“You better get used to it,” is a quote Brian Kelly may never live down just as Charlie Weis never lived down his “decided schematic advantage” or “9-3 isn’t good enough”. Kelly uttered those words defiantly following Notre Dame’s shocking loss to Tulsa that ended with a needless interception from an ill-prepared freshman quarterback in the final minute when all the Irish needed was a field goal to top a 4-3 Tulsa squad.
Six years later, we have gotten used to it. Used to the losses to middling programs who Notre Dame should never lose to. Used to embarrassments on and off the field. And used to a defiant Brian Kelly who seemingly refuses to take responsibility for the state of the Notre Dame game program.
This past week signifies just how “used to it” Notre Dame fans have become. Following yet another loss to an unranked team in which the Irish surrendered a double digit lead, Brian Kelly didn’t exactly inspire much confidence in his comments – especially when he was asked about the vicious hits quarterback Deshone Kizer took that drew no flags.
“I mean, we’re talking about protecting the quarterback. I’ve been on the wrong end of that play now this year at Syracuse and here against Virginia Tech. That was clearly a quarterback that gave himself up and then was hit.
Notice anything wrong with that sentence? I’ll boil it down a bit more.
I’ve been on the wrong end of that play now this year at Syracuse and here against Virginia Tech.
Leaders say “we”, not “I”.
Brian Kelly was not on the wrong end of that call. Notre Dame was on the wrong end of that call. Kelly’s use of “I” instead of “we” is telling. And it’s not new for Kelly when talking to the media. How many times have we heard Kelly talk about his “25 years of experience”?
Maybe some didn’t even notice it since hey, we’ve gotten used to it.
We’ve gotten use to losing games to teams Notre Dame shouldn’t lose to and games the Irish shouldn’t lose. Saturday wasn’t any exception. How many Notre Dame fans felt uneasy even up 17-0 and then 24-7? I know I sure didn’t feel comfortable. A good friend of mine – a Virginia Tech alum – texted me after the 17-0 start with some colorful language regarding his alma mater. My response, was simply “don’t worry, this game is far from over.”
Indeed the game was far from over. Just as the Irish did against Miami, they surrendered 17 point lead. This time they were unable to recapture it and pull out the win in what looked like it would be a walk in the park after the first quarter.
We’re used to surrendering leads and letting teams rip off points in bunches though. Texas scored 17 straight, Michigan State 36 straight, Duke 21 straight, Stanford 17 straight, and Virginia Tech 17 straight. Notre Dame scored first in every contest and led by at least 14 points against Duke, Stanford, and Virginia Tech. Notre Dame lost every contest.
At least when the Irish lost to Virginia Tech, it was an opponent with a strong history who spent a lot of time ranked this season. Of Notre Dame’s seven losses this season, only one opponent is currently ranked in the top 25 – Stanford. Michigan State, NC State, Duke, Navy, Virginia Tech, and Texas all find themselves unranked currently. Texas is reportedly on the verge of firing their head coach, Duke has an identical 4-7 record as Notre Dame, Michigan State sits at 3-8, and NC State heads into this weekend 5-6.
Speaking of NC State, remember when Notre Dame lost to the Wolf Pack earlier this season in a hurricane? Despite horrific playing conditions that made passing the ball damn near impossible, Notre Dame repeatedly called for pass after pass after pass. Deshone Kizer completed just 9 of 26 pass attempts and who have thrown the ball even more as the majority of his 15 rushing attempts were called pass plays.
Kelly defiantly defended the baffling decision following the loss. ““No, I don’t think I would second-guess that,” Kelly said. “We still had 38 carries. I think it was pretty evident to me that we were in need of throwing the football when we did throw it. We just weren’t as effective as I thought we could be.”
Again, we’re used to Kelly defending throwing the ball when it’s clear the Irish need to run it. In last weekend’s loss to Virginia Tech, Kelly again defended his decision to throw it when it was pretty clear the passing game wasn’t clicking in the second half. “If we had to do it all over again, we should have thrown the ball a little bit more,”
Kizer racked up 200 yards in the first half, but was 3 of 15 in the second half. Josh Adams meanwhile ran for 100 yards on just 13 carries thanks to his 67 yard touchdown that put the Irish up 31-21 in the third quarter. Adams carried the ball just two more times the rest of the game. The next three drives for Notre Dame following Adams long run didn’t net a single first down.
