A Perspective On Brian Kelly

[IowaIrish1]

Don't worry IIO. Like many others on this board it will eventually smack you right in the face. I don't know what else Kelly can do to make it worse, but I'm sure he'll find a way.

 

[Harpo Marxist]

Of course not. Brian Kelly is responsible for everything that happens in his program. My point made simple is that many coaches make critical mistakes in their tenures and that can sometimes lead to their dimissal. That could be the case with Brian Kelly because VanGorder was obviously a huge mistake and a bad hire... You're crazy, however, if you don't think that the vast majority of college football programs don't operate the way ND's does. All head coaches come from either primarily offensive or defensive backgrounds and for that reason, they spend the majority of their week coaching on the side of the ball where they are most comfortable and feel they can have the most impact. It is not even close to uncommon for a head coach to let the coordinator of the side of the ball he works with less, run his own operation with little intervention. Head coaches will intervene in game and make demands and suggestions in certain situations, but the game plan and teaching is put together by the coordinators. Brian Kelly had a guy who turned out to be an awesome DC in Bob Diaco, and he allowed Diaco to run his own show on defense. They rode that combination to the championship game. Kelly tried to do the same thing with BVG and it's cost him immensely... such is the profession that is coaching.

Question for you. If ND's returns all it's personnel and hires a quality DC, and Kelly again focuses on the offense and let's the guy he hires do his job, and the guy turns out to be another Bob Diaco... And the results in ND winning 10-11 games next year, what should Jack Swarbrick do? If a head coach has his team on the brink of the playoffs in 2 of 3 years, would you fire him? That's pretty gutsy considering that Urban Meyer and Nick Saban aren't leaving their jobs for ND.... We all think that Tom Herman is going to be a great coach, but it's still speculation. Dabo Sweeney has turned out to be a gpod coach, but he still lost to Saban last year and has nothing to show for it. Jimbo Fisher, who won a natty with FS not too long ago, and has more talent than you could ever need on his roster, is already out of the playoff picutre. Jim Harbaugh is being harolded as the savior at Michigan, but what if he loses to Urban Meyer and Ohio State? He'll miss the playoffs and be just irrelevant as any of the other coaches whose team isn't one of the top 4 this year. Mark Dantonio has won more games (with less talent) than any other Midwestern school in the past 5 years, but attrition has caught up to him this year as well, and MSU is out of the picture. The same can be said of David Shaw at Stanford, who comes limping into ND tonight, season already "over" in relation to title implications... Tom Herman (who I really respect) just lost to Navy, likely ending any chance Houston had.

ND does not exist in a vacuum and Urban Meyer and Nick Saban aren't coming to South Bend. Before Jack Swarbrick fires Brian Kelly, he has to damn well make sure he has a better guy lined up to replace him. And even if he thinks he has that guy, can he really be sure? Afterall, in most years all it will take is a loss or two for an independent ND team to be out of the playoff picture and the fans to start screaming about how the new guy is "not the guy".

ND has been blessed with legendary coaches, who have had a lot of success. Those coaches did so, however, in a time when the best football was largely played by predominantly white, Catholic schools, across the country, that acted as feeder schools for the prestigious Notre Dame. They produced students with grade grades and who were the best football players. ND recruited, in those days, like Alabama and Ohio state are recruiting today... It's not possible to consistently recruit that volume of talent anymore at ND because priorities have changed with kids. More than half of the top players in the country cannot qualify for Notre Dame. Another half of the kids that can don't want to get 2 hours of sleep like Asmar Bilal on Monday because he was studying for exams, when they can go other places where they can still get a quality degree and graduate much easier, while focusing primarily on football.

All things to keep in mind for Jack Swarbrick as he contemplates firing Brian Kelly for the next "sexy" name.

The one aspect of this that concerns me the part where Kelly focuses on the offense and "lets the guy he hires do his job". Therein lies a catch-22. The pressure to win on the one hand...and the temptation by Kelly to micro-manage the defense and negate the DC hire on the other. That is Kelly's persona...and my biggest skepticism on the defensive side next season.

