Ask Merckxe525 aka Dear Abby

[IrishLion]

re: coach Kelly. I think that finding that his old successful pattern of "program organizer and details manager and hands-on-everything top gun" didn't work at this final top level, really rattled his self image and view of his whole world. I don't think that he knew how to deal with that now that he realized he wasn't able to control all the complexities top-down. I know this will be unpopular, but I admire that he at least tried to get out of the way of some parts of the function. He never had to do that, so he wasn't very good at how to exactly do that; plus it must have been a somewhat depressing lower energy time. And I believe that by going to LSU he thought that he might be able to wiggle past his own limitations by being gifted (relatively speaking) with more high octane horses, that his style couldn't get here. Whether he was/is correct about any of that is not the point; it is what HE felt in my opinion.

I don't even think it's as complicated as his approach of running everything, down to the minuscule details, was something where he fell short short and decided to solve that problem by looking elsewhere.

It's as simple as BK got tired of not getting over the hump at ND, so he went somewhere with an easier road. That's it. Dude picked a spot where he wasn't going to have to do extra lifting all the time... and there's nothing wrong with that!

Less roadblocks to recruiting success, fewer stress points related to academics, and (what he thought would be) greater administrative support... why wouldn't you make that move if you felt you had gotten all you could out of your previous stop, and wanted to take one last swing at a national title run?

 

[BuaConstrictor]

I wish I never read the Manti stuff in here lol. Just delete it from my brain.

 

[Punky]

I don't even think it's as complicated as his approach of running everything, down to the minuscule details, was something where he fell short short and decided to solve that problem by looking elsewhere.

It's as simple as BK got tired of not getting over the hump at ND, so he went somewhere with an easier road. That's it. Dude picked a spot where he wasn't going to have to do extra lifting all the time... and there's nothing wrong with that!

Less roadblocks to recruiting success, fewer stress points related to academics, and (what he thought would be) greater administrative support... why wouldn't you make that move if you felt you had gotten all you could out of your previous stop, and wanted to take one last swing at a national title run?

Okra sharpens okra

 

[Old Man Mike]

I used to grow Okra in my roof garden. Takes great attention to detail --- otherwise you get crap as a product.

 

[Irish#1]

For all of those that fear that we could scare off the insiders, is there a way to limit the amount of questions posed each day? for those that were afraid that the occasional off-topic post/ humorous post was off putting to our knowledgeable friends, I will say that the amount of questions being posed are a bit overwhelming. Don't care either way and I appreciate the info being presented by our knowledgeable mates but gents, let's get your hands out of your shorts for a few moments and allow the fellas to catch up.

I will add there have been a few redundant questions.

 

[Irish4life]

Counter: Les Miles and Ed O won national titles at LSU. If they can, BK can.

Re: Kirby....depending on how the SEC schedule and CFP falls, he may never even have to face him to win one.

I somewhat pushback against the "big game" stuff with BK. He has won a lot of "big games" in his career, but when he's at a clear talent disadvantage he doesn't do great at working around it. Another reason LSU is great for him. Less chances for that to happen.

It's tough to point to a "big game" that BK lost at ND where ND was expected to or should have won the game. Especially over the last..5 years of his tenure. The real exceptions to that are Miami '17 and Michigan in '19...but every great "big game" coach has warts too. Urban has been boat raced by Purdue and Iowa. Etc.

Feel like Les Miles gets a bit unfairly dragged for how his tenure at LSU ended...but the guy was a great coach for his era. Just wouldn't/couldn't adapt to the spread/RPO offenses that started dominating CFB.

 

[BuaConstrictor]

Rees mistakenly felt he could smooth out the rough edges of Buchner’s game.

Also didn't help that Buchner decided to change his entire throwing motion...what a cluster fuck that was when the staff found out. Buchner is damn lucky he hadn't unveiled that new motion sooner and it was the middle of COVID.....ND would have pulled the offer....they just had no other targets to move onto because of the pandemic and contact restrictions.

 

[PNW Irishman]

I wish I never read the Manti stuff in here lol. Just delete it from my brain.

That’s exactly how I feel about the Saban info.

 

[Dale]

Did any assistant coach leave ND because they thought they would eventually get fired? Meaning their results may have been short lived or dependent on another coach or certain player, so they beat the posse out of town first

 

[BuaConstrictor]

Did any assistant coach leave ND because they thought they would eventually get fired? Meaning their results may have been short lived or dependent on another coach or certain player, so they beat the posse out of town first

Lots of examples, but most often, just given the way coaching circles work is the current staff lets the coach know they will be let go and allows them to actively pursue other jobs behind the scenes. A lot (most?) times the current school even assists the coach in finding another job via networking and what not.

Even in cases like the one you lay out, it's less lone wolf and more collaborative between the coach and the school he is currently working with.

 

[Dale]

DeBoer, Whittingham, Leipold, Klieman, Kiffin, Fickell, Fleck, Dillingham, Aranda, Campbell, Clawson, Mark Stoops, Ferentz, Fisch.