But hey, we’re used to it.
If the on the field embarrassments were all Notre Dame fans had have to get used to under Brian Kelly, it would be one thing, but the off the field embarrassments have been mounting for some time.
While this week’s NCAA decision to vacate Notre Dame wins from the 2012 and 2013 seasons was unjust and unfair given how well Notre Dame did handle the situation, it was another in a line of black eyes for Notre Dame under the direction of Brian Kelly.
The Brian Kelly era has had plenty of highs and his mark on the Notre Dame program is undeniable, but neither is his defiant attitude in the face of adversity. As the news broke of the NCAA’s decision to have Notre Dame vacate those wins, Brian Kelly’s response was again telling.
“Zero. None. Absolutely none,” Kelly answered when asked what culpability he felt he had in the matter.
Whatever happened to the buck stops here? Oh wait, that is something a leader who have said.
Notre Dame fans have gotten used to this sort of behavior and attitude from Kelly who has a record of 31-20 since beating USC to cap off that undefeated 2012 season that may end up getting erased from the history books if Notre Dame loses its appeal with the NCAA.
In his last 29 games, Kelly’s record sits at 15-14 or more simply put, the same record that Charlie Weis accumulated over the final 29 games he coached at Notre Dame.
So as the losses mount and the off the field distractions and black eyes continue to pile up, one can’t help but ask when Notre Dame fans can finally stop getting used to it? That time ought to be sooner rather than later, but that would require an about face from Jack Swarbrick who gave Kelly a public vote of confidence last month.
Will Swarbrick learn his lesson from bringing Charlie Weis back in 2009 when it was clear to everyone that Weis was not going to get Notre Dame back to the top? Or will we all be stuck getting used to losses and excuses for another year?
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Leaders say “we” instead of “I” when things are going well. (We share the success).
Leaders say “I” instead of “We” when things are going badly. (I own this problem).
Behind closed doors, a leader holds everyone accountable, but that accountability must start with the leader (I). Kelly’s use of “I” is justified in this case.
This reply is not intended to defend Kelly as a coach. There is plenty to criticize without inventing reasons for outrage.
…also it’s been a while since I gave Fronk a hard time.
ND keeps hiring Bob Davie over and over again….
Didn’t former assistant Clay Helton just destroy us 45-27? Didn’t former assistant Ed Ogreon lead His team to 6 straight wins? Now is the time to be brave and Let Assistant Greg have His big chance!
Where have all the wins gone
long time passing
Where have all the td’s gone
long, long ago
When will we ever learn
The ND Sc rivalry goes way back. Remember Rex Moore of the Trojans scooping up mud and shoving it in Allen Pinketts face mask?
Sadly, this is a game the Notre Dame players could have won. The Notre Dame players can compete with anyone. This coaching staff has been disengaged all season.
Kelly will leave on his own. He’s looking already.
I was a BK booster the last few years. Three things have changed my mind:
1) Hiring BVG to run a too complicated defense, then not parting with him sooner.
2) The inability of the offense to adjust and produce in the second half this year. This tells me the Mike Sanford hire at OC was a bad hire.
3) The special teams stinking with a ton of talent. That tells me the special teams coach was another bad hire.
BK got here with a cast of coaches who were with in his successful years. Now they’ve moved on and BK flopped with all of his most important hires. Can’t fix the team if you can’t hire the right coordinators/coaches.
Time to make Notre Dame football great again. 4-8? In year 7? Nah, I’ll pass.
Forget the NFL guys another posted earlier. Rarely does it work. We need a coach who has won a NC in the last decade. Not some super MAC school coach or someone from a past and team.
We need someone who understands the modern game, the generational mindset and who can restore this crumbling program to something that can compete with the perennials.
BK ain’t cutting it.
Active coaches who have won a NC:
Saban
Meyer
Stoops
Fisher
That’s all folks and none are available.