 

[Sarah_Plain_And_Tall]

Wow, floridairish is going to be really pissed you posted this without coming down to Florida so he can teach you a thing or two about coaching.

 

[Telx1]

There is a big difference between knowing and approving what your coordinators are coaching and micro managing. As HC you make your hires because you have confidence in their abilities and you agree with their coaching philosophies, and you allow them to run their part of the program accordingly, with a watchful eye. I just can't reconcile this with Kelly now being concerned two and a half years later about the way BVG was going about this. I appreciate much of what IIO posts, but we can agree to disagree on this point.

 

[greengael]

There is a big difference between knowing and approving what your coordinators are coaching and micro managing. As HC you make your hires because you have confidence in their abilities and you agree with their coaching philosophies, and you allow them to run their part of the program accordingly, with a watchful eye. I just can't reconcile this with Kelly now being concerned two and a half years later about the way BVG was going about this. I appreciate much of what IIO posts, but we can agree to disagree on this point.

Telx with respect that may be a false dichotomy. I don't know and nobody really does except for a couple of the principals, and a few confidants perhaps exactly when Kelly became concerned with the defense. I also disagree with much of what IIO posts, but agree with much of it as well. Personally I have never liked Kelly as a coach and think that he is a politically motivated ,careerist ,prick. I would never play for him. However that doesn't mean I think every move he makes is wrong . I guess . like the schizophrenic said I'm of two minds about this![smile]

 

[Uncle Money]

IIO: There's no doubt you've probably forgotten more about the in's and out's of football than most posters here (including myself), but I can't reconcile how Kelly is supposed to be our best option when he hasn't won a major bowl in 7 years, consistently blows the big game with questionable play calling and slow starts to games, makes a key mistake in hiring a D.C....not to mention his sideline antics. How long do you stay on the same path knowing it won't work? Has anyone looked at time of possession this year for the Offense? Maybe if they ran the ball more effectively, it would put less pressure on the Defense. That IS on Kelly and his spread approach.

 

[IrishInOntario]

IIO: There's no doubt you've probably forgotten more about the in's and out's of football than most posters here (including myself), but I can't reconcile how Kelly is supposed to be our best option when he hasn't won a major bowl in 7 years, consistently blows the big game with questionable play calling and slow starts to games, makes a key mistake in hiring a D.C....not to mention his sideline antics. How long do you stay on the same path knowing it won't work? Has anyone looked at time of possession this year for the Offense? Maybe if they ran the ball more effectively, it would put less pressure on the Defense. That IS on Kelly and his spread approach.

I agree that there are a lot of head scratchees and some indefensible things associated with Brian Kelly and his tenure at Notre Dame. I'm on the same page as many of you regarding BK's time at ND is coming to an end. I think he's done a lot at ND, but he may have hit his wall. I'm simply curious to see what could be next year with a good DC hire. If Swarbrick let's him go, I'd totally understand the decision. If he keeps Kelly for another year, or two, I'd understand that decision as well.

 

[FLballcoach1]

CGVR,

Your first paragraph is about as ignorant as it gets.

How does his first paragraph differ from every other paragraph he was ever written? The child is a mentally defective frustrated dimwit who undoubtedly never possessed the intestinal fortitude to play the game, nor the acumen or knowledge to coach the game.

So now he gets to spew nonsense on message board without the worry of someone handing him his ass. He is the true definition of a spineless, gutless worm.

 

[Sarah_Plain_And_Tall]

How does his first paragraph differ from every other paragraph he was ever written? The child is a mentally defective frustrated dimwit who undoubtedly never possessed the intestinal fortitude to play the game, nor the acumen or knowledge to coach the game.

So now he gets to spew nonsense on message board without the worry of someone handing him his ass. He is the true definition of a spineless, gutless worm.

Take your helmet off before bed.

 

[FLballcoach1]

Anybody who threatens anyone over the internet is a puss. Which you know doubt are. And obviously I do not know you or your mom. So spare the tough talk skippy. You worry me as much as a cloudy day.

