BK stays at ND

[anarin]

Dude, I love you too but Lacy one arm launched Spond..

Haha true story

 

[irisheyes]

is there any update yet? Any word from kelly yet?

 

[Patulski]

Manti whiffed about ten times in that game. Plays that "an elite linebacker" should make. He simply didn't. Manti was a top recruit. He had top stats. He had top physical characteristics. He just sucked that game.

EDIT: It also looks like that might NOT have been the perfect call. He was gunning for the quarterback, that wasn't a run blitz. He tried to redirect at the last minute but was already too far up field.

Manti also was dealing with gap lengths that he had not experienced all year. Look at the first touchdown run below. Shembo is supposed to push their DT into the A gap. Instead, their tackle completely seals Shembo and then pushes him back, creating a huge gap. Manti had to honor the misdirection of the H back, but he makes that play if the gap is smaller and more towards him like it was supposed to be. Shembo simply got owned.

If you don't think a guy like Troy Polamalu in his college days wouldn't have made that tackle, then we will just have to agree to disagree. Motta has a huge gap to see the play developing. He simply wasn't quick and strong enough to deal with Lacy.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yAvQi7p84U8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[chicago51]

Wilbon is licking his chops either way. Either ND will be racist for extending a white coach's contract, or the Eagles will be racist for hiring him over Lovie Smith.

The truth about Wilbon (NW alum) is that he is upset that Northwestern has never had the success that ND has despite ND having simular standards. ND is has been fortunate to have the tradition and resources NW doesn't have. That does not mean though you have to hate on ND taking advantage of the resources they have. You don't have to love ND was a NW alum but there is no reason you have to hate them either.

 

[Me2SouthBend]

BK is going to be our coach....

Assistants are going to he paid....

Longo is going to feed these guys twice as much...

Kelly is going to get Lou Holtz academic flexibility.

BK knows what went down Monday night. His players were in the right places but got out muscled. He's going to negotiate for everything he needs to do to compete at the highest level.

We've missed on a lot more "AQMs" then we know about.

Today WILL be a good day to be Irish!

I approve of this message.

 

[Domina Nostra]

I think people also need to keep in mind that institutions have momentum and drag. If you want to get results, you often have to create some immediacy to the situation. I wonder if even Swarbrick prefers this situation, to the alternative.

Its the difference between:

Kelly: Hey Jack, I think we did pretty darn good this year, how about talking about some changes.
Jack: Great. I will get my assistant to get Fr. Jenkins, and the Board, and the big donors together. Looks like April is going to be the first time we can all sit down together. We'll get some feelers and info out in the meantime. How does that sound?

and...

Jack: Hey, everyone, listen up. We just went to a NC and we may lose Brian unless we can commit to doing x, y, and z. The NFL wants him and signing day is approaching. We have to resolve this, now.

 

[TDHeysus]

most of the non-ESPN radio I listened to yesterday was implying there this is a total negotiating ploy by BK and I havent heard one media person say, whose opinion i respect, that BK is going to leave. Pretty much everyone saying there is absolutely no way that BK is seriously considering leaving ND.

take it FWIW, but it made me think that maybe we (IE) have blown this a little out of proportion. I think Anzalone's unfortunate timing heightened everyone's anxiety and it was a runaway train at that point. As others have said, maybe AA was effected by this, maybe not, but good riddance either way, he didnt want to be here.

I'm gonna go with the idea that BK is an ND man, and wouldnt brush aside ND for the NFL. For me, he has shown that he deserves the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.

Kelly isnt leaving...but the man and his assistants deserve a bump in their pay bucket(s).

 

[Who'saWildManNow]

I approve of this message.

Haha Keith Arnold approves! I certainly hope so.. I just don't see Kelly bolting after all the work he's put in. Why would he want to bust his *** flipping this program for 3 years only to get it on stable ground and hand the keys to a porsche to some other guy?

I don't know.. I could be wrong but I would think he'd want to see this thing through for while longer.

Also, I'd be sick to my stomach if he went to the Eagles.....

 

[rtrn2glory]

Wilbon is licking his chops either way. Either ND will be racist for extending a white coach's contract, or the Eagles will be racist for hiring him over Lovie Smith.

also, see stephen a. smith...that's right no italics

 

[btown35]

If he did leave you would have to think with the talent on this roster it would be a real attractive job! The starting QB just went 12-1 and the #1 high school QB from last year is his backup!

