Brian Kelly Revisited (RIP BOZO)

[irishff1014]

Haha you staff sucks! Maybe you can get a group discounts.

 

[TheRealLynch51]

Haha you staff sucks! Maybe you can get a group discounts.

You sauced bra?

 

[gkautz10]

You sauced bra?

Haha thought the same thing. There was clearly a little bit of progress made today. In a week that is huge. Nice to see some of the younger guys get in and show what they have in game situations. Thought the corners played soft but broke very well on the ball. The defense seemed refreshed or had some intensity at points. I liked Hudson meeting the players on the field after good plays. Progress.

 

[ickythump1225]

I don't know. I feel like they're plenty committed on the money, facilities and off-field support stuff. And I agree they don't need to cheat, per se.

But I think the sport is at a point where being at the forefront of the "legal and ethical aspects," as you put it, is seen by many, including many big-time coaches, as a barrier. In other words, Notre Dame would need to compromise.

When you just can't recruit half the top 300 players in the country because you know they won't get in. When you routinely lose a chunk of the top recruits you do land to various academic or should-be-minor disciplinary issues. And when you're competing for talent and playing against a bunch of schools that don't have those issues. To say nothing of being a Catholic school in northern Indiana, etc. etc. That's an issue. And any coach who wants the easiest path to glory and riches is going to look at our situation versus, say, LSU and pick LSU four times out of five.

The trouble is that a lot of people affiliated with the university, myself - an alum - included, don't particularly want to compromise that much, to put us on a level with LSU even without "cheating." Notre Dame being Notre Dame makes Notre Dame a lot easier to root for. If we became just another football factory, I think a lot of the appeal of the place would gradually fall away. I think that's a choice the university continues to make, and if that means they don't have a "total commitment" to winning at football, so be it.

At least you're up front about it, I see a lot of disingeniousness from the admin. in regards to football and their commitment to winning. I also see a frustrating double standard in which ND has completely thrown their Catholic identity under the bus time and time again. They have no problem being another sleazy secular university in terms of being pro-choice and teaching modernist gender theory, feminism, homosexuality, etc. To continue to call ND "Catholic" is laughable unless one is talking historically.

Yet when it comes to football they mount a very high horse so they can hide behind morality as an excuse to be cheap. If winning was cheap, they would do what it takes to win. Selling out their Catholic identity and mission to the times was cheap so no thought was put in to it. Doing what it takes to win is not cheap, so they'll continue to hide behind "doing the right thing" while they make minimal investment and do just enough winning to keep the fans happy-ish. There is a word for this type of behavior and it starts with an "h." They have no financial incentive to change either because ND continues to be the most powerful brand in CFB even though they've had probably their worst 25 on the football field in their history over the past 25 years.

What is most frustrating is ND football isn't some redheaded step child, it is one of the bluest blooded programs in the country. The football team made ND, ND. Without the team they would be some random vaguely Catholic private school in the midwest, no different than the 100s of universities just like it in the Great Lakes region.

Stanford is a prestigious university and they put up 10 win seasons consistently. You don't need to sell your soul to win 10 games a year, you have to be a bit more flexible than we are. They won't do it and even if we part with BK we'll have a high again for 3-5 years and then we'll be having this conversation again. Or maybe we'll hire a Weis and be having the conversation sooner. ND football is in a self imposed football purgatory, a trap of their own making, and aren't willing to do what it takes to escape it. This is fine for a lot of fans, alums, and boosters, because it feels good virtue signalling to other football fans. But as a Catholic I find it infuriating that they will continue to piss on Catholicism and sell out their original mission but suddenly find religion when it is financially convenient to do so in regards to being competitive on the football field that has buttered their bread for the better part of a century.

 

[irishff1014]

You sauced bra?

Not really. I still think Kelly's time here is up. Special teams struggled again. Offensive play calling in the red went to head scratcher. I think the biggest part of the win today was the kids didn't beat themselves.

 

[House16]

Stunned by the poll. Apparently 83 people want Bob Diaco or worse as our head coach. If Kelly isn't our coach next year, someone much, much worse than him will be. I get the gut impulse of bad results = fire coach without thinking things through, but man. Thank god Jack Swarbrick is in charge instead of this board.

 

[Bishop2b5]

I think Kelly could do himself and ND a huge favor and probably turn things around in a very real and dramatic way by completely overhauling his staff at the end of the season. I've said for the past 3 years that the problem is his staff does a poor job of coaching fundamentals, getting players ready, correcting problems, and getting players to execute consistently. The head coach can't do all those things himself. He hires assistants to do those things, and if they don't, it's on him to fire them and find assistants who can & will. My biggest issue with him is that he's kept guys on staff that do a mediocre job at best.

Gut the staff and go hire a bunch of hardnosed, no excuses, motivated assistants. Give them a one-year contract and tell them, "If you can't teach them fundamentals, have them execute consistently, and they're still making the same mistakes in week 8 that they were making in week 1, you better hope you didn't buy a house here."

