Brian Kelly Revisited (RIP BOZO)

[Irish du Nord]

I wonder if Brian Kelly reads the observer?

https://ndsmcobserver.com/2021/02/a...-or-developing-young-talent-pick-your-poison/

There's a better chance that the observer writers read IE

 

[Rogue219]

I have thought for the last 2-3 years that Kelly just seems worn out and tired from it all. Maybe I'm wrong. The last few times I've seen him publicly, which were after the Clemson and Alabama games as well as last week on NLOI Day; he seems aggrevated and doesn't want to answer questions that I consider viable with regards to what the program needs to do in order to reach the mountaintop.

They seem resigned to their fate of being at base camp one and if they don't get to the summit, it's okay.

It's just a weird signal he's giving off lately. Maybe it is my perception of it. Am I alone?

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

I have thought for the last 2-3 years that Kelly just seems worn out and tired from it all. Maybe I'm wrong. The last few times I've seen him publicly, which were after the Clemson and Alabama games as well as last week on NLOI Day; he seems aggrevated and doesn't want to answer questions that I consider viable with regards to what the program needs to do in order to reach the mountaintop.

They seem resigned to their fate of being at base camp one and if they don't get to the summit, it's okay.

It's just a weird signal he's giving off lately. Maybe it is my perception of it. Am I alone?

Someone posted on another thread that he appears to be in a better mood when he is talking to the national journalists but appears to be shorter as of late with the local beat. I would agree with your comments that he seems more aggravated when he's talking to the local folks, probably just sick of the routine.

 

[IrishLion]

I have thought for the last 2-3 years that Kelly just seems worn out and tired from it all. Maybe I'm wrong. The last few times I've seen him publicly, which were after the Clemson and Alabama games as well as last week on NLOI Day; he seems aggrevated and doesn't want to answer questions that I consider viable with regards to what the program needs to do in order to reach the mountaintop.

They seem resigned to their fate of being at base camp one and if they don't get to the summit, it's okay.

It's just a weird signal he's giving off lately. Maybe it is my perception of it. Am I alone?

I get it, but his actions don't really match 'worst case scenario' worries.

If he were resigned to accepting the current ceiling of the program (12-0 when things break right, but still not good enough to beat Bama or Clemson), he wouldn't have gone out and battled LSU for Freeman. He would've made an easier hire after the initial drama, and Freeman would be in the rearview.

And honestly, I think ND grabbing Jack Coan from the portal is another sign that he knows they're on the cusp, and means to keep banging on the door. Coan his a high-floor, low-ceiling guy. A different player than Ian Book, but can provide similar results if you take care of business on the OL and on defense.

They probably know that Pyne isn't a game-wrecker, and they can't risk putting all their eggs in the Buchner basket immediately... so they grab a QB that can manage things for a very talented but inexperienced roster, and hope that it provides enough stability to win 10+ again, maybe more if they hit the lottery at WR somehow.

TL;DR
You don't get into a bidding war for Freeman or take Jack Coan as an insurance policy for the offense if you don't think you can reload and win a bunch again, IMO.

 

[Rogue219]

I get it, but his actions don't really match 'worst case scenario' worries.

If he were resigned to accepting the current ceiling of the program (12-0 when things break right, but still not good enough to beat Bama or Clemson), he wouldn't have gone out and battled LSU for Freeman. He would've made an easier hire after the initial drama, and Freeman would be in the rearview.

And honestly, I think ND grabbing Jack Coan from the portal is another sign that he knows they're on the cusp, and means to keep banging on the door. Coan his a high-floor, low-ceiling guy. A different player than Ian Book, but can provide similar results if you take care of business on the OL and on defense.

They probably know that Pyne isn't a game-wrecker, and they can't risk putting all their eggs in the Buchner basket immediately... so they grab a QB that can manage things for a very talented but inexperienced roster, and hope that it provides enough stability to win 10+ again, maybe more if they hit the lottery at WR somehow.

TL;DR
You don't get into a bidding war for Freeman or take Jack Coan as an insurance policy for the offense if you don't think you can reload and win a bunch again, IMO.