You have to go get them no one is available but Brian Kelly
Today’s game just caps off the year perfectly. The end of the first half encapsulated everything about the season in less than 1 1/2 minutes. BK is a huge disappointment. When ND hired him, most of us had high hopes. But he is incapable of doing any self evaluation. It’s disheartening to say the least that we are basically back to 2009.
Where do the Irish turn? Despite BJ’s protestations, unless you kidnap Meyer’s family, he is not coming to ND. Who is that viable coach with a bright future that ND has a realistic shot at? In 2009 at least many of us thought that was BK. ND finally got the guy it wanted on the first try. He wasn’t the 2nd or 3rd choice. But that blew up in our face. When I look out there today, with an honest eye not filled with what ifs and dreams, I’m having a hard time seeing that savior.
One thing ND will have to do is pony up to pay if it wants to be elite. I think it was Shaz that posted some of the top coaches pay compared to what ND pays and ND pays it’s coaches a fraction of what other schools pay. You’re not going to get top coaches that way. Of course it doesn’t help that they just got done paying Weis off and if they fire BK they will have to pay him off too.
At the end of the day I’m disgusted. I was a BK believer before this season. Boy was I the fool. Iv
Even worse, I used to argue with guys like SFR and others about why I thought BK was a good coach, right up to the Duke game. Finally my eyes were open and I can see everything so clearly now.
(Sorry for the split post, my connection seems slow and I accidently posted before I was ready).
You are still a fool if you don’t fight to get the best coach
You don’t understand the words fighting Irish
President@nd.edu
Whocares@nd.com
In order of my personal opinion….and not knowing if they’d ever come to ND obviously…
Chris Peterson
Jon Gruden
Lane Kiffin
Josh McDaniel
At the top of your list i would put Tim Walsh. Notre Dame could go back to the triple option and actually start competing with Navy again. Baby steps. Other than that i like your list.
Just watched the end of the USC game. My impression is the same as it’s been all season. What kind of players are they recruiting? I keep reading about all these outstanding position players and athletes they select but very few seem to know how to tackle. Their response to developing offensive plays is always one or two steps behind the fact. Mental errors aplenty on both offense and defense. Combine these observations with some questionable coaching decisions and you have a perfect storm for the disaster that has been the season.
It looked like Jerry Tillery started the game, but Terry Jillery finished it.
I see what you did there.
After decades of ass kickings at the hands of USC it is obvious that this program has no self respect.
Jack has to be considering moving to FCS by now
I see all those juggernauts that beat ND this season are finishing strong. Texas, MSU, Duke, great teams one and all. I mean just look at their records after beating ND. Sterling. I’m so shocked to find out that none of them are in the top 5! I mean, to hear all the BK apologists after losing to each one of the powers, you would’ve thought the Irish had in fact lost to the 72 Dolphins, 79 Steelers, or 85 Bears. I’m sure “Shaz”, “Duranko”, “Hurls”, “southside”, “BB”, and some of our other lovable losers on this site really still believe that ND had a great season. What utter morons and losers! With fans like this, who needs the haters like “Burgundy,” “buckeye,” and other foes of yesteryear?!
BTW: Do you think “buckeye” is stoked today?! It must be sweet to be in the running for a NC still. After 2012 goes off the record books, last time ND was in the running was 1993. But that was just yesterday for our lovable losers, the head-up-the-poop-hole bunch.
How bout it. How many of our opponents that beat us have losing records? Not that it would feel a whole lot better if they were all legit top 10 teams, but losing records. Sickening.
Actually, Buckeye is no longer a hater… not since last years Fiesta bowl when Super Fan got on his knees, kissed his arse, and thanked him for not gloating over his teams’ victory.
Gutless? Pathetic? Maybe… butt it worked.
3 and out against the backups. How am I not surprised.
Time is running out for Trumbetti to make a play this year.
It was 1967 and there was a knock on the door of my room in Dillon hall. I opened the door and the image of a real Notre dame football player stood before me.
It was the team captain in his letter jacket. Clean cut nice as hell and the look of steel in his eyes. He had come to visit my roommate. It was Rocky Blier. I know the real thing when I see it.
Make Notre Dame the real thing once more. I bet Rocky would say:
Fire swarbrick
Fire Kelly
Hire Lou as a consultant to get us a great football ad and the best division 1 coach in the country
Beautiful story. If only it were true.
