coaches sell the fact that they think they can get those kids to the next level. Well if that's the case then I'd like to know where you came from. If it's not Kelley I'd go in this order....now granted some of these guys may not make a move but you have to ask
1 Meyer
2 Stoops
3 Gruden
4 Richt
5 Mike Riley
6......if we have to get to this point we may as well call George O'Leary again.

Terry in Crapchester · Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:49 am

mvscal wrote:Brian Kelly? No thanks, we're good. We've got some slappy from Buffalo Wild Wing Jr. College.

--Kansas

Kelly has no interest in Kansas, never did. I know it's a cliche around these parts, but tell me you knew.

If the reports are true, welcome to ND, Coach Kelly. And make damn sure you hire a good DC. Weis' hires on the defensive side of the ball looked good on paper (Minter, Brown, Tenuta), but never really panned out at ND. I think it might even be more important to get a home run hire as a DC.

As for Clausen and Tate leaving, it's hard to fault Clausen. Kiper has him as #4 on his big board right now, so very little room to move up with another season in college, and the risks in staying are far greater. Tate projects as a 2nd rounder right now, so there might have been some upside for him in staying for another season.

That said, Clausen will be, by far, the more difficult of the two to replace. Floyd returns next year at WR, and prior to his injury this season, he, not Tate, was our #1 receiver. There's not another Tate on the roster, but there are plenty of good WR's in their own right -- Kumara, Goodman and Shaq Evans just off the top of my head. Hopefully one of those guys will step up, or alternatively, they'll be effective as WR by committee.

QB is another matter altogether. We only had 3 scholarship QB's on the roster this season. Crist was the heir apparent, and he suffered a bad ACL tear and looks to be out for all of next season. That makes our alternatives the following, in order of preference.

1. Get Sharpley on the All Carlos Huerta team, and make him a caretaker starting QB in his sixth and final season of eligibility.
2. Nate Montana returns from JUCO and is ready to be #1 on the depth chart.
3. Hendrix is ready to start as a true freshman.

CintiBearcat92 · Post by **CintiBearcat92** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:59 am

I have no idea what's going to happen (like pretty much everyone else) but Spray is right, UC is in negotiations with BK now to extend his contract with a significant raise and incentives. He could be using that for a better deal with ND or using ND for a better deal at UC. Nobody knows but it'll all be clear within the next couple of days. I really hope he stays but if he goes I'm sure we'll be able to find a good coach to take over the program.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:00 am

At this point, its not a matter of "if" Kelly will go.

Terry, Crist should be fine by the start of next season. He'll miss all of spring ball, but should be back by fall camp. If ND has to start Montana, they're fucked.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 11:26 am

Harbaugh would be better-off taking the job. Cinci is the power of a BCS-conference. Not a great BCS conference but a BCS-conference nonetheless. That is a nice bird in the hand, especially with him being in-position to make considerable demands from Cinci in terms of pay and facility-upgrades. Harbaugh will have a harder time at Stanford. He'd probably finish around 8-4 about every year there, maybe pulling-off a 10-2 once every four seasons like Wazzou used to. That is certainly good by Stanford standards but if he wants to play for top stakes he'll probably need to go elsewhere.

Terry in Crapchester · Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:31 pm

I don't think ND will offer Harbaugh when it's all said and done. Personally, I'd rather have Harbaugh's brother-in-law coaching our basketball team than Harbaugh coaching our football team, but that's not an option either anymore, realistically speaking.

My guess is that Harbaugh will eventually mend fences with his alma mater and take that job when they whack DickRod.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 2:08 pm

It wouldn't surprise me if Kelly is using this interview to fatten his contract with Cincinnati and get some other amenities (facilities) out of Cincinnati.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 2:20 pm

MuchoBulls wrote:It wouldn't surprise me if Kelly is using this interview to fatten his contract with Cincinnati and get some other amenities (facilities) out of Cincinnati.