If you’re old and white, cmon on down! Favorite movie is Rudy

 

[zelezo vlk]

Fisch intrigues me, as I never knew of any ND connection and actually only knew of Michigan/Harbaugh ties.

 

[SoIll]

DeBoer, Whittingham, Leipold, Klieman, Kiffin, Fickell, Fleck, Dillingham, Aranda, Campbell, Clawson, Mark Stoops, Ferentz, Fisch.

I know this to be fact. My boss played with PJ at NIU. Still buddies. He wants the ND job bad.

 

[Irish2155]

I think BK is a damn good football coach too, and LSU is a perfect place for him. But I really doubt he'll ever win a Natty. A.) He's proven over 15+ years he can't get his team up for big games. B.) As long as Kirby is at UGA, BK won't win one. Kirby and UGA is the perfect example of a team that BK will never be able to get past. He beats who he should, and pretty much loses all toss up games.

Don’t necessarily disagree but I do think he’ll get another one of those generational QBs (Daniels being the first) that no one can stop. He probably has 2 or 3 more legit chances at a title.

BK’s years imo could never just piece the puzzle together. When the O had a stout OL, we can’t throw. When we can score, we can’t stop. He just could never build a complete team in all aspects.

 

[GreenGemsOmally]

Don’t necessarily disagree but I do think he’ll get another one of those generational QBs (Daniels being the first) that no one can stop. He probably has 2 or 3 more legit chances at a title.

BK’s years imo could never just piece the puzzle together. When the O had a stout OL, we can’t throw. When we can score, we can’t stop. He just could never build a complete team in all aspects.

I agree that he could never quite put the puzzle together but he hasn't really shown to be breaking that pattern at LSU. Elite offense, but garbage defense, for example. I live in Louisiana and the number of times I've heard people say "oh just wait until next year" has me with PTSD flashes.

 

[NDWarrior]

I really wish we would have seen him as an OC/QB coach with better raw materials. For all the talk of not being great at QB development, he made Drew Pyne palatable. That has to count for something!

I really would have loved to seen him at ND with this stable of passers.

oh yeah, forgot about Drew Pyne, another 3-star Rees did wonders with. Yes, that's the one area I gave him kudos for - Development, contrary to what others say. But thank you for shedding light on the BK behaviors that held him back in recruiting domain.

 

[Irishdawg]

I know this to be fact. My boss played with PJ at NIU. Still buddies. He wants the ND job bad.

Row the Currach

 

[ColinKSU]

- While Brown is a known developer of wide receivers, he doesn’t have a magnetic personality. As a result, he simply didn’t mesh well with a few targets.

The best can do both, but I wonder what’s more important for a WR coach at Notre Dame’s level of the sport. Grinding to develop the kind of room you need to win a national title is definitely playing on hard mode.

 

[NDWarrior]

So maybe I missed it but anything specific to why/how Tommy went with TB over JJ McCarthy? Just went with a hunch who would work out better and that he could - as you said earlier in this channel - smooth out TB's rough passing edges? Or, did BK somehow shit on that pursuit as well?

 

[DrParnell42]

It can be hard to keep up with your questions; so, if I’ve missed any, follow-up.

Merck,

You're doing great!

 

[BuaConstrictor]

So maybe I missed it but anything specific to why/how Tommy went with TB over JJ McCarthy?

People make a big deal of this but forget that both JJ and TB were essentially 5* level guys. Either school would have been happy with either. Buchner was seen as the better athlete and more explosive so ND liked that. Buchner's ranking tumble down to near 100 was only after his horrendous showing at Elite 11 with a new arm angle.

It's easy with 20/20 vision to say they should have taken JJ but there were very few people not ecstatic when ND landed Buchner's commitment and for a while he was a 5* kid depending on the service.

Sometimes recruits don't pan out. Simple as that. Someone doesn't always have to be "at fault". Shit happens.

 

[NDWarrior]

People make a big deal of this but forget that both JJ and TB were essentially 5* level guys. Either school would have been happy with either. Buchner was seen as the better athlete and more explosive so ND liked that. Buchner's ranking tumble down to near 100 was only after his horrendous showing at Elite 11 with a new arm angle.

It's easy with 20/20 vision to say they should have taken JJ but there were very few people not ecstatic when ND landed Buchner's commitment and for a while he was a 5* kid depending on the service.

Sometimes recruits don't pan out. Simple as that. Someone doesn't always have to be "at fault". Shit happens.

Agreed, and thanks for the take on this.

 

[PolishDomer]

Are there coaches of other programs that we as fans don't realize have a real affinity/affection for ND? It's easy to connect the dots w/r/t Urban or even Saban, but I'm curious about other names.

