1. Coaching staff staying at ND, players staying and recruits staying tell you all you need to know about Notre Dame and Brian Kelly. Any "shortcomings" on facilities and other crap thrown out there would have manifested if a bunch of people left. They didn't. Actions are important.
2. Freeman coached the defense, Rees called the plays. The "lack of head coaching experience" dies when you think of this. The two guys running both sides of the ball are staying. No new terminology or system to learn. Our players will only be better with the continuity.
3. Brian Kelly is not some evil, awful person. He is 60 yrs old. He saw far lesser coaches in James Franklin and Mel Tucker get 10 year deals for $100 mil. He wanted the same. ND wasn't doing a 10yr deal for a 60 yr old, particularly when you had the best transition candidate already in place. Would it have been great to do this 3 yrs from now? Sure, except Freeman and Rees would be gone by then.
4. Kelly did a very good job for 12 years and an exceptional job for the past 5. If going 54-9 were so easy, why has Notre Dame and Alabama been the only 2 teams with 5 straight seasons of 10 or more wins. Take your emotions out of it, from Davie, Willingham and Weis, Brian Kelly was a huge part of ND turning things around. He leaves the program in a terrific position.
5. Kelly leaving before Sunday's announcement on the CFP is pathetic. Period. 12 years and you can't tell LSU to wait a few days. They had no other candidates. Franklin, Tucker, Riley were gone. He owed it to ND to wait and see if they made the CFP. He had the leverage with LSU. That decision will haunt him forever and should. No logical reason and very revealing as to the person and the money grab.
6. Recruiting is everything in college football. Both incoming and portal transfers. Talent wins. Recruiting at ND is very difficult and requires a full on commitment and belief knowing Academics, behavioral standards, real schedules, lots of travel and South Bend are not easy to sell when kids have way easier options. Kelly had slowed down on this in a huge way. Freeman excels in this area like few others.
7. Its "easier" to win a title at LSU. Yes it is. Les Miles and Ed Orgeron are borderline incompetent coaches both on and off the field. They won National Titles. Kelly gets 3 body bag games as scrimmages every year now, way less travel, zero academic and behavioral standards and apparently a conference where you can lose twice and still be in the CFP.
8. Winning a National Title at Notre Dame in these current college football circumstances would be one of the greatest accomplishments in all of sports. The most rewarding and incredibly satisfying. It will say that integrity, challenge, standards, intellect and relentless work ethic can triumph. I can't wait to see Marcus Freeman and his staff lead 85 incredibly special young men in this pursuit. I am proud every day to be an ND alum, even more so this week.
2. Freeman coached the defense, Rees called the plays. The "lack of head coaching experience" dies when you think of this. The two guys running both sides of the ball are staying. No new terminology or system to learn. Our players will only be better with the continuity.
3. Brian Kelly is not some evil, awful person. He is 60 yrs old. He saw far lesser coaches in James Franklin and Mel Tucker get 10 year deals for $100 mil. He wanted the same. ND wasn't doing a 10yr deal for a 60 yr old, particularly when you had the best transition candidate already in place. Would it have been great to do this 3 yrs from now? Sure, except Freeman and Rees would be gone by then.
4. Kelly did a very good job for 12 years and an exceptional job for the past 5. If going 54-9 were so easy, why has Notre Dame and Alabama been the only 2 teams with 5 straight seasons of 10 or more wins. Take your emotions out of it, from Davie, Willingham and Weis, Brian Kelly was a huge part of ND turning things around. He leaves the program in a terrific position.
5. Kelly leaving before Sunday's announcement on the CFP is pathetic. Period. 12 years and you can't tell LSU to wait a few days. They had no other candidates. Franklin, Tucker, Riley were gone. He owed it to ND to wait and see if they made the CFP. He had the leverage with LSU. That decision will haunt him forever and should. No logical reason and very revealing as to the person and the money grab.
6. Recruiting is everything in college football. Both incoming and portal transfers. Talent wins. Recruiting at ND is very difficult and requires a full on commitment and belief knowing Academics, behavioral standards, real schedules, lots of travel and South Bend are not easy to sell when kids have way easier options. Kelly had slowed down on this in a huge way. Freeman excels in this area like few others.
7. Its "easier" to win a title at LSU. Yes it is. Les Miles and Ed Orgeron are borderline incompetent coaches both on and off the field. They won National Titles. Kelly gets 3 body bag games as scrimmages every year now, way less travel, zero academic and behavioral standards and apparently a conference where you can lose twice and still be in the CFP.
8. Winning a National Title at Notre Dame in these current college football circumstances would be one of the greatest accomplishments in all of sports. The most rewarding and incredibly satisfying. It will say that integrity, challenge, standards, intellect and relentless work ethic can triumph. I can't wait to see Marcus Freeman and his staff lead 85 incredibly special young men in this pursuit. I am proud every day to be an ND alum, even more so this week.