If true, he's doing it very publicly and it's very selfish on his part. Many coaches have used the ND job to get raises, but have done it behind closed doors. Kelly is putting his recruiting class and bowl preperation on the line to add some coin to his bank in your senario. I don't see that as likely.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 2:25 pm

Killian wrote:If true, he's doing it very publicly and it's very selfish on his part. Many coaches have used the ND job to get raises, but have done it behind closed doors. Kelly is putting his recruiting class and bowl preperation on the line to add some coin to his bank in your senario. I don't see that as likely.

Hard not to keep it public when he is hounded about it by the media. It also works to his favor because Cincinnati's athletic department and donors are now working to raise his salary and raise money for improved facilities for his team. It is a bit selfish, but it will pay off handsomely if this is what he is trying to accomplish.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 2:39 pm

True, but you don't say things like you will evaluate your future over the next few days and that you're unsure if you're going to coach your team in the Sugar Bowl. He could have approached it like Bob Stoops or even like Harbaugh. So either Kelly is selfish and not very savvy with the media, or he has or soon will take the ND job.

M Club · Post by **M Club** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 2:49 pm

it's not selfish, it's leverage. i thought cincy promised him upgrades last year or something. what better opportunity does he have than now to hold their feet to the fire?

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 3:11 pm

I don't disagree. But when you do it in such a public manner, you are putting your current recruiting class in jeopardy, and you're sending a pretty shitty message to your team. You can just as easily approach your AD behind closed doors and say, "Look, ND is calling and want to talk. I really want to listen, but I won't if you give me X."

M Club · Post by **M Club** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 3:16 pm

i know, i just wanted to be contrarian.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 3:21 pm

Not a chance with Gruden? You know nothing about the history between him and the university. There would have been a very good chance with Gruden if Swarbrick didn't close off the NFL route.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 3:44 pm

Killian wrote:I don't disagree. But when you do it in such a public manner, you are putting your current recruiting class in jeopardy, and you're sending a pretty shitty message to your team. You can just as easily approach your AD behind closed doors and say, "Look, ND is calling and want to talk. I really want to listen, but I won't if you give me X."

I see where you are coming from and I do not necessarily disagree with your point.

We have no idea what Kelly said to his team in that meeting yesterday. Maybe he has gone to the AD already, so doing this publicly helps him if he intends to stay.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 3:46 pm

Screw_Michigan wrote:I know he's not coaching at ND next season and likely will not be for the next five seasons. Fuck your sources and fuck you.

Ah, so you have nothing to back up your bullshit stance. Noted and not surprising.

And if you want to go the mvscal route and ask for "sources", take a look at some articles from the South Bend Tribune right before the Super Bowl between the Radiers and Bucs. Bill Callahan is quoted as saying that he thought he was going to be in South Bend that year as the OC because Gruden told him he was taking the ND job. He went as far as to call his mentor, former ND OL coach Joe Moore, and ask about the university.

Or look for the published article about ND Olineman Sean Mahan who was drafted by the Bucs in the 2003 draft. Gruden walked by him during rookie camp and said "I thought I was going to be coaching you last year."

And the numerous references to ND in interviews and his auto biography, and yeah, I would say ND had a damn good shot at Gruden if they wanted to go that route. But they chose not to.

So, go fist yourself. You don't know shit about the ND job and who they had a shot at.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:29 pm

With Gruden? Nope. His desire for the ND job is one of the worst kept secrets in coaching circles. It's the only college job he would take.

Laxplayer · Post by **Laxplayer** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:34 pm

Mike Riley? Over Kelly? Bwahahahah. Didn't you just say "Well I think it's important where you coached previously." Oregon State? Jesus Christ. Get a grip, idiot.
You are retarded. If Laxative is carrying the torch for ND Nation, no wonder the program is so fucked.

I'm sorry if I think Mike Riley is a good coach. He's done it at a higher level than Kelley. If someone can win at Oregon State then that's a pretty good accomplishment. He's also done it for longer. Why do you have to resort to childish insults when people are trying to have a legitimate, adult conversation about something? Give me reasons why Riley is a bad hire. Why is Kelley better than Riley?