 

[Domina Nostra]

also, see stephen a. smith...that's right no italics

He did go 12-1 and earn an NC birth. That's a pretty objective fact to justify ND's actions.

 

[FearTheBeard]

I understand why he wants it, but I disagree that he should be allowed to have it. I wasn't around Irish Envy when everyone was talking about #1 in the BCS and #1 in graduation rate, but I can imagine it was something everyone was pretty damn proud of. The whole "point" of Notre Dame is that Notre Dame is supposed to do it the "right way."

Either way, even if we started admitting big dummies from Baton Rouge and Birmingham, they still have to choose to come here, which I still don't see happening with the "extra curricular" activities offered by SEC schools on recruiting trips.

Is it even true Kelly is wanting to lessen the academic requirements to get in or is this just another rumor? I can understand why he would but he is recruiting very well so far this year with just the way they are.

 

[Chris P. Bacon]

If he did leave you would have to think with the talent on this roster it would be a real attractive job! The starting QB just went 12-1 and the #1 high school QB from last year is his backup!

^Agreed

It's not like we would have to be going to our 4th and 5th option after a season like we just had. Thanks to BK, this job is a very attractive one once again.

 

[wizards8507]

Is it even true Kelly is wanting to lessen the academic requirements to get in or is this just another rumor? I can understand why he would but he is recruiting very well so far this year with just the way they are.

The problem with "relaxing academic standards" is because people assume we don't do that already. The difference is:

Notre Dame- Relaxed academic standards mean we allow legitimate college-caliber students into an elite academic institution that they wouldn't have gotten into otherwise.

Alabama et al- Relaxed academic standards mean they admit students who, if not for football, probably wouldn't have any business at ANY four-year school whatsoever.

I don't think BK wants the Alabama version of things, but he's done some subtle bellyaching that indicates he might want to just slide our scale down a few dozen SAT points.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Is it even true Kelly is wanting to lessen the academic requirements to get in or is this just another rumor? I can understand why he would but he is recruiting very well so far this year with just the way they are.

It's rumored that he wants more "flexibility" with admissions, akin to what Holtz enjoyed. That wouldn't mean a global lowering of the bar for admitting football players, but it would probably mean accepting several more borderline prospects every year.

And while Kelly has been recruiting very well, after the NCG, he's seen the types of athletes he needs to be recruiting at every position to be able to compete with the likes of 'Bama. BK may very well be correct that he needs more flexibility if ND is ever going to bring home the crystal football.

 

[PraetorianND]

most of the non-ESPN radio I listened to yesterday was implying there this is a total negotiating ploy by BK and I havent heard one media person say, whose opinion i respect, that BK is going to leave. Pretty much everyone saying there is absolutely no way that BK is seriously considering leaving ND.

take it FWIW, but it made me think that maybe we (IE) have blown this a little out of proportion. I think Anzalone's unfortunate timing heightened everyone's anxiety and it was a runaway train at that point. As others have said, maybe AA was effected by this, maybe not, but good riddance either way, he didnt want to be here.

I'm gonna go with the idea that BK is an ND man, and wouldnt brush aside ND for the NFL. For me, he has shown that he deserves the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.

Kelly isnt leaving...but the man and his assistants deserve a bump in their pay bucket(s).

You're completely right. After sleeping on everything that happened with BK and AA I feel a lot better about it.

AA was going to go to Florida. Yes MAYBE he was like 51% ND and 49% Florida and BK interviewing and the NCG swayed him to Florida. We don't really know if that's the case but I have a feeling that he didn't want to decommit again because it would look bad on him. By leaving as a result of something out of his control he could save face and go to where he really wanted to go all along.

I'm ok with AA leaving. I hope he succeeds and I know how hard it can be to pick a school. When I was going to college I had to pick between three schools. I picked one school and switched and then regretted it. By the time I realized my mistake it was too late and the door had closed on the other opportunity. To this day I wonder what my life would have been like had I picked the other school. That's not to say I made a bad choice but as an 18 year old I didn't know what was best. I still don't. What I'm trying to say is that AA leaving could have been because of BK's interview or it could have been that AA is just an indecisive person and he doesn't really know what he/his parents want. He is just trying to find a fit and maybe he was forcing it at ND when in fact he felt most comfortable at Florida. All good, best of luck to him.