I’m moved
It Is true ahole
“bruce johnson,”
Look, please, tell me how ND becomes great again? Do you work as a strategist for Trump?! Give us some actual specifics of how your Rocky Blier fantasy becomes real. Lou’s not coming. Meyer is not coming. Saban is not coming. Rockne and Leahy aren’t coming back either. So other than your brilliant gambit of begging and pleading one of these guys to leave their great jobs, what do you actually propose?! Dantonio? You really think he’s the answer?! Besides a new coach, what else does ND have to do? Get a new AD? OK. Who? Theo Epstein has a gig. So who? I agree to get rid of both BK and Swarbrick. But that alone isn’t the solution to ND’s problems. How many coaches and ADs have come and gone since ND was last relevant?
Please stop with the fairy tales and broken-record responses, “bruce.”
Really, I don’t know what’s worse, listening to the loser BK apologists or to “bruce johnson”.
Well BJ is adamant that there is a strong emphasis on winning football games within the ND administration, so at least that’s a start.
Let’s follow your strategy do nothing
Did I say do nothing?
I’m all for getting rid of Swarbrick, BK, and co. But getting rid of coaches alone isn’t enough. Did getting rid of BVG suddenly turn ND’s D into the “Steel Curtain”? No!
my problem with your whole line of reasoning, “bruce”, is that you are a broken record of non-starting ideas. Same names over and over again. You use them like a mantra. And not one of them is coming anywhere near S. Bend.
So at this point I’m tired of BK and co. Just like you. Unlike you, however, I’m willing to broaden my coaching search beyond Meyer, Holtz, and Saban. Like it or not, “bruce”, none of these men is coming to coach ND any time soon. So we can have a sane discussion about options, above and beyond just getting a new coaching staff and AD, by the way, or live in your “Mayberry” fantasy land.
You choose, “bruce”.
Steel fan rob my theory is simple we have had ad with no football smarts
Wadswort
Kevin white
Jack swarbrick
We need someone with football experience that knows what kind of ad we need
And to find the ad that knows who the great coaches are
I don’t want another novice
At this point we can afford s fleck or Herman
We need an established winner
John harbaugh
Urban Meyer
Les miles
You tell me I am hearing what U are saying
Maybe you should be making suggestions for a new AD then. But it is not a priority at Notre Dame to find a football centric athletic director. Jenkins wants women’s golf to be represented equally. Football is not a priority there. Sure it would be nice to win but it’s no big deal as long as the money keeps coming in.
“bruce”,
Let’s agree it’s time for a change.
Let’s agree to disagree about Harbaugh (both brothers for that matter), Meyer, Saban, or Miles. In my opinion, they just aren’t viable candidates.
So, Herman. Just signed with Texas. But that would’ve been just about the type of coaching candidate ND can reasonably hope to get. I have to admit I know nothing about Fleck. Is he viable? What’s his coaching CV look like?
Another name you used to like was Dantonio. Needless to say, it seems you exited that bandwagon pretty quickly. And with good reason. Dantonio is just a guy. However, I definitely would bring him in for a listen if he was interested.
Another possible name is Pat Fitzgerald of NW. Seems to be a coach who has been relatively successful at a highly regarded academic D1 program. But I don’t think he’s shown any interest in ND.
Of course, this is all a moot point, “bruce”, since BK and co. are coming back next year. That almost assuredly means we get another season of you asking for Vince Lombardi to be resurrected and coach at ND and, on the other hand, we get to listen to more excuse-making from “Hurls” and our band of lovable losers. Whoopee!!!
If only ND cared as much about 4-8 seasons as they do about one penalty committed during garbage time of a blowout massacre.
BTW: Breaking news, Bama just finished 12-0.
Like it or not, that’s the new gold standard. If ND can’t or won’t do what it takes to get back to that level of elite competition, then it needs to close shop and do what the University of Chicago did years ago and drop football altogether. Or join the Ivy League. That may be more BK’s speed anyways.
Hey a targeting call that once again is called against ND.
