Is Kelly a REALLY good coach?

[woolybug25]

Kelly is a good coach. My concern is developing the talent (other than quarterback) behind the starters, Morgan, Bonner, Watkins, Butler need to be getting in game reps.

So the fact that lower ranked guys like Cage, Tranquill, Turner and Schmidt have gotten meaningful playing time isn't enough? It needs to specifically be those players? lol

 

[irishfanjho15]

Kelly is a good coach. My concern is developing the talent (other than quarterback) behind the starters, Morgan, Bonner, Watkins, Butler need to be getting in game reps.

Convenient to leave out Adams, Williams, Hunters development over two years, Blakenship, Trumbetti, and Randolph. I mean Bonner played a number of snaps on D against Wake. Butler and Morgan have been quality all year on STs. I think this argument is disingenuous at best. Look all over the field and there is incredible development by special team guys, kickers, punters, starters and back-ups. Just can't take your best guys off the field to get guys reps, especially when they are going against better competition in practice than they are on the field on Saturdays.

 

[Booslum31]

Kelly is a really good coach...we are damn lucky to have him.

 

[pkt77242]

Kelly is a good coach. My concern is developing the talent (other than quarterback) behind the starters, Morgan, Bonner, Watkins, Butler need to be getting in game reps.

Why is Kelly responsible for getting those players game reps? Why would Kelly be developing talent on the defensive side of the ball at all? Now if you want to question Kelly's hiring of BVG (or Diaco) because of the lack of development for defensive players, then that might be a conversation worth having.

 

[irishfanjho15]

Kelly is a good coach. My concern is developing the talent (other than quarterback) behind the starters, Morgan, Bonner, Watkins, Butler need to be getting in game reps.

Convenient to leave out Adams, Williams, Hunters development over two years, Blakenship, Trumbetti, and Randolph. I mean Bonner played a number of snaps on D against Wake. Butler and Morgan have been quality all year on STs. I think this argument is disingenuous at best. Look all over the field and there is incredible development by special team guys, kickers, punters, starters and back-ups. Just can't take your best guys off the field to get guys reps, especially when they are going against better competition in practice than they are on the field on Saturdays.

 

[BGIF]

Kelly Semi-Finalist For Coach Of The Year

Kelly Semi-Finalist For Coach Of The Year

Maxwell Football Club President, Ron Jaworski, announced the 2015 semi-finalists for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award, which is presented yearly by the Maxwell Football Club. The list includes a field of 18 candidates for the award which have been selected by the MFC National Selection Committee.

In just his first season as head coach, Jim McElwain has restored the order in Gainesville with a Southeastern Conference East Division title in his first season, becoming the third first-year head coach in the SEC to reach the SEC Championship game, joining LSU’s Les Miles (2005) and Auburn’s Gus Malzhan (2013).

2015 George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Semi-Finalists

Mark Dantonio, Michigan State University
Larry Fedora, University of North Carolina
Kirk Ferentz, University of Iowa
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern University
Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State University
Jim Harbaugh, University of Michigan
Tom Herman, University of Houston
Brian Kelly, Notre Dame
Mike Leach, Washington State University
Jim McElwain, University of Florida
Urban Meyer, Ohio State University
Ken Niumatalolo, U.S. Naval Academy
Matt Rhule, Temple University
Nick Saban, University of Alabama
David Shaw, Stanford University
Bob Stoops, University of Oklahoma
Dabo Swinney, Clemson University
Kyle Whittingham, University of Utah

Semi-finalist voting for of the Maxwell Football Club Collegiate Coach of the Year award will begin on Monday, November 23rd and close on Monday December 7th. The finalist round will include the top three coaches as selected in the semi-finalist round. Finalist voting will open December 8th and run until December 20th. The winner will be announced on December 21st.

The formal presentation of the George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award will take place at the Maxwell Football Club’s National Awards Gala on Friday March 11, 2016 at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA Head Football Coaches, Sports Information Directors and selected national media. Dan Mullen of Mississippi State University was the 2014 winner of the award.

 

[BGIF]

Michael Bertsch @NDsidBertschy
36 differ starters (7 lost for year to injury) -- Brian Kelly has ND 9-1, #4 in @CFBPlayoff & semifinalist for George Munger Collegiate COTY
9:17 AM - 20 Nov 2015

 

[no.1IrishFan]

Everytime I see this thread on the front page I want to kick a kitten.

 

[Crazy Balki]

Sorry. I'd close the thread if I could. I don't know why it's so hard to start a new Kelly thread. This thread is no longer a valid outlet. Different year results in Kelly approaching the season in a different way. Kudos on Kelly for making the necessary changes.

 

[IrishLion]

Different year results in Kelly approaching the season in a different way. Kudos on Kelly for making the necessary changes.

I don't think that citing certain "changes" BK has made this year excuses the fact that this thread was always terrible, regardless of what happened last season.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Yay, Coach! I've been applauding your philosophy, professionalism, and patience in this tremendous rebuild since you've arrived. Probably takes someone who has been watching ND football for 40-60 years to realize how lucky we are to have you put up with us. THANK YOU.