The commentary he has made recently regarding recruiting really concerns me most. Last week he basically introduced his assistant coaches and didn't take any questions on Signing Day. Granted, all of the action took place in December for ND, but it still felt like a kind of "whatever" from them. Brian Polian said something about finishing top ten in recruiting but top 5 on the field. I mean, you can ask Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma and they will tell you that you can be top five in BOTH.

I think their narrative about the program, recruiting in particular, and the way he's acting toward the pundits just isn't a great look from where I sit. All this guy is missing is a title and if they could string together a couple of classes that are a bit better than normal, they're right there.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Successful programs don't have to rebuild every three to four years. They reload. That's what BK is doing. Why on Earth, would anyone think that the coaches and players want to "play for the next year?" That's crazy talk. You know what sets the program up for continued success year after year....winning. Next year's schedule is set up for ND to win a lot of games regardless of reloading. Keep winning, keep recruiting, keep developing players. That's all ND needs to do and I guarantee that's all that is on BK's mind.

 

[NDohio]

The commentary he has made recently regarding recruiting really concerns me most. Last week he basically introduced his assistant coaches and didn't take any questions on Signing Day. Granted, all of the action took place in December for ND, but it still felt like a kind of "whatever" from them. Brian Polian said something about finishing top ten in recruiting but top 5 on the field. I mean, you can ask Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma and they will tell you that you can be top five in BOTH.

I think their narrative about the program, recruiting in particular, and the way he's acting toward the pundits just isn't a great look from where I sit. All this guy is missing is a title and if they could string together a couple of classes that are a bit better than normal, they're right there.

Clemson has really gotten the players the last two recruiting cycles to put them in the top five, but they historically were not top five. Oklahoma is ranked below ND for 2021 and haven't had a top five recruiting class for a while.

I agree with Lion - I think BK is tired of the local media but seems all in on getting ND over to the next level.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

The commentary he has made recently regarding recruiting really concerns me most. Last week he basically introduced his assistant coaches and didn't take any questions on Signing Day. Granted, all of the action took place in December for ND, but it still felt like a kind of "whatever" from them. Brian Polian said something about finishing top ten in recruiting but top 5 on the field. I mean, you can ask Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma and they will tell you that you can be top five in BOTH.

I think their narrative about the program, recruiting in particular, and the way he's acting toward the pundits just isn't a great look from where I sit. All this guy is missing is a title and if they could string together a couple of classes that are a bit better than normal, they're right there.

I don't disagree with your observations but I also don't think they are indicative of his approach to the football program itself. Winning 85% of your games over the last four years and continuously fending off negativity from the local guys is probably pretty tiresome. If you're winning enough you don't need the beat guys on your side anyway.

But the national guys do affect the perception of your program.

 

[Rogue219]

I don't really follow the program by way of Rivals, 247, etc. any longer. I don't know what kind of relationship he has with the regular local beat guys, but I know that the reality is they get to the big games and have not been close or won when they do. That's not perception, it's the truth of a particular sample size. He's been a part of some of those and there are others further in the past that had nothing to do with him. He's going to be asked those questions, and rightfully.

What I saw in the National Championship Game and last night in the Super Bowl was 1) highly talented QB1s and 2) highly talented play callers. I think it starts there for ND and everyone else. Get those things and build around them. The officials are looking to flag the defense and you have an advantage with that, especially if you have talented skill people.

 

[Irishbounty28]

Kelly knows it is only a matter of time until ND breaks through if they keep making it to the dance. They may not be good enough to break the elites necks year in and year out, but one of these days they will catch lightening in a bottle.

I think this is the right approach, because I do not think it is possible for ND to be ELITE every year. Keep putting yourself in a position to compete though, and odds are you will break through.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

I don't really follow the program by way of Rivals, 247, etc. any longer. I don't know what kind of relationship he has with the regular local beat guys, but I know that the reality is they get to the big games and have not been close or won when they do. That's not perception, it's the truth of a particular sample size. He's been a part of some of those and there are others further in the past that had nothing to do with him. He's going to be asked those questions, and rightfully.

What I saw in the National Championship Game and last night in the Super Bowl was 1) highly talented QB1s and 2) highly talented play callers. I think it starts there for ND and everyone else. Get those things and build around them. The officials are looking to flag the defense and you have an advantage with that, especially if you have talented skill people.

