Is Kelly a REALLY good coach?

[bkess8]

Are we really coming out flat or are we just not that good? We had a very good season and beat the teams we were supposed to but we played like a top 10-15 team. IMO, we were not as talented as OSU. A team like ours doesn't just come out destroying every team we play. I thought we played hard all year, in all of our games.

I don't think that talent is the problem. I don't expect to come out destroying people however if you are receiving the ball you should not be going 3 and out like we continuously do, you should be able to get off the field on 3rd down on the opening drive when on defense half the time. We have problems with both of these aspects of the game. Other teams come out and punch people in the mouth with way less talented teams than ours. Hate to sound like Dabo here but "Why not us?"

 

[sharksamardzija8345]

I don't think that talent is the problem. I don't expect to come out destroying people however if you are receiving the ball you should not be going 3 and out like we continuously do, you should be able to get off the field on 3rd down on the opening drive when on defense half the time. We have problems with both of these aspects of the game. Other teams come out and punch people in the mouth with way less talented teams than ours. Hate to sound like Dabo here but "Why not us?"

The program/team/coach doesn't have that intimidation factor. We come out and shit our pants the first time Ohio State gets the ball because it's Urban Meyer, Zeke Elliot, etc. We don't scare anyone, but we are scared. We need to be and play meaner, and go for the jugular more often. Build up a reputation if we're up 21 in the 4th quarter, we're not fucking around we're going to continue to light it up. However, I guess there are worse things than having a head coach who consistently has his team playing down to inferior team's level if they squeak out victories and go 10-3. It could be worse. BVG could be our head coach and have both our defense and offense suck ass.

 

[loomis41973]

Is Kelly a good coach? Sure he is look at what he has done with everything that has happened this year.

Now my real question is Kelly a good motivator? We have come out flat in a lot of games this season not just the losses.

Look at our schedule and please let me know if I'm off.

Texas- Ready to play
Virginia- Flat
Georgia Tech- Ready to play
UMass- Flat
Clemson- Flat
Navy- Ready to play
USC- Flat
Temple- Flat
Pitt- Flat
Wake- Flat
BC- Flat
Stanford- Flat
OSU- Flat

Also why do we not possess that instinct as a team to put people away? We will never get any better as a team until our backups can see some time on the field and use what they have learned in practice against other teams.

Maybe the lads are to focused on school.
Too focused on being good citizens.
Too focused on having to attend class.
Too focused on not breaking hours of practice rules.
Too focused on making their degree work for them instead of the NFL.
Etc
Etc
Etc...

There is a bit of difference between ND and 99% of programs.

Pick your poison

 

[IrishLax]

This thread is the biggest collection of stupid on this site.

10-3 with all three losses to teams that are among the best four in the country. Two of those on the road, and by the slimmest of margins. The other with a laughably depleted team... well over a dozen key players hurt.

And people are going to actually question whether or not he is a "good" coach? Come on...

 

[stlnd01]

I don't think that talent is the problem. I don't expect to come out destroying people however if you are receiving the ball you should not be going 3 and out like we continuously do, you should be able to get off the field on 3rd down on the opening drive when on defense half the time. We have problems with both of these aspects of the game. Other teams come out and punch people in the mouth with way less talented teams than ours. Hate to sound like Dabo here but "Why not us?"

Saw an interesting stat in one of the post-game wrap-ups. In five of our last six losses (Stanford excepted) we've been down by at least 14 points early. Can't do that against good teams.
Today felt like the Clemson game, frankly, where we came out flat and they came out hot and boom we're down 14-0. Difference is today Ohio State didn't turtle up on offense once they got their lead, and we could never quite climb back into it, despite fighting a lot longer than most teams would have.
I like Kelly a lot. I don't think there's a better coach for us out there. But it's a frustrating pattern in our big games the last few years. Hopefully he can address it.

 

[WaveDomer]

Today was not a great game by ND but they were not blown out. MSU got blown out. Is Dantonio not a good coach? C'mon. Bad games happen. A month ago tOSU was freaking out after losing to MSU. Doing what Saban does is almost impossible. We went 10 -3 with 2 of those losses being last minute and all 3 losses coming to top teams. It was a good year and Kelly is a good coach.