 

[CIrishWin]

Convenient to leave out Adams, Williams, Hunters development over two years, Blakenship, Trumbetti, and Randolph. I mean Bonner played a number of snaps on D against Wake. Butler and Morgan have been quality all year on STs. I think this argument is disingenuous at best. Look all over the field and there is incredible development by special team guys, kickers, punters, starters and back-ups. Just can't take your best guys off the field to get guys reps, especially when they are going against better competition in practice than they are on the field on Saturdays.

No need to talk about offense but from the championship game i saw a defense that got wore down and ran over so i would think to win a championship you need quality depth on defense. Schimdt gets hurt last year and Morgan has to come in and they say he is lost can not line the defense up maybe if he got more in game reps he might could do that. They played snaps against Wake Forest one game and how many games have we played. Now with Russell out what is going to be the excuse why Butler and Watkins do not produced let me guess have not seen a lot of game time

 

[GoIrish41]

I said this in another thread, but if BK guides us to a W against Stanford, he should be the coach of the year in college football. One could make the argument that he deserves that award even if we come up short against Stanford. We've been winning games with a backup QB, RB, DT, S (at times), OLB and are ranked in the top 5 of the nation. So, when I see the question, "Is Kelly REALLY a good coach," I just shake my head.

 

[gkIrish]

I said this in another thread, but if BK guides us to a W against Stanford, he should be the coach of the year in college football. One could make the argument that he deserves that award even if we come up short against Stanford. We've been winning games with a backup QB, RB, DT, S (at times), OLB and are ranked in the top 5 of the nation. So, when I see the question, "Is Kelly REALLY a good coach," I just shake my head.

I agree that if we win he should be in serious consideration for coach of the year.

However if we do not win I believe there are more deserving candidates. I think there are only 3 games on the schedule that you can say should be toss-ups (Clemson, USC, Stanford) and you would expect to win 1.5 of them. If we only win 1 I'd say this season has been very good, but not coach of the year worthy.

 

[IrishLion]

I agree that if we win he should be in serious consideration for coach of the year.

However if we do not win I believe there are more deserving candidates. I think there are only 3 games on the schedule that you can say should be toss-ups (Clemson, USC, Stanford) and you would expect to win 1.5 of them. If we only win 1 I'd say this season has been very good, but not coach of the year worthy.

I don't think you're crediting the 36 different starters or 9 season-ending injuries enough when you consider what this team has done.

 

[koonja]

If we even have a close loss, he should be strongly considered IMO. A close loss means this team was literally a few plays away from playoffs, with what, now 9 starters out? Not to mention brand new RS Frosh QB.

 

[gkIrish]

I don't think you're crediting the 36 different starters or 9 season-ending injuries enough when you consider what this team has done.

MSU has been ravaged by injuries this year and went into the Shoe and beat a top 5 undefeated team. There isn't a team on the schedule besides the 3 I listed I would expect to lose to even considering injuries. BC had a kid playing QB who was probably in marching band last year.

I think I'm giving BK plenty of credit by saying what I said. I'm sorry if I don't think 10-2 against this schedule is worthy of coach of the year. I'd give it to Dabo, Navy's coach, or Harbaugh. BK would probably be 4th on my list (if we lose). If we win, I'd put him right there with Dabo.

 

[Dizzyphil]

Yay, Coach! I've been applauding your philosophy, professionalism, and patience in this tremendous rebuild since you've arrived. Probably takes someone who has been watching ND football for 40-60 years to realize how lucky we are to have you put up with us. THANK YOU.

Indeed.

I am trying to understand why the animosity towards Coach.

 

[IrishLion]

I'm sorry if I don't think 10-2 against this schedule is worthy of coach of the year.

10-2 against a schedule with only one true break (UMass), and a team that hasn't been at full-strength at any point. I don't see how a coach can do much better than that (aside from beating the #1 team in the country during a sophomore QB's first road start). And it's not just the number of injuries, either, but the way they've been addressed. BUT this is just a new angle on the debate that was in the "revisited" thread, so we can leave it be.

I'd give it to Dabo, Navy's coach, or Harbaugh. BK would probably be 4th on my list (if we lose). If we win, I'd put him right there with Dabo.

I don't know about Dabo, just because that team is loaded and healthy on defense. Some might say that avoiding #Clemsoning isn't award-worthy.

Ken N., yes I can get down with that. Taking his squad to 9-1 during their first season in the AAC is impressive, though it helps that none of those teams have familiarity with the triple-option yet.

Harbaugh no, because f*ck scUM.

 

[IrishLax]

MSU has been ravaged by injuries this year and went into the Shoe and beat a top 5 undefeated team. There isn't a team on the schedule besides the 3 I listed I would expect to lose to even considering injuries. BC had a kid playing QB who was probably in marching band last year.

I think I'm giving BK plenty of credit by saying what I said. I'm sorry if I don't think 10-2 against this schedule is worthy of coach of the year. I'd give it to Dabo, Navy's coach, or Harbaugh. BK would probably be 4th on my list (if we lose). If we win, I'd put him right there with Dabo.