If ND brings in Riley (I know it won't happen) they also bring in a DC who has both college and NFL experience and has done a good job at beating schools like $C.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:38 pm

mvscal wrote:He's a good friend of yours then? He told you all this?

Coaches who have worked with him have. And he's talked about it at coaches clinics and other semi-public forums, away from the press.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:47 pm

Screw_Michigan wrote:
Killian wrote:
Screw_Michigan wrote:I know he's not coaching at ND next season and likely will not be for the next five seasons. Fuck your sources and fuck you.
Ah, so you have nothing to back up your bullshit stance. Noted and not surprising.
My "bullshit stance" is FACTS, you fucking idiot.

FACT: Gruden is not coaching at ND next season. This isn't even debatable.
FACT: Because someone other than Gruden will be hired to coach at ND, Gruden will not be coaching at ND for at least five season, unless shit truly hits the fan. THIS IS A FACT.

You just might be the most delusional fucktard to every grace this planet. Why are you so fucking stupid? You have to try hard to be this dumb.

Can you not fucking read? Maybe it's your directional school education. I clearly stated that Gruden wasn't even approached by ND, so obviously he won't be the next coach you fucking tool.

So again, you based your claim that ND had no chance with Gruden on absolutely nothing, like the majority of your posts.

You're better served in the music forum where not as many people will realize what a fucking moron you are.

CintiBearcat92 · Post by **CintiBearcat92** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:49 pm

Laxplayer wrote:I'm sorry if I think Mike Riley is a good coach. He's done it at a higher level than Kelley. If someone can win at Oregon State then that's a pretty good accomplishment. He's also done it for longer. Why do you have to resort to childish insults when people are trying to have a legitimate, adult conversation about something? Give me reasons why Riley is a bad hire. Why is Kelley better than Riley?

Lax, Kelly is 2-0 against Mike Riley in the last three years. Cincinnati beat Oregon State 35-3 in Cincinnati two years ago and at Oregon State this year 28-18. Mike Riley is a good coach but I think those results would make it hard to claim that he is better than Kelly. I hope ND does hire Riley though :)

King Crimson · Post by **King Crimson** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:52 pm

Kelly has proven he can win in and win a BCS conference. he's got an exciting style of play (which a lot of people are "in" to after watching their team stink it up for a while)....his special teams make plays.

all things being equal, this sounds like a good get to me. pulling Stoops or Meyer was always a little unrealistic IMO. Gruden may have been the wildcard, but who knows? so, a proven winner at almost the highest level sounds like a solid move. after OU endured the Blake hell, seems the two likely choices then were an assistant at at top program who had never coached a game in his life or possibly Dennis Francione from TCU. or Jim Donnan, a former Switzer asst. recently deposed at UGA. Kelly, a guy who has won his conferenc twice and now to two BCS bowls....looks pretty good on paper to me.

now, if Bob Huggins Cincy hoops teams are any measure of the "student-athlete" at Cincy*, then recruiting the ND student-athlete is going to be a concern for me if i'm ND fan.

*as someone employed in higher education at a university, there are good students and good faculty doing interesting research at almost every school in the country so i mean no total disrespect for the institution; however, when Huggy has zero players graduate....that's a diff admissions situ than ND is going to be.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:53 pm

mvscal wrote:Oh....OK. I guess that's why he reupped at ESPN. Shut the fuck up, idiot. You're an embarassment.

How does this have anything to do with his affinity for Notre Dame? Or his desire to coach there? The AD came out and stated that he will be looking exclusively at coaches with NCAA head coaching experience, thus not even giving Gruden a sniff.

I'll take you calling me an embarassment a compliment.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:09 pm

Screw_Michigan wrote:
Killian wrote: Can you not fucking read? Maybe it's your directional school education. I clearly stated that Gruden wasn't even approached by ND, so obviously he won't be the next coach you fucking tool.