 

[FLballcoach1]

And why would I waste my time reading your other posts?

 

[zonairish]

I guess you read my other post where I talked about my Mom being diagnosed with Cancer which makes you the scum of the earth. Feel safe hiding behind a computer becuaue I can reverse lookup your IP and come out and beat you to death. F&uvking cowardly bitch.

you are a cancer

 

[Sarah_Plain_And_Tall]

you are a cancer

Another clown who has had a few beers where the lines are blurred between real life and a message board. Do you find it funny my mother has just been diagnosed with cancer? Please elaborate.

 

[Sarah_Plain_And_Tall]

Anybody who threatens anyone over the internet is a puss. Which you know doubt are. And obviously I do not know you or your mom. So spare the tough talk skippy. You worry me as much as a cloudy day.

How about we meet up. What is your closest airport? I will come to you "Coach". Give me the closest airport and place of meeting. So I am no longer threatening you for your disgusting post over the Internet. I want to meet you in person. Please provide.We will find out who the wuss is. In fact, how about I come to your pee wee practice so i can show a bunch of 8 year olds what it is like to f&uck with the wrong person you Fat Sh&t

 

[Java65]

The HUGE difference in this analogy is that the coach you mentioned was in year 3 when he realized his mistake and corrected it, Kelly is in year 7. No disrespect to Ottawa but the pressure at ND is magnified by 1000, which is why only the best coaches only last more than 5 years. The pressure has certainly taken it's toll and I doubt his coaching improves.

Also, defense isn't the only issue. Our rushing offense has been really bad 6 out of 7 years. Red Zone offense has been horrible nearly every year. Turnovers have been a problem most years. The offense has been fairly average most of his tenure. ST has been fairly bad every year. The bottom line is that there has not been a single year that 2 or our 3 units have played well.

Let's not pretend the defense is the only issue the last 7 years

 

[Java65]

Of course not. Brian Kelly is responsible for everything that happens in his program. My point made simple is that many coaches make critical mistakes in their tenures and that can sometimes lead to their dimissal. That could be the case with Brian Kelly because VanGorder was obviously a huge mistake and a bad hire... You're crazy, however, if you don't think that the vast majority of college football programs don't operate the way ND's does. All head coaches come from either primarily offensive or defensive backgrounds and for that reason, they spend the majority of their week coaching on the side of the ball where they are most comfortable and feel they can have the most impact. It is not even close to uncommon for a head coach to let the coordinator of the side of the ball he works with less, run his own operation with little intervention. Head coaches will intervene in game and make demands and suggestions in certain situations, but the game plan and teaching is put together by the coordinators. Brian Kelly had a guy who turned out to be an awesome DC in Bob Diaco, and he allowed Diaco to run his own show on defense. They rode that combination to the championship game. Kelly tried to do the same thing with BVG and it's cost him immensely... such is the profession that is coaching.

Question for you. If ND's returns all it's personnel and hires a quality DC, and Kelly again focuses on the offense and let's the guy he hires do his job, and the guy turns out to be another Bob Diaco... And the results in ND winning 10-11 games next year, what should Jack Swarbrick do? If a head coach has his team on the brink of the playoffs in 2 of 3 years, would you fire him? That's pretty gutsy considering that Urban Meyer and Nick Saban aren't leaving their jobs for ND.... We all think that Tom Herman is going to be a great coach, but it's still speculation. Dabo Sweeney has turned out to be a gpod coach, but he still lost to Saban last year and has nothing to show for it. Jimbo Fisher, who won a natty with FS not too long ago, and has more talent than you could ever need on his roster, is already out of the playoff picutre. Jim Harbaugh is being harolded as the savior at Michigan, but what if he loses to Urban Meyer and Ohio State? He'll miss the playoffs and be just irrelevant as any of the other coaches whose team isn't one of the top 4 this year. Mark Dantonio has won more games (with less talent) than any other Midwestern school in the past 5 years, but attrition has caught up to him this year as well, and MSU is out of the picture. The same can be said of David Shaw at Stanford, who comes limping into ND tonight, season already "over" in relation to title implications... Tom Herman (who I really respect) just lost to Navy, likely ending any chance Houston had.

