Coach of the year.

[irishog77]

Assuming Oregon State wins a couple more games, I'd throw Riley into the mix as well. They were considered a Pac12 cellar-dweller coming into the season. And having to to replace a QB mid-season that was playing well.

 

[PraetorianND]

Not saying any of these guys will or should win, but Charlie Strong, Jim Mora, and Will Muschamp have all done very good jobs this year.

I agree with this. I am especially impressed with Strong. If Mora and UCLA beat USC then I think he stands a really good chance.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

Assuming Oregon State wins a couple more games, I'd throw Riley into the mix as well. They were considered a Pac12 cellar-dweller coming into the season. And having to to replace a QB mid-season that was playing well.

I'm sure we could nit-pick and argue these guys until the end of time in how they stack up. That said...gotta give Mike Gundy some credit. At least he knows where he stands.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RjF93E4LjlA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[irishog77]

Gundy has the greatest spike on Earth since 1992. If he would only shave a v-notch into the sides and back of his hair...I'd prolly sport wood.

 

[mooneytostle]

I don't like giving it to Snyder b/c he has built his roster with JUCOs. There is little development going on within the program.

What about Charlie Strong at Louisville?

 

[philipm31]

Also KSU went 10-3 last season. ND is undefeated with this team of "overachievers". If anyone has been developing a culture at their university, it is BK. It took time, but always does.

As much as it pains me to say it, because of the methods to how he has done it, Nick Saban has created a winning culture at Bama again, something that I don't think many Tide fans experienced since 1992, to be quite honest.

So to me, the best coach in college football this year is going to be from among those everyone has listed, except for Saban and Snyder. Or at least, it should be.

 

[dublinirish]

outside bet Sonny Dykes LaTech.

 

[philipm31]

If Fisher gets FSU to 11-1 with a win against the Gators that would another one to think about, imo.

 

[ShamrockOnHelmet]

The good news is that there are like a dozen different coach of the year awards, so all these guys have a shot at one or another of them. The Liberty Mutual COY might be the best of bunch.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Bill O'Brien

 

[Chris P. Bacon]

No, O'Brien has to be in consideration, probation, defections, media circus, first year coach.

Agreed to a certain extent.

I've heard some mention O'Brien as well, though I was reading some kicks on O'Brien based on the fact that he lost to poor Virginia team, Ohio Univ and I think both of those games were at home. And a coach of the year shouldn't be losing to those sort of schools even with what's gone on at Penn. Now that was a poorly written article I think via ESPN, but still has some valid points.

With everyone's hate on the Big10 this year and how everyone is viewing them as one of the worst overrated conferences in College football this year, I IMO can't see them picking OBrien and passing on Snyder or BK .

I'm obviously very bias on ND, but someone posted earlier the fact that BK had to rebuild is secondary with talent that was recruited to be playing on the offensive side (B.Jackson, Russel), as well as flipping in and out two QB's, one being a RS frosh, and the other still fighting the turnover bug from the year before.

I think what seperates us from Kstate, they have a Heisman candidate at QB, that makes Snyder's job as a coach a lot easier, and it's not as if Collin Klein just came out of nowhere. BK should get it if he wins out, we've played a much tougher schedule, and the fact that people were projecting us to maybe win 7 or 8 games for the season.

 

[irishff1014]

Agreed to a certain extent.

I've heard some mention O'Brien as well, though I was reading some kicks on O'Brien based on the fact that he lost to poor Virginia team, Ohio Univ and I think both of those games were at home. And a coach of the year shouldn't be losing to those sort of schools even with what's gone on at Penn. Now that was a poorly written article I think via ESPN, but still has some valid points.

With everyone's hate on the Big10 this year and how everyone is viewing them as one of the worst overrated conferences in College football this year, I IMO can't see them picking OBrien and passing on Snyder or BK .

I'm obviously very bias on ND, but someone posted earlier the fact that BK had to rebuild is secondary with talent that was recruited to be playing on the offensive side (B.Jackson, Russel), as well as flipping in and out two QB's, one being a RS frosh, and the other still fighting the turnover bug from the year before.

I think what seperates us from Kstate, they have a Heisman candidate at QB, that makes Snyder's job as a coach a lot easier, and it's not as if Collin Klein just came out of nowhere. BK should get it if he wins out, we've played a much tougher schedule, and the fact that people were projecting us to maybe win 7 or 8 games for the season.