 

[irishfan]

3 of our losses IMO were to the top-4 teams in the country. We weren't at that level. Which is very understandable given our injuries which led to us staring a RS Frosh at QB who just about no one thought would ever start a game here.

BK has a bunch of flaws, but he improves literally every single season. We had 3 seniors starting on offense today. We had 5 seniors starting on defense. We are stacked and have an easy schedule going into next year with the best QB situation that Kelly has ever had. Who the hell are we going to hire right now that is better? Saban and Urban aren't coming here.

 

[stlnd01]

Today was not a great game by ND but they were not blown out. MSU got blown out.

Amazingly, our game is setting up to be about the closest of the major bowl games. A lot of "good" teams got blown out this week.

 

[Dizzyphil]

Amazingly, our game is setting up to be about the closest of the major bowl games. A lot of "good" teams got blown out this week.

Technically, the Irish lost by 2 possessions.

 

[BabyIrish]

Is Kelly a good coach? Sure he is look at what he has done with everything that has happened this year.

Now my real question is Kelly a good motivator? We have come out flat in a lot of games this season not just the losses.

Look at our schedule and please let me know if I'm off.

Texas- Ready to play
Virginia- Flat
Georgia Tech- Ready to play
UMass- Flat
Clemson- Flat
Navy- Ready to play
USC- Flat
Temple- Flat
Pitt- Flat
Wake- Flat
BC- Flat
Stanford- Flat
OSU- Flat

Also why do we not possess that instinct as a team to put people away? We will never get any better as a team until our backups can see some time on the field and use what they have learned in practice against other teams.

I question if we were flat against USC, Temple, Pitt, and Stanford.

Honestly, were right at the top of the iceberg. Are offense is going to be good for a long time, we just need our D to catch up. I think that will happen soon with the amount of talent we had come in with the 15 class and will be coming in with the 16 class.

 

[stlnd01]

Technically, the Irish lost by 2 possessions.

Right. Oklahoma, Michigan State, Iowa, Northwestern, Florida all lost a lot worse than we did. I'd argue FSU lost worse than us, too, even though that game was two points closer. And Okie State is heading that way.
Bad year for good bowl games.

 

[irishfan]

I question if we were flat against USC, Temple, Pitt, and Stanford.

Honestly, were right at the top of the iceberg. Are offense is going to be good for a long time, we just need our D to catch up. I think that will happen soon with the amount of talent we had come in with the 15 class and will be coming in with the 16 class.

Agreed. How the hell were we flat for those three games. We were up 21-10 at the end of the 1st quarter against USC. Up 21-3 at half against Pitt. Down 21-20 at half to Stanford, who is clearly very good. We came to play those weeks.

 

[BabyIrish]

Agreed. How the hell were we flat for those three games. We were up 21-10 at the end of the 1st quarter against USC. Up 21-3 at half against Pitt. Down 21-20 at half to Stanford, who is clearly very good. We came to play those weeks.

Not to mention we scored on the first possession against Temple

 

[loomis41973]

Amazingly, our game is setting up to be about the closest of the major bowl games. A lot of "good" teams got blown out this week.

Amazingly....a loser is still a loser no matter the final score. I find ZERO solace in being the "closest" game.

 

[Wingman Ray]

Oh the irony.

BK took a kid that you claimed wasn't even good enough to play Div 1 football ANYWHERE (Kizer), and still made a New Years Bowl game. How does a 'joke' coach do that, considering that QB is the most important position in sports? Make up your mind, because it was you who said that Kizer sucked, but then BK won 9 more games with him (as a freshman) and barely lost to the #1 team in the nation on the road with him. A joke coach can't do that.

The only joke here was your post. But don't worry, I know you won't reply because you're 'scared you'll get banned by the mods if you respond' lol (in reality, you have no response).

Ok cowboy keep talking the talk you weak piece of garbage.