BK interviewing. Chip interviewed and didn't take a job, Miles flirted, etc, etc. This is the nature of the business. As much as it hurts us it doesn't lessen BK in my eyes. Yes it's painful and it feels dishonest, but that's the way the business goes. I predict BK comes back not only because he wants to be at ND but because we don't even know if Philly wants him. BK is a good coach and he has done a TON for this program. We just had an undefeated regular season and we have an incredible, mind blowing recruiting class (even without AA). There is a chance that the class can get even better anyway (especially if we #TakeAllUSCsRecruits).

I need to start practicing meditation because I'm sure this will blow over and I'll feel silly for stressing over it..... Or it won't and then ****.

Go Irish!

 

[Buster Bluth]

The problem with "relaxing academic standards" is because people assume we don't do that already. The difference is:

Notre Dame- Relaxed academic standards mean we allow legitimate college-caliber students into an elite academic institution that they wouldn't have gotten into otherwise.

Alabama et al- Relaxed academic standards mean they admit students who, if not for football, probably wouldn't have any business at ANY four-year school whatsoever.

I don't think BK wants the Alabama version of things, but he's done some subtle bellyaching that indicates he might want to just slide our scale down a few dozen SAT points.

That's only one interpretation, it could also mean taking kids who are missing a credit or too, especially through no fault of their own. A kid can get by if he didn't have all of his foreign language credits. A kid can get by if he has to take calculus in the summer.

Kids will fail in college because of character flaws in addition to being...not bright. The SEC can take the real "borderline kids" because they don't care if they graduate, they'll just sign thirty the next season too.

 

[rikkitikki08]

If he leaves it is what it is....but i would still really like for this to be over with

 

[Whiskeyjack]

That's only one interpretation, it could also mean taking kids who are missing a credit or too, especially through no fault of their own. A kid can get by if he didn't have all of his foreign language credits. A kid can get by if he has to take calculus in the summer.

Kids will fail in college because of character flaws in addition to being...not bright. The SEC can take the real "borderline kids" because they don't care if they graduate, they'll just sign thirty the next season too.

Exactly. AQM is the perfect example of this; a high character kid from an academically rigorous, Catholic football powerhouse who wanted to be here badly. At the last minute, we learn that he's lacking a core class due to a transfer earlier in his high school career. Given all the advantages SEC schools enjoy over us in recruiting, ND's margin for error is very small. We can't be passing on guys like AQM if we ever want to beat 'Bama.

 

[Patulski]

I think people also need to keep in mind that institutions have momentum and drag. If you want to get results, you often have to create some immediacy to the situation. I wonder if even Swarbrick prefers this situation, to the alternative.

Its the difference between:

Kelly: Hey Jack, I think we did pretty darn good this year, how about talking about some changes.
Jack: Great. I will get my assistant to get Fr. Jenkins, and the Board, and the big donors together. Looks like April is going to be the first time we can all sit down together. We'll get some feelers and info out in the meantime. How does that sound?

and...

Jack: Hey, everyone, listen up. We just went to a NC and we may lose Brian unless we can commit to doing x, y, and z. The NFL wants him and signing day is approaching. We have to resolve this, now.

Here's a direct quote of Swarbrick's after the BCS game:

We haven't had that (NFL) conversation while we're preparing for a national championship. We always sit down at the end of the season and discuss every aspect of the program, top to bottom. There's no rush to do it.

I certainly hope Swarbrick feels a greater sense of immediacy today. On the other hand, he is only as powerful as Jenkins and the BOT allow him to be.

 

[gkIrish]

Exactly. AQM is the perfect example of this; a high character kid from an academically rigorous, Catholic football powerhouse who wanted to be here badly. At the last minute, we learn that he's lacking a core class due to a transfer earlier in his high school career. Given all the advantages SEC schools enjoy over us in recruiting, ND's margin for error is very small. We can't be passing on guys like AQM if we ever want to beat 'Bama.

Any chance AQM flips if Kelly gets some more academic flexibility w/ an extension?

 

[wizards8507]

Here's a direct quote of Swarbrick's after the BCS game:


I certainly hope Swarbrick feels a greater sense of immediacy today. On the other hand, he is only as powerful as Jenkins and the BOT allow him to be.

I question this whole line of thinking (and I know I'm in the minority). Everyone seems to be thinking Swarbrick's reaction should/will be "Oh crap, this guy is serious about going to the NFL so we better pay up." If I'm Swarbrick, I'm thinking the exact opposite. I'm thinking "Wow, this guy was obviously talking to NFL teams in the days leading up to our biggest game in 25 years. What a d**k. I'm not sure he's the kind of leader we want around our kids."