There’s just so much talent on the ND squad it’s unbelievable. The D line is especially stacked. Talent, Talent, Talent
ND has made Adoree a freaking Heisman candidate after today’s showing. No surprise about this game. It’s preceding as I expected. This team is soft on offense, lacks a killing instinct, plays soft like its head coach, ST’s are just piss poor pathetic, defense leaves a lot to be desired, and overall leadership is lacking. The good news is this will be just the same next year and the head coach will blame all the players for this year’s SHITSTAIN season next season because that’s his MO. Nothing more to say other than finish watching the Irish get clobbered.
Oh, my God, you all are such “Debbie Downers”! Wait, let me find my Rosary to pray for all of you!
BK is a great coach. He’s from Boston for Christ’s sake. Can’t you guys appreciate that?! I know, I know, he’s a want-to-be Bill Belicheat, except he can’t even seem to cheat right.
ND under BK is in a new golden age, people, if you can’t see that you are all “Debbie Downers.”
I wonder how Shaz’s pie-in-the-sky sale is going? Perhaps Hillary bought a slice from her second favorite guy?
Special teams play today is as good as ever.
Brian Kelly need not worry about anyone playing Him in a movie. He failed His screen test miserably today in Hollywood!
Finally a truly critical article discussing both the good and the bad. A critique. Frank, great job!
Notre Dame is not about being perfect. It never was. There have been issues all the way back to the Gipper. But Notrre Dame always handled them.
Notre Dame is about minorities rising up and beating the establishment at their own game. Not whining for help. Not wallowing in their own socio economic malaise. But rising up. Making themselves better people to then go win.
And Frank is right when he talks about leaders using “we” instead of “I”. Kelly has been lobbying for his own needs not the program’s.
Duranko flames so many over turf versus grass. Turf hasn’t helped a bit. Where are you now Duranko?
The real Duranko experienced the tradition of grass from Rockne’s grave for every home game. Played on grass.
A stadium now adorned with luxory boxes.
Offensive and distracting music.
And off the field issues.
Kelly’s Notre Dame is not “my” Notre Dame. Is not “our” Notre Dame.
I bet he looks at his chances next year. If he thinks he’s really got a shot he will stay. If he thinks it’s a stretch to get beyond 10 wins he will go to the NFL.
Proud to be an Irish fan today!
Lots of guts on display by the less than Fighting Irish!
But, “Hurls” will try to convince us that BK is a great coach and the best ND can do. Sadly, perhaps he’s right on the latter point.
The talent gap between ND and USC has never been greater. ND loses this match-up 100 times out of 100. ND was bound to play a team that could chew gum and walk at the same time this season, and it finally happened. The result was known by all. The game, and I use that term loosely, was over before it started. No frustration this week, as winning was never possible in the first place. Truly pathetic.
USC is fresh off sanctions and somehow still manages to outclass ND. Unbelievable! BK is useless. He can’t coach at this level. Best for him to return to the peewee leagues he came from.
But “Hurls” will tell us that BK is a good guy from Boston and we should be thankful to have him. What a bunch of loser BS!
ND under BK is now, pending forfeits and possible sanctions, is as poor on and off the field than it was under CW. That takes some doing, especially since BK has more talent to work with than did TW or CW.
Gutless! And those who endorse this garbage are equally useless!
Hear it could be sloppy, muddy (our play included) out there today. We better watch out for Traveler skidding over to our backside and taking a dump. We have sunk so low that the pep rally wasn’t even held in a five star hotel, but, held in social center at a local high school!
Two more things to add to my 12:03:
1) The academic scandal resulting in vacating two seasons, including the 2012 season
2) Today’s game against USC – either a blowout or a classic. If it’s a blowout, which I expect it will be
Notre Dame has always touted its academic excellence and freedom from scandal, now #1 is history. If USC is a blowout, which I’m afraid it will be, they have the chance (cover) to relieve Kelly of his duties and then find a replacement, which I don’t think will take long.
This season began unraveling pretty early on – losing to Duke at home.
Alabama and Ohio State and USC and Michigan have all gone through this – a period of mediocrity followed by the hiring of a GOOD coach, and a return to the big leagues.
We’ve got talent on this squad and talent in the pipeline, and you can’t tell me that there is not a good coach out there who would jump at the chance to coach this team.
