[Hammew]

We all knew Brian Kelly was a front runner for the head coaching position at Notre Dame. But all Cincinnati fans hoped it wouldn't happen. Our hopes have been dashed. ESPN has reported that Brian Kelly will interview for the Notre Dame job on Tuesday. Brian Kelly said today on the Dan Patrick Show that he would have a decision on Saturday. I can tell you we do not need to wait until Saturday. I have information from local sports talk radio that he is already done. Being a student at UC, I decided to go to the Lindner Center, which is the Athletics and Health Services building on campus. The mood there was not good. You can tell something is afoot. Brian Kelly told all the players in the locker room after defeating Pittsburgh, that he would not pull a Dantonio. Well that is exactly what he is doing. Brian Kelly will be announced as the new Head Coach of Notre Dame as early as Wednesday afternoon.

[MartinBlank]

You can't blame Kelly.

Kelly has won everywhere he has coached. Everywhere.

If he wins at ND---be becomes a legend. Best of luck to him.

Cincy will be fine-----especially Butch Jones is hired.

[Jrod124]

U guys are still......Cincinnati.
Thats going to happen sorry.

[MartinBlank]

good news for you is that its not a lock that he gets the job..schiano from Rutgers and the coach from uconn also are there. I think they take kelly though.

If Schiano were really a candidate----I don't think it would be even close which coach would be the choice.

Kelly has done in 2 years at Cincinnati what Schiano hasn't been able to do in almost a decade.

[Hammew]

Guys Kelly is gone already. I am not mad though, but as a head coach you can only go one step higher than where Cincinnati is, and that is the National Title game. As good as Brian Kelly is, Notre Dame is finished. They have been horrible since I have been alive and that streak will continue.

[BigdaddyQH]

So does this mean he leave the Cincinnati program immediately, ala Rich Rodreguez at West Virginia? This could be very interesting. Remember, West Virginia won their BCS Bowl Game against Oklahoma. Unfortunately for West Virginia, they got stuck with Bill Stewart. Florida opened up at -10, a rediculously high line unless Vegas expected this to happen. What a Sugar Bowl. A team that got dumped out of the NC game against a team that is losing/has lost their coach. Time for Two and 1/2 Men reruns.

[Hammew]

So does this mean he leave the Cincinnati program immediately, ala Rich Rodreguez at West Virginia? This could be very interesting. Remember, West Virginia won their BCS Bowl Game against Oklahoma. Unfortunately for West Virginia, they got stuck with Bill Stewart. Florida opened up at -10, a rediculously high line unless Vegas expected this to happen. What a Sugar Bowl. A team that got dumped out of the NC game against a team that is losing/has lost their coach. Time for Two and 1/2 Men reruns.

I am not sure how that is going to play out, but I will continue to dig around the Athletic Department and try to find out. The feeling I am getting right now is that he will not be coaching the bowl game.

[bearmz]

For ND, I hope he gets a good Def Co-Ord as their Def is what has killed them. Kelly is another offensive/special teams guru. That's what Weis ( at least offensive) was supposed to be and you saw the bad results.
ND better not expect miracles as Weis was known to snub his porky nose at defensive players and his remaining roster is full of lead footed defenders with more X chromosomes than Ys.

[Ralphie1412]

Cinci would be the best vacancy to fulfill for any other coach. Collaros is a badass QB, you would be inheriting a great situation.

[xxxvince]

no one will do good as irish coach, glory days are over, dont live in the past irish fans

[MartinBlank]

no one will do good as irish coach, glory days are over, dont live in the past irish fans

This has been said so many times about ND.

Before Ara was hired.

Before Holtz was hired.

ND has so many advantages----a good coach can win big there. The problem with ND has been their leadership. They hired shitty coaches.

[Jonah]

It is not automatic he takes it though... A lot of limitations come with that job...Luckily for the Irish there are not many big coaching vacancies at the moment...Still it has to be tempting to go to the SEC and buy some really good players.

[jackpot269]

When one door closes another one one opens !!!!!!!!!!!

[THE PROFIT]

Phil Fulmer will be coaching somewhere next season

[goblue12]

Seems like an odd fit. I just don't picture Kelly as the kind of guy who sees ND as the . Can't deny his track record though.

Few things of note: MSU fired John L in '06 and they hired Dantonio over Kelly who had just won the MAC at CMU. He won 10 games his first year at Cincy and didn't even get an interview despite being considered a candidate by the media. It's a tough read on this guy.

[MartinBlank]

Seems like an odd fit. I just don't picture Kelly as the kind of guy who sees ND as the . Can't deny his track record though.