Yes I said Kizer sucked. After what, week 2? He came a long way in that time and improved a whole lot. Back then, his play sucked. He won with a hail mary against one of the worst teams in the nation. Since then, he has greatly improved and hopefully, his play will continue to improve as time passes.

BK has made a ton of bad calls. Playing a guy like Schmidt who shouldnt even be in D1 play when you have what the #3 ILB recruit riding the bench and hiring a joke of a DC like BVG are two of them. Sending starting players home for curfew are more foolish and egotistic mistakes.

BK won against a lot of games against low to mid teams because he has great athletes on his team. Outside of USC, there isnt a team on NDs schedule with higher ranked athletes. ND SHOULD win those games. That isnt rocket science nor time to promote BK to coach of the year. Now if he had teams like say PITT's talent and won....that is a whole new game.

Can BK coach? Sure. Does he make a ton of bad decisions based on egoism (sending starters home for missing curfew) and relationships (BVG), yes indeed he does.

And thats why ND will never be great with him at the wheel.

 

[tommyIRISH23]

Ok cowboy keep talking the talk you weak piece of garbage.

Yes I said Kizer sucked. After what, week 2? He came a long way in that time and improved a whole lot. Back then, his play sucked. He won with a hail mary against one of the worst teams in the nation. Since then, he has greatly improved and hopefully, his play will continue to improve as time passes.

BK has made a ton of bad calls. Playing a guy like Schmidt who shouldnt even be in D1 play when you have what the #3 ILB recruit riding the bench and hiring a joke of a DC like BVG are two of them. Sending starting players home for curfew are more foolish and egotistic mistakes.

BK won against a lot of games against low to mid teams because he has great athletes on his team. Outside of USC, there isnt a team on NDs schedule with higher ranked athletes. ND SHOULD win those games. That isnt rocket science nor time to promote BK to coach of the year. Now if he had teams like say PITT's talent and won....that is a whole new game.

Can BK coach? Sure. Does he make a ton of bad decisions based on egoism (sending starters home


for missing curfew) and relationships (BVG), yes indeed he does.

And thats why ND will never be great with him at the wheel.

What does ego have to do with sending a star player home for breaking rules? Rules are rules dude. Even studs have to play by rules. Holtz send stars home before big games. Meyer didn't play a star who broke a no prositute rule.

It's ok to question BK. Have at it. BVG is not lookin like a solid hire and my opinion is that Kelly will correct that hire by getting a new DC. Kelly's coaching is a solid B+/A. I do think that BK needs to take a long look at the injuries over the last two years and see if he's doing something in practice that other teams don't bc the injury bug is just flat out mystifying.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Yes BK is a good coach. Just not a great one. You can't get blown out in in 2 big time bowl games, get out coached in the FSU bowl game, and beat a meager Miami team in the Sun Bowl. He did lead a win over LSU last year, and the Miami Bowl was his first year. I was at that game in wonderful El Paso.
My bigger concern is that BK coaches quarterbacks to be turnover machines.

Tommy, Everett, Dayne, and Kizer now.

 

[WaveDomer]

Criticism is all well and good. However, you are talking about a team that just went 10 and 3 and played a Fiesta Bowl. This isn't a team with 6 wins. Criticism is one thing. Claiming we suck is just not true.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

No we don't suck at all, we just suck at at the biggest moments over and over and over.

OSU, Clemson, FSU (2 times), Stanford, Alabama, LU, Northwestern, etc.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

This just isn't BK though. As a 40 year fan of ND, got my Grad Cert. at ND---it is what we do.

Since 1988 in the biggest moments don't rise to the occasion. It has been proven over and over for 28 years. I thought in 2012 we changed our course. We haven't. Other big time Universities have. We haven't. Hate to say it, but the stats and results don't lie.

 

[Crazy Balki]

No we don't suck at all, we just suck at at the biggest moments over and over and over.

OSU, Clemson, FSU (2 times), Stanford, Alabama, LU, Northwestern, etc.

How were Louisville and NW big moments? Those were meaningless games by that point with a team that was decimated by injury and a total headcase at QB.