I am reminded of Ara Parseghian in 1964 – 2-7 the year before and then he got us to within 2 minutes of the National Championship the next year, and this was in the days when freshmen couldn’t play, meaning that he did what he did with the talent available when he got here.
It’s obvious that Kelly is in way over his head – he is NOT Div. 1 caliber and he never will be.
Given what a complete flop this season has been so far, given the fact that ND is being pushed around on the field – forget the uncalled spearing calls and settle it on the field – and given that IMO Kelly has just about destroyed Kizer’s self-confidence – there has to be a coach out there who would LOVE to come to ND and bring them back – FAST.
Even a disinterested follower of Notre Dame can plainly see that Notre Dame is poorly coached, and that whomever is calling the shots during the game is “schematically disadvantaged.” If you need stats to back this up, look at Kelly’s record against Top Ten or even Top Twenty teams. You want Kelly back to turn it around? Then given his track record, you can expect, at best, an 8-5 year. Add to this the scandals – including our beloved Tommy Rees tussling with a police officer – that have given Notre Dame a black eye, and you have little reason to bring back this clueless egomaniac.
Cant wait to see the next fallout under KELLY 8 players involved in academic fraud! 6 players arrested before season opener! Sent student out to film practice in 75 mph winds we all no what happened then! And lets not forget his comment in 2011 after another blowout loss that my guys (2010 recruits) didn’t quit! KELLY has to go!!!
Bruce, he was the best available candidate that was willing to come to Notre dame. If you remember at the time they made inquiries to Stoops at Oklahoma, who said .no. Meyer already had turned them down earlier when Notre dame fired Ty Willingham. I agree, Kelly should probably be let go,but you better be sure you can get someone in here who is significantly better.
The sad part of all this is Kelly WILL b back next year! And he will not fair any better! 7 years is a long time to still not have any clue how to beat a top team or how to build a top tier program!! Swarback seems to b content with mediocraty which is what we are!!! As a lifetime fan of ND (55 years) I have some hope a top tier coach will come to the IRISH and now is the time to MAKE NOTRE DAME GREAT AGAIN!!!!
As a former walk-on, I’ve gone from proud to disgusted with my beloved Irish. We’re circling the drain.
Like the rest of you, I’ve rationalized too many excuses for off the field conduct, poor judgment (Declan Sullivan’s death), academic scandals, unprepared or undisciplined play and absurd game decisions.
The losses set aside, would you either want to play for this guy or entrust your son’s collegiate career with Brian Kelly? I have two nephews who are standout football players in Ohio, both of them are receiving offers from D1 programs….it makes me sick to think they might play for this guy someday. I used to pray that they’d run out out of the tunnel. It was the highlight of my life!
A true Notre Dame fan will always understand that for Notre Dame football, the wins and losses aren’t the most important issue. It will always be that every block, every tackle, and every score is made for the benefit of Jesus Christ and his beloved mother i.e. our Lady- Notre Dame. The program will never be and should never be the same as other schools.
So playing winning football and representing Our Lady are mutually incompatible?! Tell that to Ara or Lou!
And I guess playing garbage football and having off-field scandals are for the “benefit of Jesus Christ and his beloved mother”?
This just a pseudo-Christian attempt at justifying mediocrity on and off the field.
ND should never be the same as other schools in terms of selling out; in its commitment to excellence in the football program, however, that’s how you honor Our Lady!
“There are college football coaches and then there is the coach at Notre Dame.”
Before coaching his first game at Notre Dame, Kelly put himself on a pedestal.
Since being hired he has not gotten the job done. He refuses to take any responsibility for blown leads, losing to poor teams that he should have blown out, recruiting “the wrong kind of guys.
For the five jerks arrested this year, I bet there are at least that many who are smoking dope and/or committing other offenses.
You reap what you sow.
Swarbrick has continuously put up with this behavior with Kelly and Weis.
CLEAN HOUSE! EVICT THESE LOSERS/
We look like, and we are a dirty program all because we want the kind of athletes that other dirty programs have. You dont see this at Stanford!
We used to be at the top in having respectable coaches and STUDENT athletes. I assert that this administration has failed.
I am burning my ND trash as I don’t want to be associated with this.
