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Brian Kelly will be next Notre Dame football coach

Cincinnati coach to take helm of Fighting Irish, sources reveal to IrishCentral

By
SEAN O' SHEA,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, December 2, 2009, 12:45 PM
Updated Tuesday, December 8, 2009, 5:22 PM

 

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Brian Kelly will be the next head football coach oat the University of Notre Dame, informed sources tell IrishCentral.

Copyright 2009 IrishCentral LLC

Brian Kelly will be the next head football coach at the University of Notre Dame, informed sources tell IrishCentral.

The source, who is a well-informed person of influence at Notre Dame, says the Cincinnati coach is the preferred choice for the job, and that he is expected to eventually sign a deal.

Kelly is expected to see out the season with his Bowl Championship Series-bound team, and then report for duty at South Bend.

Kelly, a Massachusetts native and proud Irish American, is an obvious choice to take over from the outbound Charlie Weis, given his background and outstanding success with the Cincinnati program.

His name first surfaced at Notre Dame when the Fighting Irish lost to USC in a last-second cliffhanger. From that moment on, Weis' job was under scrutiny, says the source.

Kelly has led Cincinnati to an unbeaten season this year, and will face off with Pittsburgh on Saturday. He has done it despite losing his first-string quarterback and many key players from last year.

Kelly has refused to comment on the Notre Dame position, but once Florida coach Urban Meyer ruled himself out, Kelly became the major focus of the Notre Dame talent search.