Can't knock us for the 2nd FSU loss, we got royally screwed over in that one. The first one, yes. Diaco brain farted that one away big time.

We also beat Stanford a few times in that time.

 

[IrishLax]

No we don't suck at all, we just suck at at the biggest moments over and over and over.

OSU, Clemson, FSU (2 times), Stanford, Alabama, LU, Northwestern, etc.

Northwestern? That was a "biggest moment"?

And you're just going to leave off 13-1 MSU, Stanford at home in OT during a perfect season, #8 Oklahoma on the road, etc. and pretend like we lose in every single big moment?

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

OSU, FSU, Auburn, Texas, Nebraska, Alabama, Florida, USC, LSU, Oklahoma, Miami, Tennessee, and Michigan all have won national champs during that time. While ND didn't win any. And the 3 times we had a chance in those 28 years we got blown out and dominated by Alabama in the championship game, blew it against BC, and got beat up by Miami.

28 years of not so much fun.

 

[WaveDomer]

OSU, FSU, Auburn, Texas, Nebraska, Alabama, Florida, USC, LSU, Oklahoma, Miami, Tennessee, and Michigan all have won national champs during that time. While ND didn't win any. And the 3 times we had a chance in those 28 years we got blown out and dominated by Alabama in the championship game, blew it against BC, and got beat up by Miami.

28 years of not so much fun.

Texas, Nebraska, USC, LSU, Auburn, Miami, Tennessee: would you rather be any of those programs right now? I wouldn't.

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

Ok, LAX how did we do the last half of last season? We had the chance to make a huge turn last season when we played NW and we choked the game away. So, that was a big moment in and in OT. We lost to ASU, NW, LU, and USC.

OK, we don't rise up in over 70% of big time games. Then again, go back and look at our rankings that proves it. It is not fun for me to say it, but it is what it is. Go back and look at us in big game for 28 years. Or look at us in the biggest of the biggest times--Bowl games.

 

[NDPhilly]

This board is unbearable right now. We just had our second 10 win season since 2006 and our obviously building a consistent 10+ win program. Chill

 

[kmoose]

Yes BK is a good coach. Just not a great one. You can't get blown out in in 2 big time bowl games, get out coached in the FSU bowl game, and beat a meager Miami team in the Sun Bowl. He did lead a win over LSU last year, and the Miami Bowl was his first year. I was at that game in wonderful El Paso.
My bigger concern is that BK coaches quarterbacks to be turnover machines.

Tommy, Everett, Dayne, and Kizer now.

Kizer is a turnover machine? I never seem to get these memos. He threw 9 INTs in 13 games in his first year of starting. I don't think that's excessive for a first year starter at all. Maybe if he was a senior who was in his third starting, but certainly not for a true sophomore in first year of playing. And especially a guy that throws downfield as much as he does.

 

[IrishLax]

Ok, LAX how did we do the last half of last season? We had the chance to make a huge turn last season when we played NW and we choked the game away. So, that was a big moment in and in OT. We lost to ASU, NW, LU, and USC.

Dude, what on earth are you talking about? Whether we win that game or not is completely irrelevant to the overall season. When you're 7-5 no one cares that you lost an OT game to NW. Like I literally don't understand your point at all, that NW game was truly one of the least meaningful games of the entire season.

OK, we don't rise up in over 70% of big time games. Then again, go back and look at our rankings that proves it. It is not fun for me to say it, but it is what it is. Go back and look at us in big game for 28 years. Or look at us in the biggest of the biggest times--Bowl games.

What do the past 28 years have to do with Brian Kelly? In Kelly's tenure, that 70% number is just total bullshit.

 

[Rhode Irish]

How is this a discussion? Fans are crazy. To be fair, it's not just ND fans. Every fan base is, collectively, emotionally unstable and laughably reactionary.

 

[IrishLax]

This thread is truly unbearable. I'm done. The rest of you enjoy your logic and fact optional bitchfest about a season where we went 10-3 with the only losses to top 5 teams AND damn near two dozen injuries. What a fucking joke.