Andy Ludwig, but limited to ND Hockey

 

[INLaw]

It can be hard to keep up with your questions; so, if I’ve missed any, follow-up

This guy asked an interesting question…

Suit claims Notre Dame academic coach coerced athletes into having sex with her daughter

Faculty member arranged encounters in exchange for academic favors, suit says. University says allegations unfounded.

www.indystar.com

If you cant answer that is fine

 

[SeekNDestroy]

People make a big deal of this but forget that both JJ and TB were essentially 5* level guys. Either school would have been happy with either. Buchner was seen as the better athlete and more explosive so ND liked that. Buchner's ranking tumble down to near 100 was only after his horrendous showing at Elite 11 with a new arm angle.

It's easy with 20/20 vision to say they should have taken JJ but there were very few people not ecstatic when ND landed Buchner's commitment and for a while he was a 5* kid depending on the service.

Sometimes recruits don't pan out. Simple as that. Someone doesn't always have to be "at fault". Shit happens.

Also, QB is probably the most difficult position to project for future success. There are just too many variables involved.

 

[Kingbish01]

Counter: Les Miles and Ed O won national titles at LSU. If they can, BK can.

Re: Kirby....depending on how the SEC schedule and CFP falls, he may never even have to face him to win one.

I somewhat pushback against the "big game" stuff with BK. He has won a lot of "big games" in his career, but when he's at a clear talent disadvantage he doesn't do great at working around it. Another reason LSU is great for him. Less chances for that to happen.

It's tough to point to a "big game" that BK lost at ND where ND was expected to or should have won the game. Especially over the last..5 years of his tenure. The real exceptions to that are Miami '17 and Michigan in '19...but every great "big game" coach has warts too. Urban has been boat raced by Purdue and Iowa. Etc.

All good points, and with the playoffs you may be right about LSU not having to go through UGA because even in the SECCG it wouldn't matter who wins...Both would be in. As for Les, that was 20 years ago and pre Saban or year one Saban. And Ed got Lucky as hell with that '19 team so I guess BK could also be lucky, but Stevie Wonder could have coached that team to a Natty.

As for big game BK....the only game that comes to mind that he was able to pull off was OU in Prime time early in his career at ND. I can't think of another one off the top of my head. Oh, he beat Clemson without their star QB in 2020 only for said QB to get healthy and come back and drill him by 4 TDs.....and then a week later Bama. I agree, Urban and Saban both have ugly losses but they also have amazing wins. All jokes aside...at ND is BK's biggest win against OU in Norman in 2012 or The 2020 Clemson game that took 2 OT's to knockout a DJ Uiagalelei led team? I'm not thinking of any of the USC wins when they were in the dumps during the majority of his time at ND, because Lord knows what Pistol Pete would have done to him.

 

[KPENN]

All good points, and with the playoffs you may be right about LSU not having to go through UGA because even in the SECCG it wouldn't matter who wins...Both would be in. As for Les, that was 20 years ago and pre Saban or year one Saban. And Ed got Lucky as hell with that '19 team so I guess BK could also be lucky, but Stevie Wonder could have coached that team to a Natty.

As for big game BK....the only game that comes to mind that he was able to pull off was OU in Prime time early in his career at ND. I can't think of another one off the top of my head. Oh, he beat Clemson without their star QB in 2020 only for said QB to get healthy and come back and drill him by 4 TDs.....and then a week later Bama. I agree, Urban and Saban both have ugly losses but they also have amazing wins. All jokes aside...at ND is BK's biggest win against OU in Norman in 2012 or The 2020 Clemson game that took 2 OT's to knockout a DJ Uiagalelei led team? I'm not thinking of any of the USC wins when they were in the dumps during the majority of his time at ND, because Lord knows what Pistol Pete would have done to him.

2017-2021 greatly distorted people’s view on Brian Kelly. What was their best win in that stretch outside of the Clemson game? 2018 Michigan? FFS they lost to Cincy by 2 scores in a top 10 game at home.

 

[KPENN]

Counter: Les Miles and Ed O won national titles at LSU. If they can, BK can.

Re: Kirby....depending on how the SEC schedule and CFP falls, he may never even have to face him to win one.

I somewhat pushback against the "big game" stuff with BK. He has won a lot of "big games" in his career, but when he's at a clear talent disadvantage he doesn't do great at working around it. Another reason LSU is great for him. Less chances for that to happen.

It's tough to point to a "big game" that BK lost at ND where ND was expected to or should have won the game. Especially over the last..5 years of his tenure. The real exceptions to that are Miami '17 and Michigan in '19...but every great "big game" coach has warts too. Urban has been boat raced by Purdue and Iowa. Etc.

They won titles in very different playoff systems though. BK doesn’t have a BCS/New Year’s 6/playoff win in 15 years at LSU and ND. I can’t see him rattling off 3 in a row

 

[Dale]

What was their best win in that stretch outside of the Clemson game? 2018 Michigan? FFS they lost to Cincy by 2 scores in a top 10 game at home.

It all looks mediocre compared to an Orange and a Sugar but there are certainly plenty of big wins in that stretch.

He rarely if ever pulled off a upset but plenty of those games were “big” in the moment

 

[zelezo vlk]

2017 Sparty and USC were good wins. Shoot 2013 Sparty won the Rose Bowl, people just underrated them at the time