What Makes a Guy Qualified to be a Head Coach at Notre Dame?

[IRISHJD98]

Kelly's been at ND for a long time now. Whether its because of retirement, a leap to the NFL, an alien abduction, or he just gets worn out at ND, Notre Dame will eventually have to replace him. I know over the years, the replacement coach discussion comes up and always follows a "Who's available that you would replace him with?" type of conversation.

I'm just curious to hear what qualities people think Notre Dame should look for in evaluating a potential candidate for head coach when the time comes. If Notre Dame could create its next head coach in a lab, what should he look like?

I'd get the ball rolling, but if I had the answer I wouldn't be asking.

 

[john0gaunt]

First he needs to understand the importance of graduating players.
Second he needs to have a proven ability to improve a team.
Third he needs to be able to game plan for any team to be competitive in any game.

I'm using Lou as my prototype and I think Kelly is weak on points 1 and 3.

Go Irish

 

[Paperback Writer]

He has to understand that it's over as far as being a contender.

Graduate your players and eery thing is alright.

 

[Telx1]

First he needs to understand the importance of graduating players.
Second he needs to have a proven ability to improve a team.
Third he needs to be able to game plan for any team to be competitive in any game.

I'm using Lou as my prototype and I think Kelly is weak on points 1 and 3.

Go Irish

Pls explain how a Kelly is weak at your number one criteria!

 

[HDK]

Pls explain how a Kelly is weak at your number one criteria!

Actually, I'm pretty certain Kelly graduates more players on time than Holtz did, but I think a lot of that has to do with changes the university has made to pretty much keep football players in South Bend for summer school.

 

[john0gaunt]

Pls explain how a Kelly is weak at your number one criteria!

His starting QB last year left for the league wo graduating. Last year one of his top Def players was caught with a loaded gun in his car and left school. Few years ago his QB was caught cheating (although he did graduate, we lost a full year of production) Then Nix and Tuitt and a few others have left early. These aren't losing 2 nd or 3rd string fringe players. They are team leaders that are lost.

How could he have known you may ask? Lou had team managers that basically shadowed key players all year. If they were having academic issues, Lou knew. If they were driving around town with a gun and drugs and my younger players in the car with them, Lou knew. If they were cheating on tests, Lou knew. And he didn't give those guys the keys to his offense or defense.

If they were planning to leave early for the league, Lou knew. For example, I love me some Josh like all of us, but if he were planning to take his Heisman to the league early, Lou would realize that and be playing a lot more Dexter and Tony Jones.

Theres talk in another thread about a top recruit now willing to consider ND. The thread says he's gonna do one year and hit the leaque. I don't want him if that's his plan. It's infects the rest of the team and wastes a recruiting spot and the chance to coach up a kid willing to give his 3 or 4 years to the team.

 

[Ara64]

The NFL requires a player to have completed his Junior Academic year before entering the NFL in the fall.

 

[IRISHJD98]

Pls explain how a Kelly is weak at your number one criteria!

I was really hoping that this wasn't the direction the thread was going to take.

Oh well.

 

[IRISHJD98]

First he needs to understand the importance of graduating players.
Second he needs to have a proven ability to improve a team.
Third he needs to be able to game plan for any team to be competitive in any game.

I'm using Lou as my prototype and I think Kelly is weak on points 1 and 3.

Go Irish

I think those are a start: a demonstrated understanding the importance of balancing academic demands and football, a demonstrated ability to a get a team to play at its peak in November, demonstrated ability to create good strategic game plans and well prepared players against quality opponents.

I'd add he'd need the charisma to attract top recruits, the energy to entertain alumni and donors, and enormously thick skin for dealing with the press, so I'd like to see a strong recruiting record, his management of alumni relations in previous stops, clips from press uncomfortable press conferences.

Not looking for comparison's with Kelly though, in my scenario he's no longer available for whatever good or bad reason. That'll just inflame that debate, which is being well covered in other threads.

 

[john0gaunt]

I'd add he'd need the charisma to attract top recruits

I think he needs the ability to identify and coach up (teach) talent. I still think ND will attract all the top recruits on it's own. As long as he doesn't have the personality to repulse kids from coming he'll be fine. Heck Lou was in his 70's and performed magic tricks on his official visits. Who would think that would work?

As for alumni, please, don't get me started. Bring in good kids, coach them up, and win. The alumni will be happy. Parents will be happy, Fans will be happy. Not worried about the press.

I'm a little saddened nobody has called out my #3 criteria in reference to Coach Kelly.

 

[IRISHJD98]

I think he needs the ability to identify and coach up (teach) talent. I still think ND will attract all the top recruits on it's own. As long as he doesn't have the personality to repulse kids from coming he'll be fine. Heck Lou was in his 70's and performed magic tricks on his official visits. Who would think that would work?

As for alumni, please, don't get me started. Bring in good kids, coach them up, and win. The alumni will be happy. Parents will be happy, Fans will be happy. Not worried about the press.

I'm a little saddened nobody has called out my #3 criteria in reference to Coach Kelly.

I disagree with you're blanket dismissal about the need for recruiting prowess. Lou himself commented that as he got older his ability to relate to players was a problem for his ability to recruit. Notre Dame will draw some elite recruits, but not at a rate to take us to the next level.