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Any chance AQM flips if Kelly gets some more academic flexibility w/ an extension?

No clue, but if that's part of what Kelly is angling for, I wouldn't count it out. AQM's inability to get in may have been one of the driving factors behind this showdown.

 

[wizards8507]

EDIT: Double post.

 

[PraetorianND]

I question this whole line of thinking. Why would Swarbrick say "Oh wow this guy is serious about the NFL so we better pay up"? From all indications he was READY to pay up. Instead, my reaction to this (from Swarbrick's perspective) would be, "Wow, this guy was talking to NFL teams in the days leading up to our biggest game in 25 years. Not sure he's the kind of leader we want around our kids."

How do you know he was ready to pay up?

How do you know he was talking to NFL teams before the NCG? I remember him saying that they talked to his agent and his agent didn't tell him until the day after the NCG.

 

[Irish#1]

trust me when i tell you we have academic exceptions for the program.
about 2 per yr sometimes 3.
have had since CW.
maybe kelly wants more-who knows.
for these select few recruits, its not just a gpa, or a sat/act score type thing that is evaluated...its having a LOT of admissions people meet with an assess strictly on an individual basis if they think at the end of the day that individual can make it to the ND finish line (graduate and represent us after they leave), exhibit certain character traits, evaluate things beyond football after having met these kids in person. in short-they are making a judgement call on a kid. get a feel for their EQ, as well as their IQ. some kids may not be "book smart" but have phds in street smarts and maturity that if in our environment could really be mutually beneficial. its and art not a science to be sure.
do you think all these kids who take weekend long visits just spend the whole weekend at the Gug? if they are borderline they are being evaluated the whole time they are there.

Exceptions started back with Holtz. Tony Rice was one of them and look how he turned out, great player and great student.

 

[Grahambo]

Exactly. AQM is the perfect example of this; a high character kid from an academically rigorous, Catholic football powerhouse who wanted to be here badly. At the last minute, we learn that he's lacking a core class due to a transfer earlier in his high school career. Given all the advantages SEC schools enjoy over us in recruiting, ND's margin for error is very small. We can't be passing on guys like AQM if we ever want to beat 'Bama.

I don't view it as relaxing standards. To me, that's more adjusting the standards and making it a little more reasonable. Which, as we've seen, needs to be done in order to compete.

 

[Domina Nostra]

I question this whole line of thinking (and I know I'm in the minority). Everyone seems to be thinking Swarbrick's reaction should/will be "Oh crap, this guy is serious about going to the NFL so we better pay up." If I'm Swarbrick, I'm thinking the exact opposite. I'm thinking "Wow, this guy was obviously talking to NFL teams in the days leading up to our biggest game in 25 years. What a d**k. I'm not sure he's the kind of leader we want around our kids."

Swarbrick might think that for about 5 seconds, and then compare that to the total craziness of a coaching search and get over it.

Plus, I am not sure why everyone think Swarbrick is 100% ND. I think he's applied for the NCAA President's job. Like Kelly, he has in on-board with ND's vision and loves his job, but he is not wed to the school.

I think Swarbrick knows exactly who he is dealing with in BK, and will do what it takes to keep him since it is in ND's interests.

 

[Irish#1]

trust me when i tell you we have academic exceptions for the program.
about 2 per yr sometimes 3.
have had since CW.
maybe kelly wants more-who knows.
for these select few recruits, its not just a gpa, or a sat/act score type thing that is evaluated...its having a LOT of admissions people meet with an assess strictly on an individual basis if they think at the end of the day that individual can make it to the ND finish line (graduate and represent us after they leave), exhibit certain character traits, evaluate things beyond football after having met these kids in person. in short-they are making a judgement call on a kid. get a feel for their EQ, as well as their IQ. some kids may not be "book smart" but have phds in street smarts and maturity that if in our environment could really be mutually beneficial. its and art not a science to be sure.
do you think all these kids who take weekend long visits just spend the whole weekend at the Gug? if they are borderline they are being evaluated the whole time they are there.

No clue, but if that's part of what Kelly is angling for, I wouldn't count it out. AQM's inability to get in may have been one of the driving factors behind this showdown.

How would that be if relaxed standards were made and AQM flipped to us at the last minute like AA did to us!?

 

[NDdomer2]

How do we know BK isn't solidly comitted? Anyone talked to him?