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Posted by GOIRISH82 on Dec 11, 2009, 06:30 PM EST
This was the best decision in a long time for ND! Coach Kelly, I will forgive you for any losses EXCEPT to MICHIGAN. Please beat Michigan!
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Posted by Broadcaster on Dec 06, 2009, 08:12 PM EST
A train wreck is better than not leaving the station. Kelly wouldn't let ND disgrace itself by not accepting a bowl game because it is afraid of playing a MAC school.
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Posted by BrianBoru on Dec 06, 2009, 02:34 AM EST
Good Lord, I hope Kelly remains at Cincinnati. He'd be a train wreck at Notre Dame.
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Posted by kahuna24 on Dec 06, 2009, 02:06 AM EST
Brianboru I admit I was wrong. After watching the first half of Pitt And Cinci I thought Charlie was coaching the Bearcats. No defense at all. He's of my list.
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Posted by Broadcaster on Dec 05, 2009, 07:46 PM EST
Okay doglove. Notre Dame would be lucky to have Brian Kelly, when's the last time Notre Dame went undefeated or even won anything?
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Posted by doglove on Dec 05, 2009, 06:54 PM EST
He is not a defensive coach who almost blew it today. I'd go for someone w/ a stronger past.
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Posted by CincyPride on Dec 05, 2009, 05:58 PM EST
Great Win for coach kelly. I would think that ND would want a more defensive oriented coach but we will see. Should be interesting to see how things pan out
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Posted by Broadcaster on Dec 05, 2009, 02:24 PM EST
Fire up Chips!
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Posted by Broadcaster on Dec 05, 2009, 02:23 PM EST
ND refused bowl game because it's afraid of CMU The Notre Dame football season is officially over. Athletic director Jack Swarbrick announced Friday that the school has decided against going to a bowl game with a 6-6 record, citing "unique circumstances." What he meant was he was worried about a potential GMAC bowl matchup against Central Michigan. Swarbrick said he reached the decision after meetings with assistant coaches and team leaders. Charlie Weis was the team's offensive coordinator, so the team wouldn't have had an experienced play caller against the CMU defense. The school also likely would have lost money because their only option would have been a minor bowl where they would be embarrassed by Central Michigan. There also have been questions about how motivated players and coaches would have been to get kicked around by CMU. Players actually met this week to discuss whether to play in a bowl. The Irish went to the Hawaii Bowl last season with a 6-6 record and beat Hawaii 49-21, but were of afraid of losing by that score against Central Michigan this year. "If the landscape had been different (we didn't have to play CMU) we would have been thrilled to take part, and we certainly look forward to being part of the bowl system in the years to come," Swarbrick said.
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Posted by BrianBoru on Dec 05, 2009, 01:30 PM EST
Kahuna, are you watching the Cincinnati/Pitt game now? Kelly elected to throw the football on three consecutive plays inside the five. It was as if Charlie Weis was calling the plays. Furthermore, Kelly's teams play soft defense. I would concede that Kelly is a better motivator than Weis, but he would not even make my Top 5 list of potential candidates to replace Weis. Btw, ND did not get its ass kicked at Pitt, despite Weis helming the ship. Had they even a decent head coach this season, they'd have defeated Pitt in decisive fashion.
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Posted by kahuna24 on Dec 04, 2009, 04:34 PM EST
Cincinnati is not at Notre Dame's level? You are right they passed us three years ago. We get are ass kicked by Big East schools and they might be the conference champ. Brian Kelly is not my first pick but nobody else has the balls to come to ND so let's hire him and get ready for next year. All these other successful coaches came from small programs or not so successful pro careers.
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Posted by BrianBoru on Dec 04, 2009, 04:25 AM EST
Middleman, my points remains: Cincinnati's football program is not at the same level as Notre Dame -- and to state otherwise is high comedy. I do enjoy a good debate with fans from other schools; however, let's be honest when comparing these two programs.
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Posted by Middleman on Dec 03, 2009, 10:14 PM EST
BrianBoru, My good debating friend,I said "UC this season" not over the last four years. I love ND and I love UC. I grew up in Cincy but I still love ND football just as much as UC football.
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Posted by BrianBoru on Dec 03, 2009, 07:35 PM EST
Middleman, where were you four years ago? Your silly position that Cincinnati gets more television time than Notre Dame only underscores how utterly clueless you are. Notre Dame, I repeat, as their very own television contract. How about your mighty (sic) Cincinnati Bearcats? You're swimming upstream against Notre Dame's desire. If Notre Dame makes the call for Kelly -- he's their's.
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Posted by Middleman on Dec 03, 2009, 04:56 PM EST
Also one last thing, not being unfair to ether team, UC this season has been on ESPN more than ND and they will be the team for the second straight year in a BCS bowl on National TV while if ND does go to a bowl might be in the GMAC. Go UC! Go ND! Midwest Pride!!!
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Posted by Middleman on Dec 03, 2009, 04:26 PM EST
BrianBoru, For a little UC History, They have one of the oldest stadiums in all of College Football with a strong history lining the stadium. However they do have some current NFL players they may not have as many as ND. With that said, UC is getting a state of the art indoor practice center and are in talks with the Cincy Bengals to use Paul Brown Stadium to host games against rivals etc. Also if the Big East sucks so bad how did they have 4 Teams in the #25 constantly through most of the season? None of this all really matters because Kelly will make his own choice soon enough. I would love Kelly to stay in Cincy but I would be happy for him no matter what. He deserves a better program than ND though in terms of where we find ND now. He has done it at all levels and is a Proven Winner!
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Posted by INDY10CATS on Dec 03, 2009, 03:40 PM EST
If poor Brian goes to Notre Dame i wish him the best. In two or three years they will be calling for his head also. He's better off staying in Cincinnati.
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Posted by BrianBoru on Dec 03, 2009, 03:12 PM EST
I'm seeing a lot of hair-pulling by Bearcats fans. Funny, I didn't realize that Cincinnati had a football program until Kelly was there.