And I think you're wrong about the almuni. We're never satisfied. If you win, we demand the time to rub shoulders and take selfies with you. We're a "what have you done for us lately" group. Don't believe it? Ask Lou how that worked. We're not Penn State type alum that will treat our coach like he walks on water once he has some success. Managing almuni expectations is a big part of the job, takes time, and isn't cured by winning.

As far as you being sad about people not turning the thread into a Kelly debate, I'm not. I politely suggested I'd like to avoid that for this thread. Thanks for effectively giving me the finger in your response. I'm glad most have refrained from doing so.

 

[john0gaunt]

Thanks for effectively giving me the finger in your response.

I'm sorry you can't disagree with someone without flipping them the bird, but I can. Don't push you're own behaviour onto me.

 

[IRISHJD98]

I'm sorry you can't disagree with someone without flipping them the bird, but I can. Don't push you're own behaviour onto me.

I wasn't looking to give you the finger. I just wanted to avoid having the thread turn into another Kelly sucks/No he doesn't thread.

I appreciate that you offered thoughts on coaching qualties though. I could have disagreed less aggressively about your reaction to mine. Last week my cardiologist told me to lose weight or die, so I'm dieting and cranky. No booze, no comfort food, no win over the Canes . . . so I coping by being a dick. Thanks for calling me on that.

 

[actionfx]

A lot of the names people have been throwing around since last season haven't shown much this season. Even Urban Meyer, who many coveted, got blown out twice this year, one by a team much worse than Miami. The only coaches I would have confidence to help us win a NC, right now, are Saban and Swinney, but we aren't getting them, and if we do, at what cost? When we were winning with Lou, we had quite a few players who probably wouldn't get into ND these days. I don't know how high the standards are these days but I bet they are much higher than Lou's tenure.

 

[IRISHJD98]

A lot of the names people have been throwing around since last season haven't shown much this season. Even Urban Meyer, who many coveted, got blown out twice this year, one by a team much worse than Miami. The only coaches I would have confidence to help us win a NC, right now, are Saban and Swinney, but we aren't getting them, and if we do, at what cost? When we were winning with Lou, we had quite a few players who probably wouldn't get into ND these days. I don't know how high the standards are these days but I bet they are much higher than Lou's tenure.

That's really why I'm interested in what people think the coaching qualties should be. I love Lou. He was a great coach and the coach when I was at ND. But Lou had more scholarships when he coached, which meant that ND and other top programs could hoard a little more of the top talent. With NCAA changes, there's more recruiting competition across the board.

Plus Notre Dame has changed too. For a while after Lou, it seemed like the administration had the football program doing penance. It wasn't a "Whatever you need coach" kind of school. And I think some of the top coaches get fairly unlimited support. Whatever else people think of them, I think with Weis and Kelly had the skills to get the administration to buy into some changes. And I think that's been a good thing. I think we've had some good coaches pass on ND in the past because they believed they needed more freedom to do the things they want.

Not to wax too philosophical, but your observation about Meyer getting blown out this year (talent rich Jimbo Fisher is struggling too) also raises the question of how to measure the success of an "elite" program (not named Alabama) in the age of the college football playoff.

So for me, like you, the talk about names seems a bit behind the curve.

 

[TOMMY_23]

Kelly's been at ND for a long time now. Whether its because of retirement, a leap to the NFL, an alien abduction, or he just gets worn out at ND, Notre Dame will eventually have to replace him. I know over the years, the replacement coach discussion comes up and always follows a "Who's available that you would replace him with?" type of conversation.

I'm just curious to hear what qualities people think Notre Dame should look for in evaluating a potential candidate for head coach when the time comes. If Notre Dame could create its next head coach in a lab, what should he look like?

I'd get the ball rolling, but if I had the answer I wouldn't be asking.

He has to have a gut.

 

[echowaker]

His starting QB last year left for the league wo graduating. Last year one of his top Def players was caught with a loaded gun in his car and left school. Few years ago his QB was caught cheating (although he did graduate, we lost a full year of production) Then Nix and Tuitt and a few others have left early. These aren't losing 2 nd or 3rd string fringe players. They are team leaders that are lost.

How could he have known you may ask? Lou had team managers that basically shadowed key players all year. If they were having academic issues, Lou knew. If they were driving around town with a gun and drugs and my younger players in the car with them, Lou knew. If they were cheating on tests, Lou knew. And he didn't give those guys the keys to his offense or defense.

If they were planning to leave early for the league, Lou knew. For example, I love me some Josh like all of us, but if he were planning to take his Heisman to the league early, Lou would realize that and be playing a lot more Dexter and Tony Jones.

Theres talk in another thread about a top recruit now willing to consider ND. The thread says he's gonna do one year and hit the leaque. I don't want him if that's his plan. It's infects the rest of the team and wastes a recruiting spot and the chance to coach up a kid willing to give his 3 or 4 years to the team.

so then how didn't lou know half his team was sleeping with kim dunbar ? or did he know and didn't care ?

 

[justified1]

Well the 1 thing it is not: winning championships.

 

[john0gaunt]

Kelly sucks/No he doesn't

Heres hoping you have a chance to relax the next 2 saturdays at least. FWIW, I knew a fellow a few years ago whos doc told him he couldn't watch anymore ND football because of his blood pressure, so you've got that..

Honestly had Kelly won out this year he could very well have received an extension and stayed. His job is difficult, perhaps the most difficult in CFB. But I bet it's much easier with an NC in your pocket. Maybe even enjoyable.

Out of respect to you, I won't be answering the hyperbole filled response from other poster.

Go Irish