I think we share criticisms of the program and I don't think those questions are out of bounds.

But the true answers are probably uncomfortable if spoken aloud publicly.

 

[Dale]

I have thought for the last 2-3 years that Kelly just seems worn out and tired from it all. Maybe I'm wrong. The last few times I've seen him publicly, which were after the Clemson and Alabama games as well as last week on NLOI Day; he seems aggrevated and doesn't want to answer questions that I consider viable with regards to what the program needs to do in order to reach the mountaintop.

They seem resigned to their fate of being at base camp one and if they don't get to the summit, it's okay.

It's just a weird signal he's giving off lately. Maybe it is my perception of it. Am I alone?

He can be short with media sometimes but also think of other coaches when they are in same situation. Saban will rip a reporter apart win or lose if he doesn’t think the question is worth his time. Swinney is at odds with locals all the time. Dan Mullen was a laughing stock after pressers this year. So your observation is not wrong, but the signal it gives I don’t think is anything special

 

[Irish#1]

I don't see how taking a transfer at quarterback, or any position for that matter, is a bad thing. It is especially important when the players have little to no experience at the position. I am absolutely sure the coaches want any one of Buchner, Pyne or Clark to be the starter after earning it in practice, because that could bode well for the teams future success.

On the other hand, if they aren't able to take over the starting role, the coaches have put themselves in position to have an experienced quarterback on the roster they can fall back on.

Just because someone transfers in doesn't automatically mean they will be starting. Pryor is an example of this just from the 2020 season.

Coan is bigger and has a bigger arm than Book. I can see him stretching the field a lot more than Book did.

There's a better chance that the observer writers read IE

LMAO

 

[Rogue219]

Coan is bigger and has a bigger arm than Book. I can see him stretching the field a lot more than Book did.

Pro scouts were said to have really liked Coan a couple of years ago when he played that full season for Wisconsin. I think he has some very good attributes when it comes to his ability. Mobility isn't one of them, though, but that's okay.

He's accurate and he's very good at the intermediate throws, and for a program that likes to use their tight ends, could be fun to see him exploit that.

 

[IrishLax]

Coan is bigger and has a bigger arm than Book. I can see him stretching the field a lot more than Book did.

I actually don't think he has a big arm, but he is going to be able to attack the middle of the field much more efficiently than Book. I expect to see an absolute ton of TE usage between the hashes and Kyren Williams destroying LBs on option routes.

 

[WilliamWallace]

I don’t disagree with what many of you have said. I also don’t disagree with a lot of what was written about the QB’s in the article. I dropped it for that very reason, given the track record of QBs under Kelly.

 

[Irish#1]

I have thought for the last 2-3 years that Kelly just seems worn out and tired from it all. Maybe I'm wrong. The last few times I've seen him publicly, which were after the Clemson and Alabama games as well as last week on NLOI Day; he seems aggrevated and doesn't want to answer questions that I consider viable with regards to what the program needs to do in order to reach the mountaintop.

They seem resigned to their fate of being at base camp one and if they don't get to the summit, it's okay.

It's just a weird signal he's giving off lately. Maybe it is my perception of it. Am I alone?

Reporter: Brian, you've made the Irish program a perennial top ten program. You're 43-8 with two CFP appearances in the last four years. What the hell is the problem Brian?

 

[BabyIrish]

I wonder if Brian Kelly reads the observer?

https://ndsmcobserver.com/2021/02/a...-or-developing-young-talent-pick-your-poison/

Pretty much a terrible article. He’s mad because he thinks the offense is archaic and the reason we lose in big games. But he doesn’t present at all what the offense should be. Shoddy journalism.

And we don’t win big games. So I guess Michigan in 18 and Clemson this year doesn’t count. Whatever.

 

[Dale]

Describing a offense as archaic is silly starting point. Does Alabama/LSU do some advanced route climb concepts? Sure. But Joe Brady is basically a levels and sticks offense and Sark was slant/bubble RPO. The “non-archaic offenses” are founded on the most basic of concepts. As pointed out above, explaining how you move forward is the hard part, which the article didn’t do

 

[T-Boone]

I am obsessed with BK signing Tom Herman who looks like he will be unemployed next season. But I know it just seems like such a loser Alabama thing to do. Can someone tell me to shut up and stop thinking about this.