NDs athletes are not in the same stratosphere as dirty program athletes. Dirty programs don’t win 4 games per season. Dirty programs don’t self report academic misconduct. Sure ND isn’t perfect, but your comparisons are way off.
Amen, George, amen!
People don’t get it. ND isn’t dirty. It’s just mismanaged from top to bottom. This latest offense would not have even been reported by Saban or Meyer.
This incident shouldn’t have happened. I blame BK and his staff for this lack of oversight. I also blame BK and his staff for not instilling a better sense of discipline and sound judgment in the team off and on the field. But I don’t blame BK and the administration for self-reporting. They did the right thing, unlike what the football factories would dos, namely, nothing. That’s why ND is still a special place, even under Swarbrick and BK.
The time for deep soul searching for the university is here. It needs to decide whether it even wants to stay in the NCAA. The same NCAA that rewards cheating but punishes ND for doing the right thing.
I hate to say this, but ND may have to give up football or join the Ivy League. It clearly can’t compete even with Stanford much less Bama. ND no longer can recruit the top student athletes. The students it recruits aren’t great athletes and the athletes it recruits aren’t great students. The result of that is 4-8 record and decades-long futility.
ND needs to shit or get off the pot. You are either going to do what it takes to compete, perhaps at the risk of alienating some of the rad-trads (radical-traditionalists), like joining a conference and admitting JUCO transfers, or just go to the Ivy League.
ND must decide or the prolonged mediocrity of this program will make the decision for them at some point and ND football becomes truly irrelevant.
I know the rad-trads will go insane. But where were they when ND changed its academic calendar to allow for bowl games, or when it made room for fifty-year seniors, or brought in a training table, etc.? So be it. ND has clearly modified its sacrosanct principles in the past. Perhaps it’s time to sacrifice the last few sacred cows.
Of course meant, fifth-year seniors!
At least Charlie Weiss loved Notre Dame and never recruited thugs.?
I’m sick of him too. Just turning into a gigantic black eye
Any chance ND can make a Heisman candidate out of Darnold?
Brian Kelly at the time of his hiring was the best candidate available. The only other coach mentioned was Randy Edsall at Connecitut. Glad they didn’t hire that loser. Lets give Kelly next year to see if he can turn it around. Swarbrick always has stated that what is a great strengh of Kelly is his ability to change things when something isn’t working. Okay lets see what assistants are let coach, lets see if strengh and conditioning is overhauled. let see if he gives Sanford full control of the offense and the scheme/ structure changes. Someone mentioned on another site that they watched tape of the 2014 Boise State offense when Sanford was the offensive coordinator. Said that offense looked nothing like Notre Damess. So its obvious it is Kelly’s offense.
I’m with you, Pete. BK is not making excuses, as people think. He’s acknowledging ND has problems. To sound like his genius mentor Bill Belichik, “It is what it is.” BK has delegated responsibilities, as head coaches are wan to do. (newsflash: that’s why assistant coaches are hired) That is not side-stepping responsibility. That is explaining what is. Re: ND’s off-the-field foibles, that’s not BK’s responsibility. People must stop treating that as his fault. That falls squarely on the student-athletes. This is not side-stgepping responsibility. This is explaining what is.
GoIRISH!
“Hurls,”
Seriously, are you related to BK?!
I’ve never heard you try to justify the unjustifiable. Bottom line is BK is an abject failure. His only great season is about to officially disappear. Outside of 2012, BK’s ND teams are very mediocre. Plus he’s averaging getting upset by a heavy underdog at least once a year.
As for disciples of Belicheat, Nick Saban is really a disciple. BK is a want-to-be disciple. Saban actually worked for Belicheat.
My God, man, stop trying to make excuses for BK. It just makes you seem utterly disconnected from reality. Bottom line is that BK gets paid a lot of money to over-see the entire football team. Other coaches have done that in the past. Why should BK be given a free pass? Because he’s from Boston?! Please!
You are just the opposite extreme of “bruce johnson.”
Hurls,
The off field lack of judgement and discipline are on BK’s lap. If the players respected him, they would not do these things. Now, we have always had players who were off field screw ups (Gipp, Hornung (Spelling?) are probably the most famous, but there have been many others who were not humorous about it at all – but always in small numbers. The numbers here are atrocious! If these guys had any real respect for him, there would be far fewer of them. That, sir, is the problem.