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Posted by ndkilledjesus on Dec 03, 2009, 11:31 AM EST
Word here in BCS country, B Kelly is ready to sign new deal to stay a winner @ Nippert. LOL ha ha ! Also @ brian bora Notre Dame with its 5 star players can't even beat the cellar dweller of the weakest BCS conference. WoW!
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Posted by CincyPride on Dec 03, 2009, 11:12 AM EST
Yes ND is a storied program and I have the utmost respect for you guys but BrianBoru all of the accomplishments that you just mentioned for ND have been in the PAST. They haven't been successful in the past 10 years or so. The last time they were decent, they got PLASTERED by OSU a team everyone HATES. The Charlie Weis era has been the "darkest age" for ND and the past two years Cincy would've been able to beat you guys. Like I mentioned earlier, if the Big East is so bad, then why doesn't ND come into it and win it every year? It would make more sense if you want to make a BCS Bowl. Oh wait you lost to two Big East teams already this year so you wouldn't win it. Bowl wise you beat Hawaii last year congratulations, but before that the last bowl you won was the 94 Cotton Bowl. So ok we may not have the best facilities like an OSU, ND, or Florida, but I know for damn sure that they aren't even close to the worst in college football. Our weight room and training areas are state of the art. Our “bubble” practice field which will be built next year for us and the Bengals will help our program and school immensely. Clearly practicing at Nippert hasn't affected our team...We win games. If Kelly happens to leave for ND, you will be getting one hell of a coach. I’m just going to feel bad for him when he gets his bell rung by Barkley and Co. next year. Then of course it will just be another ND coach on the hot seat. Don’t lie to yourselves, if he trips up and loses 3 or 4 games a year then he will be out in 3 years.
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Posted by BrianBoru on Dec 03, 2009, 01:28 AM EST
CinciPride, to quote John McEnroe, "you cannot be SERIOUS!" Cincinnati, even during Notre Dame's darkest age, cannot hold a candle to the Irish. I realize that you're a Bearcats fan but there is no rational case that could made that Cincinnati is even remotely the job of Notre Dame. 1) Cincinnati plays in the worst BCS conference in the land: The Big East. 2) Without a practice facility of their own, the Cincinnati football team is relegated to using its own stadium in which to practice. 3) The facilities, as I earlier noted, are among the worst in all of college football. 4) NBC, as in Notre Dame's very own television network. On what channel might we be able to find the Cincinnati Bearcats? 5) Historical advantages. Let's be honest; it's not even close. Sure, ND has been down -- largely of its own making, e.g. inept administration carelessly navigating its sacred football program -- still, even with ND "struggling of late", I think you'll admit that 11 National Championships and countless All Americans and players in the NFL are rather impressive.. If you don't mind, enumerate some of the accomplishments of the Cincinnati program, as I must admit I am not all too familiar with them.
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Posted by CincyPride on Dec 03, 2009, 12:35 AM EST
ND clearly wants him and is he there? nope...if i was a coach i'd rather be at cincy than nd because i'd rather win with a decent salary and not be under constant scrutiny. Whereas any coach that goes to ND will have a very lucrative salary, but they've been struggling of late and the irish boosters are always out for blood if you lose a single game...come on
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Posted by Niall O'Dowd on Dec 02, 2009, 10:43 PM EST
Kelly is Irish, a Notre Dame fan, incredibly talented and has gone as far as he can at Cincy
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Posted by BrianBoru on Dec 02, 2009, 10:36 PM EST
You Cincinnati fans are hilarious. If Notre Dame wants Kelly, then he will come to South Bend. Cincinnati has among the worst facilities in the country. You've had a nice run under Kelly, and it's a great story, but let's stop kidding ourselves, Bearcat fans. Cincinnati is not a destination program.
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Posted by CincyPride on Dec 02, 2009, 10:34 PM EST
Money isn't everything to all coaches out there. irishfb needless to say both of our teams lack a solid a defense but we both have top offenses. You lost to Uconn who we beat, you lost to Pitt who we will beat. You ND fans remind me a lot of OSU fans. Stubborn and can't accept the fact that a team on the rise is better than you...Finally, if you think you are so good then why don't you join the a conference? I mean you'd be 0-2 in the Big East right now. Headed to the International bowl. You are in the Big East in every other sport so why not join in football?
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Posted by irishfb on Dec 02, 2009, 09:29 PM EST
Cincinnati can't afford $2 million. Kelly currently makes $1.2 million. Now we're supposed to believe a school like Cincinnati somehow managed to come up with an extra $3.8 million. Grow up man. You're making yourself look foolish.
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Posted by irishfb on Dec 02, 2009, 09:23 PM EST
Cincypride says "it's the talent you don't have". I can't help but to say cincypride is a moron. ND has one of the top 3 quarterbacks in the country, 2 of the best receivers in the country, a top 10 offense, etc... What ND is lacking is a recognizable defense. Cincy on the other hand has a schedule equal in difficulty to that of an average sized high school. Cincy's strength of schedule rating is 70th. Notre Dame has a weak schedule but it ranks at #36. With a strength of 70 they had better be undefeated. Pin Head!
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Posted by irishfb on Dec 02, 2009, 09:11 PM EST
I heard that Brian Kelly and his wife are "Pro Choice" Activists. That he speaks at "Pro Choice" rallies, that his wife organizes them, etc... If this is true why would Notre Dame subject itself to that after the Obama protests during commencement? Further, I fail to understand what everyone sees in Kelly. He hasn't coached a team against a quality schedule. Big deal, he's undefeated this year. So are a lot of High School coaches. Kelly has no experience coaching at this level.
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Posted by Broadcaster on Dec 02, 2009, 08:39 PM EST
... and GVSU.
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Posted by Broadcaster on Dec 02, 2009, 08:37 PM EST
First of all, Brian Kelly is not a Bearcat from the start that would be discrediting the job he did at CMU. Also Bearcat fans, as a CMU fan I've been through this before where BK said he was happy in Mount Pleasant and not going anywhere. The next week, he booked it to Cincinnati. You can't believe the media or Bryan Kelly right now, all you can do is wait it out.


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