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Is Kelly Too Hard On His QBs?

BoldSpartacus

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May 29, 2001
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I didn't watch ND as much last year since the Irish and Spartans aren't playing each other now but somebody posted something on another board about Kelly wearing QBs out instead of developing them and it got me thinking. He is very demonstrative on the sidelines and his QBs seem to get a tongue lashing every time a drive stalls. When EG came on as I think a freshman I thought he was going to win a Heisman at ND. I know the academic suspension disrupted his development but I wonder if Kelly wears his QBs out rather than build them up.
 
I didn't watch ND as much last year since the Irish and Spartans aren't playing each other now but somebody posted something on another board about Kelly wearing QBs out instead of developing them and it got me thinking. He is very demonstrative on the sidelines and his QBs seem to get a tongue lashing every time a drive stalls. When EG came on as I think a freshman I thought he was going to win a Heisman at ND. I know the academic suspension disrupted his development but I wonder if Kelly wears his QBs out rather than build them up.

He hasn't had a qb start consecutive seasons since he arrived. Golson obviously thought his NFL ambition was better served elsewhere and his departure came as a shock to many. That said, i thought the job was Zaire's to lose. Zaire no longer has Lafleur who appears to have done a great job with him.
Hopefully., Sanford can pick up where he left off. There are folks here making unfortunate/unfair comments about Golson.
We have an outstanding qb coming in from Jersey, but he hasn't graduated yet. Kizer doesn't appear ready. So, if Zaire gets hurt uh oh.

I think there are plenty of people that are perplexed that Kelly came in as an alleged offensive wizard. We were expecting uptempo, high octane and efficient performance. That has yet to happen. Hopefully, we will get a more consistent/sound/physical O this year.

As for Kelly getting into our qb's grill. It wasn't very effective this past year and Golson appeared fed up with him on multiple occasions. Now he is gone...

We are going to learn a lot this year......

Ps he did give an interesting take on Winston. Little did we know Golson would follow in his footsteps.

"Jameis Winston is 'an easy No. 1 pick,' Brian Kelly says"
Appearing on "The Rich Eisen Show" Tuesday, Kelly said Winston is an "easy No. 1 pick." "I just love Winston's on-field leadership, the way he adjusts in-game," Kelly said. "I like his NFL pocket presence. I just think he fits so many styles and systems in the NFL."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...winston-is-an-easy-no-1-pick-brian-kelly-says
 
He hasn't had a qb start consecutive seasons since he arrived. Golson obviously thought his NFL ambition was better served elsewhere and his departure came as a shock to many. That said, i thought the job was Zaire's to lose. Zaire no longer has Lafleur who appears to have done a great job with him.
Hopefully., Sanford can pick up where he left off. There are folks here making unfortunate/unfair comments about Golson.
We have an outstanding qb coming in from Jersey, but he hasn't graduated yet. Kizer doesn't appear ready. So, if Zaire gets hurt uh oh.

I think there are plenty of people that are perplexed that Kelly came in as an alleged offensive wizard. We were expecting uptempo, high octane and efficient performance. That has yet to happen. Hopefully, we will get a more consistent/sound/physical O this year.

As for Kelly getting into our qb's grill. It wasn't very effective this past year and Golson appeared fed up with him on multiple occasions. Now he is gone...

We are going to learn a lot this year......

Ps he did give an interesting take on Winston. Little did we know Golson would follow in his footsteps.

"Jameis Winston is 'an easy No. 1 pick,' Brian Kelly says"
Appearing on "The Rich Eisen Show" Tuesday, Kelly said Winston is an "easy No. 1 pick." "I just love Winston's on-field leadership, the way he adjusts in-game," Kelly said. "I like his NFL pocket presence. I just think he fits so many styles and systems in the NFL."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...winston-is-an-easy-no-1-pick-brian-kelly-says
judging how coaches treat players by the 3 and 1/2 hours you see them interact on a Saturday is pretty silly in my opinion. the relationship between players and coaches is cultivated sundays through Fridays. that time frame is the life blood of any program.
 
judging how coaches treat players by the 3 and 1/2 hours you see them interact on a Saturday is pretty silly in my opinion. the relationship between players and coaches is cultivated sundays through Fridays. that time frame is the life blood of any program.