Now it may seem strange to you all, but I respect BK – I always have, and I still do. But I’m damn mad at what has been going on out there on and off the field – and I don’t see any evidence of any change, other than firing BVG and hiring Hudson. It’s not enough.
Bruce G. Curme 77′ 82′
This is the most delusional post I have read on this board. He was not the only or the best coach available. They took ten days to find a Mac level coach. Swarbrick was a total fool. Holtz had decades of experience at the top level of competition. Everything the guy does is a screw up. Every year we become more of a laughing stock. Brian Kelly is a sick joke and Swarbrick picked him. Soon Notre Dame football will be like Fordham football. A nemory. How can you have any self respect making excuses for this guy. You are in denial or on his payroll. My god.
Good Fordham analogy. But at least the University of ND hasn’t deemphasized football just because they asked the NCAA to punish them.
ND fans “better get used” to articles such as these if the losses continue.
More destructive than press conference statements are the actions of Kelly during games.
Publicly isolating players during games is designed for the viewer to infer certainty of blame. It is message management 101 from PR.
When I think of Kelly, I can’t think of whom he reminds me more:
– a CEO focused on empire building
– a WWI commanding officer
He works hard on game plans
He fails to adapt plans to market / competitor circumstances
He represents the unit publicly to maintain control of message
He recruits another cohort annually
He sends his men into no man’s land while he collects cheques
He blames the troops for losses
He takes the credit for wins
One of two things:
-1- Kelly is in over his head at ND
Or
-2- This is the New Paradigm for ND football.
Bravo, Frank! Bravo!
Finally a sportswriter who covers ND football prints what’s obvious to all “with the eyes to see.”
BKs incompetence dwarfs in comparison to his arrogance.
Meanwhile, Swarbick sits smiling in the press box along side Bon Jovi as ND blows yet another lead.
Until ND starts feeling economically the sad state the football program has devolved into, significant changes will not occur. The money rolls in with the losses, so why would football success matter to the ND Administration ? One positive sign that they’re getting the message- you could purchase tickets outside the AlamoDome in Texas versus Army for under $25. More of that, and Swarbick and the ND Administration will begin to take notice. Money talks, and it’s the only voice ND Administration hears.
From the day BK was hired I said he was not the man and waaaaaay over his head at ND. Need I say any more?
Please don’t.
Jimbo
December 11, 2009 at 1:47 am
If he can get to 3rd nationally with Cincinnati’s talent – just think what he can do with ND’s talent pool. Too bad Coach Weiss couldn’t ever put it together – he was a great recruiter, but wasted the talent he had on the team with weird calls at bizzare times and an inept defensive scheme. Hopefully, these problems will be things of the past – Welcome, Coach Kelly!
1) How do we know “Jimbo” really wrote that?
2) Even if he did, so what?
3) Why is it that when I have called out Burgundy to dig into his Nazi-like archives, then oddly enough he draws a blank?
4) Are you a former Nazi, Burgundy?
5) Or are you just so pathetic you have nothing better to do with your life (when not making love to Mike Tomlin), that you have the time and energy to compile and index our posts?!
Then who is out there worthy of being part of the team/family, Saban and Meyer won’t leave.. ? seems Kelly lacks ability to delegate oversight or create a team/family atmosphere ..
How about a guy who has a championship.. has beaten Saban.. one of the best recruiters in the country..and an .770 win percentage in the SEC?.. How is Lee Miles not the best choice here??
But what about the family atmosphere that Philip longs for?
Miles likes to eat grass while roaming the sideline. That will be tough at ND.
Ron Burgundy.. we can give the man a plate of grass to eat on the sidelines if that what it takes to get Les..lol!! I honestly think it’s the most obvious coaching hire I’ve ever seen.. but nope.. we will hire “an up and comer” who has proved crap.
Jeremy, ND has to fire BK first before they can hire his replacement. All signs point to BK getting a pass and remaining the HC for at least one more season. In the mean time Les Miles will land a head coaching position elsewhere. Football at Notre Dame is gone forever.