ND does not exist in a vacuum and Urban Meyer and Nick Saban aren't coming to South Bend. Before Jack Swarbrick fires Brian Kelly, he has to damn well make sure he has a better guy lined up to replace him. And even if he thinks he has that guy, can he really be sure? Afterall, in most years all it will take is a loss or two for an independent ND team to be out of the playoff picture and the fans to start screaming about how the new guy is "not the guy".

ND has been blessed with legendary coaches, who have had a lot of success. Those coaches did so, however, in a time when the best football was largely played by predominantly white, Catholic schools, across the country, that acted as feeder schools for the prestigious Notre Dame. They produced students with grade grades and who were the best football players. ND recruited, in those days, like Alabama and Ohio state are recruiting today... It's not possible to consistently recruit that volume of talent anymore at ND because priorities have changed with kids. More than half of the top players in the country cannot qualify for Notre Dame. Another half of the kids that can don't want to get 2 hours of sleep like Asmar Bilal on Monday because he was studying for exams, when they can go other places where they can still get a quality degree and graduate much easier, while focusing primarily on football.

All things to keep in mind for Jack Swarbrick as he contemplates firing Brian Kelly for the next "sexy" name.

First, I don't think that Kelly taking over the offense is a positive. His offense's at ND have been fairly bad and this year we don't have an offense we have Kizer. There is no running game, the OL is average, the WR outside of ESB aren't great, the TE are terrible. If Kizer goes down this offense will look a lot like the offense we saw his first 5 years.

Second, of course Meyer and Saban aren't coming. As I've said, you never see a successful coach at a major university just leave. Meyer was a gamble when UF hired him. Dabo didn't have any HC experience when he took over. Jimbo had no HC experience. Jim Harbaugh was a gamble when Stanford hired him. There are no sure things when you hire a coach but fear of failure should not be a reason for reaching for success.

 

[zonairish]

Another clown who has had a few beers where the lines are blurred between real life and a message board. Do you find it funny my mother has just been diagnosed with cancer? Please elaborate.

give me a break a$$. You have always been an a$$ on this board,

 

[floridairish]

How about we meet up. What is your closest airport? I will come to you "Coach". Give me the closest airport and place of meeting. So I am no longer threatening you for your disgusting post over the Internet. I want to meet you in person. Please provide.We will find out who the wuss is. In fact, how about I come to your pee wee practice so i can show a bunch of 8 year olds what it is like to f&uck with the wrong person you Fat Sh&t

If there's a village missing an idiot. We found him. Shut up jerk off you're an embarrassment.

 

[Sarah_Plain_And_Tall]

The cockroaches who were proven fools and know nothings have come out under their rock. LOL. Losers.

 

[floridairish]

In addition, pick me up at the airport. I will be the one travelling so it is the least you can do before I knock your yellow stained teeth out of your fat face.

Why you are you asking to meet a strange man at an airport Sarah? That's is your name right? Sarah?

Perhaps if you just came out of the closet you wouldn't be such a miserable prick? It's okay cupcake it's 2016 nobody will judge you. LMAO!!!!

 

[Sarah_Plain_And_Tall]

give me a break a$$. You have always been an a$$ on this board,

Go away cockroach. Karma is a bitch. Count on your Mom and Dad dying soon and you have no one to blame but yourself.

 

[floridairish]

I am going to place you on ignore. A feature I am sure your mother and fathet wish they had available to them. To think a one dollar gas station condom could of prevented all this.

Adios Scum Bag!!!

 

[theskibro]

Something to think about...