Kelly's judgement/opinion of Golson was "cultivated sundays through Fridays. that time frame is the life blood of any program" . I will also add, unlike you, that the in game interaction, when everything you've worked for is on the line, is a critical component to the relationship and formulating judgements/opinions. Kelly's judgement/ opinion was that Golson was staying at ND. So, the guy that "cultivated" "his relationship sundays through Friday" was dead wrong. His judgement/opinion of Golson was silly, mistaken....
 
I would say he isn't any harder on his players then Saban is on his. And Saban has 3 rings to prove what that kind of motivation accomplishes.
 
Golson would have been a consecutive three year starter if not for his academic suspension. If consecutive years starting is the metric to judge Kelly's handling of QB's, then that's on Golson, not Kelly. Personally think Kelly is demanding and has high expectations for the mental part of playing QB, and Golson never developed the ability to make quick reads through his progressions. Some QBs just have this high football IQ like ability, and Golson is not one of them. He requires extra time, and you either get this from great OL play, or by rolling the pocket. Our OL didn't seem capable of supporting either scheme, and Golson's weakness was on full display. I think he would have been really good with this years line, but I think the team will rally around Malik's leadership much better. Kelly's ability to develop QBs will be revealed one way or the other by Malik's progression and Winbaush's play over the next three years.
 
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Dayne did start the first two season at ND. I think if ND had scored that first TD instead of having it go the other way for a 99 yard touchdown, then things might have been different for Dayne and ND in 2011. I personally believe Coach Kelly pulled Dayne at halftime because he gave into the fans. Rees was Coach Kelly's preferred QB because Tommy earned it in the last five games of the 2010 season. Why we didn't kick the go ahead field goal against Tulsa is a mystery to me. I understand Coach Kelly wanting to seal the victory, but you must first score the go ahead points. IMHO!!! It's those puzzling calls that cost us several games under Coach Kelly. Golson would have started in 2013 if not for cheating. He could have been a four year stater if he had stayed for the 2015 season. We do make many foolish decisions on our way to becoming old.

You are correct my apologies. Crist did start the usf game and was pulled. He didn't start another game in 2011.
I would just like for us to see a brand of fundamentally sound, physical and smart football. We're all over the map in so many areas. You are also correct about head scratching decisions.
 
pre season '14 HCBK made a concerted effort to get close to EG so that when he rode him during the season the two could maintain communication, but it did not work because no one, I mean not one of us likes to have a face to face every single time you come off the field. When things went bad, when things went Great or well or whatever,,,, every exit. EG should have mean'd it out but he obviously didn't have the maturity to 'face' that kind of never ending micro manage scrutiny. By SC he was burnt out and looked like he wanted to be benched to save his sanity.
 
Kelly grinds his quarterbacks into fine flour. The man should not be allowed anywhere near the quarterback.
 
Kelly's judgement/opinion of Golson was "cultivated sundays through Fridays. that time frame is the life blood of any program" . I will also add, unlike you, that the in game interaction, when everything you've worked for is on the line, is a critical component to the relationship and formulating judgements/opinions. Kelly's judgement/ opinion was that Golson was staying at ND. So, the guy that "cultivated" "his relationship sundays through Friday" was dead wrong. His judgement/opinion of Golson was silly, mistaken....
that's your opinion and I respect your right to it. I just vehemently disagree. I've been coached and I still do coach. ever think Kelly was blindsided by golsons decision ? maybe ALL indications were that he was staying. only two folks know for sure.
 
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that's your opinion and I respect your right to it. I just vehemently disagree. I've been coached and I still do coach. ever think Kelly was blindsided by golsons decision ? maybe ALL indications were that he was staying. only two folks know for sure.

I think that peeking over the fence and in and knowing what we know now that the relationship was stressed/strained. I do believe Golson took off and blindsided Kelly who thought things were fine.
 
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For better or worse, Rees was a 2.5 year starter at QB and Kelly squeezed a 22-8 record out of him. That's impressive considering the schedule ND annually faces.