 

[NDohio]

Reporter: Brian, you've made the Irish program a perennial top ten program. You're 43-8 with two CFP appearances in the last three years. What the hell is the problem Brian?

Exactly. I completely get why he is annoyed with the local press.

I am obsessed with BK signing Tom Herman who looks like he will be unemployed next season. But I know it just seems like such a loser Alabama thing to do. Can someone tell me to shut up and stop thinking about this.

Shut up...

 

[NorthDakota]

Exactly. I completely get why he is annoyed with the local press.



Shut up...

Flight tracker has a small private plane flying to South Bend from Austin...

 

[EddytoNow]

Notre Dame with Brian Kelly = Ohio State with John Cooper

Win a lot of games, but can't win the big games. Ohio State moved on to Jim Tressel, Luke Fickel (Interum Coach), Urban Meyer, and Ryan Day. Notre Dame is content with where they stand. I think it will stay that way as long as Kelly averages double-digit wins. What say you?

 

[T-Boone]

Flight tracker has a small private plane flying to South Bend from Austin...

That is probably Ovi coming back for his belongings.

 

[WilliamWallace]

Notre Dame with Brian Kelly = Ohio State with John Cooper

Win a lot of games, but can't win the big games. Ohio State moved on to Jim Tressel, Luke Fickel (Interum Coach), Urban Meyer, and Ryan Day. Notre Dame is content with where they stand. I think it will stay that way as long as Kelly averages double-digit wins. What say you?

I’ll happily attempt to stick my foot in my mouth if I’m proven wrong, but I couldn’t agree more. We just can’t put all the pieces together when it matters. Mark Richt is another great coach who just couldn’t get it done.

 

[stpeteirish]

I'm sure I follow; we can't beat Alabama so lets hire Tom Herman who can't beat half the teams he played?

 

[Irishize]

I actually don't think he has a big arm, but he is going to be able to attack the middle of the field much more efficiently than Book. I expect to see an absolute ton of TE usage between the hashes and Kyren Williams destroying LBs on option routes.

I agree. I don’t believe he has a bigger arm but I do believe he doesn’t hesitate to just let it rip. Book is “safer”

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

I agree. I don’t believe he has a bigger arm but I do believe he doesn’t hesitate to just let it rip. Book is “safer”

Book’s career yds/comp is more than a yard per completion better than Coan. In the Wisconsin offense at least he was doing even less to push the ball downfield.

ND is not Wisconsin so I’m trying to withhold judgment on what he will do at ND.

But it’s hard to read this as anything but a vote of no confidence in the two guys who are coming back from the 2020 team.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Re: Coach Kelly's press conferences.
We all know that Coach has a soft heart for his guys --- whether it's too soft is another issue. The point is that none of us should expect detailed answers from him about exactly what we need to do to rise up the pecking order. Why not? Because any specific thing that he'd say would be cycled right back upon the guys who manned whatever position he talked about. Example: "We need more explosive chunk plays in the passing game." That would immediately set the press blood smellers trashing our current receiving corps (whether they deserve it or not.) Coach is never going to intentionally answer any questions which can be turned against his guys.

So we need to stop expecting anything "really substantial" in his answers. And we REALLY shouldn't be analyzing his soft coach-speak words for deep meaning. I don't blame any of the head coaches for telling off the media in matters such as this. "Analyzing" his "appearance" on any given moment to assess his "psychology" is even more like witchcraft. The only things to even try to assess are his actions --- and that's where the Coan-Freeman actions (as several have said) tell you far clearer whether he's going for it as hard as he can go. Even if our guy is physically tired, this man wants to do this job. For him it is a moral promise, not just a job. I realize that we'll never give him a campus statue, but I'd vote for it.

 

[Irish#1]

I actually don't think he has a big arm, but he is going to be able to attack the middle of the field much more efficiently than Book. I expect to see an absolute ton of TE usage between the hashes and Kyren Williams destroying LBs on option routes.

You misread. I said bigger arm than Book. Agree he doesn't have a big arm like a Trevor Lawrence, but from the clips it looks like he has more zip than Book.