I coached football and was the recruiting coordinator under Jamie Barresi at the University of Ottawa. Who you may ask? Coach B spent 20 years as an assistant at Penn State, Wake Forest, Florida (where he recruited and coached Emitt Smith), UCF, among other places, before heading to the CFL as an offensive coordinator. Finally, he had the opportunity to be his own head coach, at the University of Ottawa (Alma mater) and at a similar time, was offered an assistant position with the Detroit Lions, Under Jim Caldwell (who he coached with at Wake Forest, and who is among his best friends)... He chose Ottawa and the opportunity to be his own boss.

So what? When Coach Barresi was hired, it came with much fanfare. He was highly motivated, qualified and he recruited well, right off the bat. 3 years into his tenure, his offense was full of talent, and setting all time league records, while the defense, which lacked the elite talent of the offense, but still had a ton of quality players, progressively got worse under his DC, who he had hired and who had lots of experience. Said DC had produced some of the nation's best defenses at his previous stop and came highly regarded. Unfortunately, he himself proved to be an average recruiter and the obvious raw talent that was being recruited into the program was being underdeveloped and the energy had been drown out of the group, while their growth and development lacked.

In 2015, despite setting the CIS passing record and scoring a ton of points, U Ottawa missed the playoffs because of it's porous defense, which started with a year long suspension of a starting CB and season-ending shoulder injury to the FS, their most athletic defender, in an exhibition game, one week before the start of the season. That issue was magnified, when in game 2, the 2nd best DB in the group went down with a high ankle sprain that cost him most of the season. A secondary that was already young (starting 2 true freshman), was forced to start as many as 5 true freshman at times in the season, and they simply got shredded. At the same time, Ottawa's best pass rusher suffered a concussion that caused him to miss a month of the season, and his two primary backups were true freshman, both of whom were talented, but not physically ready to play. The season was a disaster and many were calling for Coach Barresi's head.

Fast forward one year. The administration gave Coach B an opportunity to fix the mistake he had made in his first DC hire. He did extensive research and brought in a really quality, young, energetic DC (who brought a secondary coach with him). The players had a great off season lifting, a simpler, more direct scheme was implemented, focusing on fundamentals and sound scheme. Players were allowed to simply "go play". All the freshman that played in 2015, we're a year older, more prepared and physically ready to play. A few key recruits were brought in to bolster some deficiencies and a scheme change allowed some players already on the roster, but who weren't contributing, to join the rotation and a couple have become impact players. Rather than trying to fit players into a scheme, the new DC developed his scheme around the talent he had on hand.

Ottawa U is currently ranked 8th nationally, with a 5-1 record and tied for top place in their 11 team conference. Their offense is still putting up great numbers, but their defense has been the reason for the huge change in record. They've come a long way in a year. From 3rd worst in the conference in PPG in 2015, to 3rd best heading into tomorrow's game... With basically the same players, minus 3 key loses to graduation and the addition of 1 impact player, plus the return of the FS who missed the entire season with a shoulder injury.

Coach Barresi is among the two favorites to win Coach of the Year, one year removed from people calling for his job. His job security no longer seems to be a topic in Ottawa (at least for now) and with the exception of one game, the team has played well. They've beat 2 nationally ranked, top 10 teams thus far, who they lost to by a combined 40+ points last year.

What does that have to do with Brian Kelly? In 2012 he took ND to the national title game. Last year, had his DC not been substandard, ND would have been on the brink of the playoffs again. In 2016, his lame duck DC was finally fired, but not after the damage had been done. He had under recruited, implemented an outdated pro scheme that was not applicable to college football. And just yesterday, in a press conference, Brian Kelly hinted at why ND had become so disfunctional on defense and why many of the positions had been so poorly developed. He noted in his press conference that not nearly enough time was being alloted to fundamentals under VanGorder and that his assistant coaches were not given the opportunity to teach their own units and run their own film rooms.