With Golson, Kelly was undefeated in his RS Freshman year, and had him in the top 5 of the Heisman standings heading into November of last season. Zaire has started one college game, yet he has the best preseason odds for an ND QB to win the Heisman since Brady Quinn in 2006.

It's tough to say Kelly's approach with QBs isn't working.
 
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Kelly knew Golson had the physical tools to be great but lacked the maturity level and mental toughness to fight through times of adversity.
 
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He seems to have problems getting them to perform at a high level - my guess is that it was easier in Division 3 and at Cincinnati where the competition is a lot less demanding.
 
sometimes it is on the player ! not always the coach.
Dayne and Kelly had inreconcilable differences
Gunner and ND had ireconcilables differences
EG was a case of desertion.

In only one of the 3 was Kelly a significant factor.
 
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For better or worse, Rees was a 2.5 year starter at QB and Kelly squeezed a 22-8 record out of him. That's impressive considering the schedule ND annually faces.

With Golson, Kelly was undefeated in his RS Freshman year, and had him in the top 5 of the Heisman standings heading into November of last season. Zaire has started one college game, yet he has the best preseason odds for an ND QB to win the Heisman since Brady Quinn in 2006.

It's tough to say Kelly's approach with QBs isn't working.

My thoughts exactly. There isn't a big enough sample size to make a valid point here. He's had successful ones everywhere else.
 
MZ's burden is a bit different than that of EG in his first year of being the starter.
MZ will be called upon to 'win' games; where in 2012 EG was playing under wraps to not 'lose' games. The difference is 2012 was about defense and 2015 will feature the offense.
 
I really don't think Coach Kelly has been that hard on the quarterbacks. My high school coach rode me like a race horse from the moment I walked into the locker room until the last play of my senior season. I was a three year starter. It made me tough mentally and emotionally. It has served me well in my ministry. If I were coaching the team and saw the things Coach Kelly has seen in five years at ND, I would have benched the starters and fired all the quarterback coaches plus a few other coaches to this point. The quarterbacks look dazed and confused to often for my taste and that falls on the position coach. I think after three less than stellar coaches; it appears Coach Kelly has finally found a real quarterback coach. We'll know for sure in a few months when the heat gets ramped up about 400 degrees. It looked promising in the during the spring.

Ara, good point about the position coach. If BK has a failure here, it is the turnover at QB coach. The instability can lead to issues with the young men.
 
sometimes it is on the player ! not always the coach.
Dayne and Kelly had inreconcilable differences
Gunner and ND had ireconcilables differences
EG was a case of desertion.

In only one of the 3 was Kelly a significant factor.
agreed. crist seemed to melt under adversity.
kiel pouted because he wasn't coronated as the starter.
you're flat out wrong on golson. a deserter would never have returned after the suspension.
 
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EG just isn't cut to be a QB at this level. Name a good QB...they almost always look confident and in control. EG would get that same look everytime adversity struck. Watch Zaire play and you'll see the confidence and to be truthful it is contagious coming from the QB.
 
Seriously, what is a Coach supposed to do if a player like Golson is making the same mistakes over and over again? Ball security, Ball security, Ball security, you talk about it, you teach it, you coach it, you yell about it, and then eventually you put his behind on the bench. His ball handling against Syracuse, UNC, ASU, Northwestern, Louisville and USC was pure Pop Warner, He fumbled twice during situations in which all had to do was spike a ball to stop the clock against Syracuse and then he fumbled when all he to do was take a knee to end the game against Navy. That has nothing to do with coaching, that is a player that is not paying attention to detail and is jeopardizing the entire football team with his irresponsible and selfish decisions. That guy has got to go bye bye
 
I would say he isn't any harder on his players then Saban is on his. And Saban has 3 rings to prove what that kind of motivation accomplishes.

When he was at MSU I remember many Saban meltdowns but I don't remember him screaming at the QBs. I remember he screaming at guys for personal fouls, offside penalties and lots of defensive breakdowns but I don't remember him chewing out at quarterback who didn't pick up a 3rd down or threw a pick. Maybe it happened but I don't remember it.
 
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