Few things of note: MSU fired John L in '06 and they hired Dantonio over Kelly who had just won the MAC at CMU. He won 10 games his first year at Cincy and didn't even get an interview despite being considered a candidate by the media. It's a tough read on this guy.

What makes Kelly and odd fit?

Kelly is an Irish Catholic from the Northeast. That screams fit.

Tennessee turned to Kelly before they hired Kiffin last season.

[BigdaddyQH]

This has been said so many times about ND.

Before Ara was hired.

Before Holtz was hired.

ND has so many advantages----a good coach can win big there. The problem with ND has been their leadership. They hired shitty coaches.

The difference is simply this. When Ara and Holtz were hired, football in the Midwest was at it's peak. Today, football in the Midwest is all but dead. The power in the nation is in the SEC, the Pac 10, and the Big 12 SOUTH. That is where all the kids want to play. Florida, UGA, Alabama, LSU, USC, Stanford, Texas, OU, Tennessee, and others will all outrecruit Notre Dame this year, and for the forseeable future. Notre Dame needs to rebuild. They have no QB net season, and have lost their best WR. They had no RB's to start with. Their defensive woes have been articulated on already. The next Irish HC has a tough selling job ahead of him.

[goblue12]

What makes Kelly and odd fit? Kelly is an Irish Catholic from the Northeast. That screams fit. Tennessee turned to Kelly before they hired Kiffin last season.

It's just tough to grasp his personality. It's not cut-and-dry like Dantonio (disciplinarian), English (recruiter), or Rich Rod ("mad scientist"). He gets the job done, but in a weird way.

[MartinBlank]

The difference is simply this. When Ara and Holtz were hired, football in the Midwest was at it's peak. Today, football in the Midwest is all but dead. The power in the nation is in the SEC, the Pac 10, and the Big 12 SOUTH. That is where all the kids want to play. Florida, UGA, Alabama, LSU, USC, Stanford, Texas, OU, Tennessee, and others will all outrecruit Notre Dame this year, and for the forseeable future. Notre Dame needs to rebuild. They have no QB net season, and have lost their best WR. They had no RB's to start with. Their defensive woes have been articulated on already. The next Irish HC has a tough selling job ahead of him.

What are you talking about?

When Holtz was hired football in the midwest was at its peak?

Says who?

Miami, Fl was ruling college football in 1985. As was Oklahoma.

In fact, Tennessee and Florida were also ranked in the top 5 at the end of 1985.

The talented football players in this country were heading off to Miami and Florida State in the mid-80's

Penn State also had a pretty good thing going on.

But Ohio State was in the shitter---as was pretty much all of the Big 10 sans Michigan.

The only true midwest team in the AP top 10 in 1985 was Michigan.

ND has Dayne Crist back next season----and Michael Floyd---and Kyle Rudolph--and Armando Allen----

With that shitty schedule ND has---they will still have better offensive skill players than 10 of the 12 teams they play.

[IrishTim]

The difference is simply this. When Ara and Holtz were hired, football in the Midwest was at it's peak. Today, football in the Midwest is all but dead. The power in the nation is in the SEC, the Pac 10, and the Big 12 SOUTH. That is where all the kids want to play. Florida, UGA, Alabama, LSU, USC, Stanford, Texas, OU, Tennessee, and others will all outrecruit Notre Dame this year, and for the forseeable future. Notre Dame needs to rebuild. They have no QB net season, and have lost their best WR. They had no RB's to start with. Their defensive woes have been articulated on already. The next Irish HC has a tough selling job ahead of him.

Recruiting was not the problem under Weis. He brought in great talent (minus the JUCOs and kids who can't score above an 800 on the SAT that the other schools you listed can bring in). The problem was fundamentals, especially on defense, and inspiring the team to play 60 minutes. There was at least 1 quarter in every game where ND stagnated and allowed other teams back into the game.

They have Dayne Crist as the next QB who has arguably better arm strength and certainly better mobility than Clausen. He doesn't have JC's accuracy (not many other college QBs do) but he was a 5 star stud coming out of high school and still has 3 years of eligibility. Also remember that Floyd was having a way better season than Golden before he got hurt. The numbers Floyd put up in such a small sample of games was incredible. I promise you the quarterback and WR positions will not be a problem next year. I wouldn't be surprised to see the offensive production actually increase, as you can do things with Crist that you couldn't do with Clausen (especially in a Brian Kelly offense.

As for RB, they have redshirt freshman Cierre Wood from CA who was one of the highest rated RBs coming out of high school (heavily recruited by USC). I expect him to be explosive next year. Don't forget we also have USC-decommit Shaquelle Evans at WR next year to line up opposite of Floyd, not to mention arguably the best pass catching TE in the country with Rudolph to open the middle of the field (somewhere Clausen seemed afraid to throw it).