So again, you based your claim that ND had no chance with Gruden on absolutely nothing, like the majority of your posts.

You're better served in the music forum where not as many people will realize what a fucking moron you are.
What is your obsession with Jon Gruden, anyway? Just because he was "this close" and told a bunch of hacks that "it's the only college job I'd take," you think he's still starry-eyed in love with ND? Get a fucking clue.

My opinion is that he would do a bang up job at ND and he was the best available candidate.

I don't know, maybe the fact he wakes up to the ND fight song every morning makes me think he's still "starry-eyed in love with ND." Take your own advice.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:12 pm

mvscal wrote:
Killian wrote:How does this have anything to do with his affinity for Notre Dame? Or his desire to coach there?
That might have been true seven years ago, but that ship has sailed. If he was serious about getting in at ND, he would have kept his options open. Everyone knew Weis was on thin ice and Gruden could have easily put off the decision to reup with ESPN long enough to see how the situation at ND played out.

You've got nothing but your dick in your hand.

Right, and ND started conducting the search after Weis was fired.

Did it occur to you that his agent, Bob Lamont, could have inquired about the position while Swarbrick was talking to him about Weis? Lamont is also Weis's agent.

And the reup with ESPN was already covered. ESPN did that in part because Gruden was working with the NFL network (I think that was the one) last year and bolted for ESPN because he wasn't under a contract.

Laxplayer · Post by **Laxplayer** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:28 pm

Lax, Kelly is 2-0 against Mike Riley in the last three years. Cincinnati beat Oregon State 35-3 in Cincinnati two years ago and at Oregon State this year 28-18. Mike Riley is a good coach but I think those results would make it hard to claim that he is better than Kelly. I hope ND does hire Riley though

I understand that, but there's more to hiring one coaching candidate than a 2-0 head to head record. I like riley, I like what he's done at OSU. I think he's more of a WOW coach than Kelley at this point in their careers. Either way ND goes they're going to need a very good DC to get them back to prominence.

CintiBearcat92 · Post by **CintiBearcat92** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:36 pm

King Crimson wrote: now, if Bob Huggins Cincy hoops teams are any measure of the "student-athlete" at Cincy*, then recruiting the ND student-athlete is going to be a concern for me if i'm ND fan.

No concerns there. Cincinnati's athletic program, including football and men's basketball, have done VERY well with graduations rates for several years now.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 311180070/

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:47 pm

Laxplayer wrote:I'm sorry if I think Mike Riley is a good coach. He's done it at a higher level than Kelley. If someone can win at Oregon State then that's a pretty good accomplishment.

So is winning at Central Michigan and Cincy, though the talent pool in Ohio is nothing to downgrade.

The "higher level" thing sort of cancels out when you consider he beats Pac 10 players with Pac 10 talent and Kelly beats Big East players with Big East talent. And Kelly has shown he is better with what he has to work with. Plus we're talking two BCS programs so the higher level thing is debatable, unless we were talking about comparing Oregon and Cincy or something else much less comparable.

But I can see where ND fan is coming from with Riley. You guys must be starving for a defensive guy, and Riley's teams are actually pretty good on both sides of the ball. If the bottom line is winning though it's tough to favor Riley over Kelly.

Terry in Crapchester · Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:56 pm

Laxplayer wrote:Mclub, I hope you're right, but I have a bad feeling about this. so he's going into Leon's living room and Leon asks where he's coached before and he says Cincinnati. Fuck, Leon probably doesn't even know where the hell that is.

If true, he probably won't know where Oregon State is, either. Possible exception if (and only if) he lives on the West Coast.

Kelly, to me, is more of a "wow" hire than Riley. I don't think that's even debatable. How many times has Riley been to the BCS?

Terry in Crapchester · Tue Dec 08, 2009 9:08 pm

Sudden Sam wrote:
Terry in Crapchester wrote: How many times has Riley been to the BCS?
How many times has Kelly?

Once, and once more on the way.