Guys, Kelly isn't going to throw BVG (his longtime friend) under the bus. He without a doubt screwed up in trusting the man to sail a sinking ship, and for that reason, Kelly has a hard lesson to learn. The truth, however, is that VanGorder was a control freak and his ego was so big, that he stubbornly was not willing to make the necessary changes or come to some essential realizations, to make his defense successful. He spent all his time implementing schemes that players struggled to grasp and he willingly put players in positions (Drue Tranquil) that they had no opportunity to succeed in. Furthermore, he refused to allow his assistants (per Brian Kelly) to teach, meaning a guy like Todd Lyght was essentially the DB coach in title only and instead, tried to do everything on his own, until Kelly was forced to fire him... We've all worked with or associated with somebody like that at some point during our lives. Some people are extremely knowledgeable and qualified, but are horrendous teachers to anyone who don't possess the near superhuman ability to execute what that person had in mind. That's why Jaylon Smith won the Butkus and developed. Because he was a supernatural talent in a scheme designed to be executed by people of that talent level. And even Jaylon was horrendously misused in my estimation.

This is my opinion and I'm sure many will disagree with me...I want to see Brian Kelly coach this team with the talent that currently resides on offense, and a new DC in 2017 (I'd do anything to get Dave Arranda), bringing a college scheme, fresh energy, maybe a couple key recruits, and a scheme suited for the players on this roster (that's a 3-4 front, zone-coverage scheme, if you ask me). A year from now, under the right tutelage and a great off season in the weight room, think of how much better ND could be with the return of Nick Watkins and Shaun Crawford and the development of Daelin Hayes, Julian Okwara, Jay Hayes, Khalid Kareem, Pete Mokwuah, Asmar Bilal, Te'Von Coney, Nyles Morgan, Devin Studstill, Jalen Elliot, Donte Vaughn, Troy Pride and Julian Love. Those are 12 talented kids, that are playing for essentially the 1st time, just now learning the fundamentals of college football and a how to play in a sound scheme.

If there isn't immense improvement next year, I think you fire Kelly and start from scratch. I'm not usually a patient person, but in this case, looking at what's gone on, I'm willing to wait another year, with a quality DC (hopefully) in place, a bunch of young kids who will be a year older, more mature and developed and a defensive staff who are allowed to do their job, teach and make kids better.

If I'm Kelly, I'm already rallying Kizer (or preparing Wimbush) and in the ear of Nelson, McGlinchey and Hunter Jr to return in 2017 and right the ship.

I'll go on record in saying this. If ND makes a quality DC hire, replaces Scott Booker with Jeff Quinn as TE Coach and their roster looks like this, they'll win at least 10 games in 2017, with a shot at the playoffs.

QB: DeShone Kizer
2. Ian Book

RB: Josh Adams
2. Dexter Williams

WR: EQ St. Brown
2. Miles Boykin

WR: Tori Hunter Jr.
2. Kevin Stepherson

Slot: CJ Sanders
2. Michael Young

TE: Aliz'e Jones
2. Nick Weishar

LT: Mike McGlinchey
2. Liam Eichenberg

LG: Quenton Nelson
2. Colin McGovern

C: Sam Mustipher
2. Tristan Hoge

RG: Alex Bars
2. Colin McGovern

RT: Tommy Kraemer
2. Liam Eichenberg

DE: Jerry Tillery
2. Jonathan Bonner

NG: Daniel Cage
2. Pete Mokwuah

DE: Jay Hayes
2. Khalid Kareem

OLB(Drop): Drue Tranquill
2. Greer Martini

ILB: Asmar Bilal
2. Te'Von Coney

ILB: Nyles Morgan
2. Josh Barajas

OLB (Rush): Daelin Hayes
2. Julian Okwara

CB: Nick Watkins
2. Julian Love

FS: Devin Studstill
2. Jalen Elliot

SS: Chase Claypool
2. Jalen Elliot

CB: Donte Vaughn
2. Troy Pride

NB: Shaun Crawford
2. Thomas Graham

JMO... But I've seen the difference a year can make with a quality hire, some fresh energy in the program and the implementation of an appropriate scheme, coupled with a focus on teaching and player development. I'm betting on a huge turnaround in 2017.

All you say sounds plausible and could happen except for 2 things - no one wants the promise of 10-2 and Kelly will never ever get us over the hump