Niumatolo -- who is 15-2 in his last 17 games and only lost to ND -- is who I would give it to. He's been destroying a very good AAC. Besides him, I like Kelly if he gets us in the playoffs (we've played a harder schedule than Bama per FEI, so this talk about "toss ups" or whatever seems really irrelevant... he's beating a very tough schedule with many more key injuries than any other top team). Or Dabo or Ferentz. Both Dabo and Ferentz have their teams undefeated and drastically surpassing expectations in Ferentz's case.

I have no idea what Harbaugh has done to deserve coach of the year. He inherited a squad that has more talent than pretty much every other team in his league, and managed to lose the only two games he's played against teams with comparable talent.

 

[gkIrish]

Niumatolo -- who is 15-2 in his last 17 games and only lost to ND -- is who I would give it to. He's been destroying a very good AAC. Besides him, I like Kelly if he gets us in the playoffs (we've played a harder schedule than Bama per FEI, so this talk about "toss ups" or whatever seems really irrelevant... he's beating a very tough schedule with many more key injuries than any other top team). Or Dabo or Ferentz. Both Dabo and Ferentz have their teams undefeated and drastically surpassing expectations in Ferentz's case.

I have no idea what Harbaugh has done to deserve coach of the year. He inherited a squad that has more talent than pretty much every other team in his league, and managed to lose the only two games he's played against teams with comparable talent.

I forgot about Ferentz. I would put him 3rd behind Dabo and Navy's coach. Harbaugh turned the program around much more quickly than anyone thought was possible. They are a top 15 team with a chance to finish in the top 10 and the only reason is better coaching IMO.

If ND wins and Iowa wins out my final vote would be Ferentz, Dabo, BK in a very tight race.

 

[IrishLax]

I forgot about Ferentz. I would put him 3rd behind Dabo and Navy's coach. Harbaugh turned the program around much more quickly than anyone thought was possible. They are a top 15 team with a chance to finish in the top 10 and the only reason is better coaching IMO.

If ND wins and Iowa wins out my final vote would be Ferentz, Dabo, BK in a very tight race.

Considering many people projected them to finish no worse than 3rd in their conference, I disagree. He's done a mediocre coaching job with very few obstacles. That team is loaded with talented guys and was just under-performing because of Hoke. Harbaugh didn't even have to change scheme at all.

Most people on this board would be an upgrade over Hoke, so I don't give him many brownie points for doing more with the same guys.

 

[gkIrish]

Considering many people projected them to finish no worse than 3rd in their conference, I disagree. He's done a mediocre coaching job with very few obstacles. That team is loaded with talented guys and was just under-performing because of Hoke. Harbaugh didn't even have to change scheme at all.

Most people on this board would be an upgrade over Hoke, so I don't give him many brownie points for doing more with the same guys.

I'm not going to keep arguing on Harbaugh's behalf because that goes against my moral code so I will agree with you lol.

 

[BeauBenken]

I didn't consider Niumatalolo, but if they win out the rest of the way, give that man the award. He's done a better job at Navy than Paul Johnson did. Only one losing season as head coach (5-7), all others were 8+ win seasons, he is 66-29 overall as a HC, he's beaten ND twice in his 8 years, and hell, he just seems like a really nice guy...I like the dude. This year they have a chance to finish in the top ten if they win out. Seriously. Think about that.

Otherwise, I would say I'm very impressed with ND this year all things considered. If we make the playoffs this year though and then drop off some next year, I have a feeling people will be saying it was just another 1 outta 4 years thing for ND and that Kelly isn't really that good.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

If Iowa wins the Big Ten title game, Ferentz should win, IMO. He was very nearly fired in the off-season. That said, I don't think they will. He'll probably get 3rd or 4th.

 

[Kingbish01]

Kelly is a great coach, and when we lose him we will all be sorry!

 

[mick2]

Kelly is a great coach, and when we lose him we will all be sorry!

I was just pondering this same thing over the weekend, this is year six, we have maybe 5-6 more years of Kelly I estimate, maybe less.(I hope not less)

I hope we are positioned well enough to avoid the lull programs usually suffer after a great coach leaves. See usc after carroll, or us after Holtz left.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Rumors that Les Miles is out at LSU after having a career bayou record of 110-32 (and a Natty). Soooo there's that.

When it's bad, we want it to be good.
When it's good, we want it to be great.
When it's great, we want it to be terrific.
When it's terrific....I ran out of adjectives...you're fired!


Oh, and yea BK's a pretty good coach. Let's not pony up for his buyout just yet. At least get a 'ship out of him.

 

[Irish Insanity]

Rumors that Les Miles is out at LSU after having a career bayou record of 110-32 (and a Natty). Soooo there's that.

When it's bad, we want it to be good.
When it's good, we want it to be great.
When it's great, we want it to be terrific.
When it's terrific....I ran out of adjectives...you're fired!


Oh, and yea BK's a pretty good coach. Let's not pony up for his buyout just yet. At least get a 'ship out of him.

He was there 11 years. That record can't be accurate. No coach averages 10 wins a year over a sustained period of time......

 

[Grahambo]

He was there 11 years. That record can't be accurate. No coach averages 10 wins a year over a sustained period of time......

It is.

He only had 4 seasons without 10+ wins.