Ohio was at home but other then that know nothing about that game.

VA was not at home. There Kicker i believe missed 4 FG and a extra point. To have as many staters transfer out as he did he has kept that team together. It doesn't matter hiw much you hate that school right now you have to gibe the man props.

 

[irishpat183]

Snyder. And it won't be close unless they lose.


He does more with less than any of the other top teams. And not just on the field. Yeah, Kelly had to rebuild this and that...but our talent is so much better than KSU's at nearly every position it's not even funny.


Of course Kelly and O'Brien are great choices, but I think it's Snyders to lose.

 

[Chris P. Bacon]

Ohio was at home but other then that know nothing about that game.

VA was not at home. There Kicker i believe missed 4 FG and a extra point. To have as many staters transfer out as he did he has kept that team together. It doesn't matter hiw much you hate that school right now you have to gibe the man props.

I can't say I've ever been a big fan of Penn State, not that I never liked them, just didn't care much. Now after all that came out, yeah was definitly one to jump the hate-bandwagon. But I have the ut-most respect for O'Brien. He unforutnately took the job going in not knowing what was about to happen, he could have wollowed into the abyss after the transfers and the sanctions but he stuck it out. Now I'm not sure if that was because he had just signed the contract and leaving would probably not be a good mark on his coaching resume, than maybe he stuck it out because he believes in his team and players, I'm hoping that's the case and not just the fact that he couldn't leave. Definitly takes a great coach to keep most of his team together, and to fight with the adversity of your one and only star on offense get up and leave to USC. But the jokes on Redd right now, even with all that has happened, USC and Penn State share the same record. Redd went from one sanctioned school to the next.

 

[Corry]

Snyder. And it won't be close unless they lose.


He does more with less than any of the other top teams. And not just on the field. Yeah, Kelly had to rebuild this and that...but our talent is so much better than KSU's at nearly every position it's not even funny.


Of course Kelly and O'Brien are great choices, but I think it's Snyders to lose.

Agreed, Snyder is deserving and will win if they go undefeated.

 

[ThePiombino]

Is this decided before or after the bowl games?

 

[Mr. Larson]

Brian Kelly deserves it because he took a team projected 8-4 to 6-6 and then lost 3 of his best 5 players in the secondary and then replaced them with a true frosh converted RB, a first time starter converted WR in BJax, and a RS frosh converted soccer player to converted WR to S in Farley... and has the #2 scoring D in the country.

The only other person you can make a case for in my book is Snyder.

For all the reasons above, and for bringing in Elliot and Hiestand, I've got Kelly winning this.

 

[ShamrockOnHelmet]

Is this decided before or after the bowl games?

Depends on which award you are talking about. There are several coach of the year awards given by different bodies at different times.

 

[Sherm Sticky]

Snyder, O'brien, BK, Charlie Strong, Jim Mora jr.

 

[Redbar]

I like Snyder, respect him, but weren't they a 2 loss team last year before losing in the Cotton Bowl and don't they take, as has been mentioned before, full use of JC transfers. Coach Kelly has a redshirt freshman quarterback, a completely revamped secondary, he graduated one of the most prolific receivers in school history, and he graduates more than 58 percent of his players. I think O'Brien or Strong is a better second to Coach Kelly, who should be the winner.

 

[irishfanjho15]

I just don't understand how a head coach with a team that was widely picked to go 7-5 or 6-6 (and sparingly picked to go 8-5) by the so called "experts" and is 9-0 with legit chance to go 12-0 or 11-1 is not COY.

 

[IrishFBfanatic]

BK deserves it hands down. "Coach of the year" IMO should go to the best "coach".

Well, BK is undefeated with a team who was not expected to win by most outsiders. He has a ton of young talent, turned his young defense into arguably the best defense (top 2) in college football, played one of the toughest schedules in the nation, AND most importantly has not sacrificed ethics to do so.

He has coached this team to success on and off the field. The men on this team will all graduate with a degree from ND, and the guys who had career ending injuries are all in that category too.

The only way to win in college football is to compromise ethics and education...yet BK is proving that you can win in COLLEGE football by staying true to your morals, maintaining high academic standards, focussing on careers and life after football, and playing high caliber football.

No one should even come close to Kelly for this award...especially WHEN the Irish win out