 

[loomis41973]

Stunned by the poll. Apparently 83 people want Bob Diaco or worse as our head coach. If Kelly isn't our coach next year, someone much, much worse than him will be. I get the gut impulse of bad results = fire coach without thinking things through, but man. Thank god Jack Swarbrick is in charge instead of this board.

Amen.

 

[irishff1014]

I will agree with Irishlax that if Texas and USC jobs come open with LSU might hurt ND with candidates.

 

[IrishinSyria]

I'm so disgustingly jealous of UM's defense.

 

[NDRock]

I think Kelly could do himself and ND a huge favor and probably turn things around in a very real and dramatic way by completely overhauling his staff at the end of the season. I've said for the past 3 years that the problem is his staff does a poor job of coaching fundamentals, getting players ready, correcting problems, and getting players to execute consistently. The head coach can't do all those things himself. He hires assistants to do those things, and if they don't, it's on him to fire them and find assistants who can & will. My biggest issue with him is that he's kept guys on staff that do a mediocre job at best.

Gut the staff and go hire a bunch of hardnosed, no excuses, motivated assistants. Give them a one-year contract and tell them, "If you can't teach them fundamentals, have them execute consistently, and they're still making the same mistakes in week 8 that they were making in week 1, you better hope you didn't buy a house here."

I'm sure that pitch will get some proven assistant coaches to leave their current jobs to come here.

 

[Bluto]

I'm sure that pitch will get some proven assistant coaches to leave their current jobs to come here.

Probably not the best idea from a recruiting standpoint either...lol.

 

[House16]

At least you're up front about it, I see a lot of disingeniousness from the admin. in regards to football and their commitment to winning. I also see a frustrating double standard in which ND has completely thrown their Catholic identity under the bus time and time again. They have no problem being another sleazy secular university in terms of being pro-choice and teaching modernist gender theory, feminism, homosexuality, etc. To continue to call ND "Catholic" is laughable unless one is talking historically.

Yet when it comes to football they mount a very high horse so they can hide behind morality as an excuse to be cheap. If winning was cheap, they would do what it takes to win. Selling out their Catholic identity and mission to the times was cheap so no thought was put in to it. Doing what it takes to win is not cheap, so they'll continue to hide behind "doing the right thing" while they make minimal investment and do just enough winning to keep the fans happy-ish. There is a word for this type of behavior and it starts with an "h." They have no financial incentive to change either because ND continues to be the most powerful brand in CFB even though they've had probably their worst 25 on the football field in their history over the past 25 years.

What is most frustrating is ND football isn't some redheaded step child, it is one of the bluest blooded programs in the country. The football team made ND, ND. Without the team they would be some random vaguely Catholic private school in the midwest, no different than the 100s of universities just like it in the Great Lakes region.

Stanford is a prestigious university and they put up 10 win seasons consistently. You don't need to sell your soul to win 10 games a year, you have to be a bit more flexible than we are. They won't do it and even if we part with BK we'll have a high again for 3-5 years and then we'll be having this conversation again. Or maybe we'll hire a Weis and be having the conversation sooner. ND football is in a self imposed football purgatory, a trap of their own making, and aren't willing to do what it takes to escape it. This is fine for a lot of fans, alums, and boosters, because it feels good virtue signalling to other football fans. But as a Catholic I find it infuriating that they will continue to piss on Catholicism and sell out their original mission but suddenly find religion when it is financially convenient to do so in regards to being competitive on the football field that has buttered their bread for the better part of a century.

Wow I disagree pretty strongly with most of this. How long ago did you attend ND? To call them a "sleazy, secular institution" because they allow professors to "teach feminism and homosexuality" is pretty nuts. The only people I know who think ND isn't exceedingly Catholic are people who also think global warming isn't real and Obama was born in Kenya.

Anyways, to the important part. I can't tell exactly what you're advocating for, but it sounds as if your frustration is in the caliber of kids we admit? I'm not sure what else "hiding behind morality as an excuse to be cheap" could be because they're pouring way more money into the football program than the majority of students wants. Reaction to Campus Crossroads is hugely negative. The overwhelming majority of faculty and students want ND to be cheaper regarding the football program and spend that money elsewhere, such as on financial aid. To call ND "cheap" regarding the football program again shows a lack of awareness about what's really going on on campus.

To think that a comparison to Stanford casts our athletic department in a negative light is laughable. In no way whatsoever is Stanford more "flexible" than us. We spend far and away more money on football than them and also accept more recruits (see Niklas for example). To point at them is just a gut reaction of "they're winning right this second and we're not, let's be like them."

Let's say you were in charge of ND. What would you do for us to realize our religion more on campus? Fire teachers that "teach homosexuality?" What would you do to invest more in the football program? Up Crossroads from a half billion project to a whole billion? Your post really isn't rooted in reality, but somehow it seems to be a common sentiment among the older alumni, so I am interested in trying to understand it.

 

[NDRock]

Wow I disagree pretty strongly with most of this. How long ago did you attend ND? To call them a "sleazy, secular institution" because they allow professors to "teach feminism and homosexuality" is pretty nuts. The only people I know who think ND isn't exceedingly Catholic are people who also think global warming isn't real and Obama was born in Kenya.

Anyways, to the important part. I can't tell exactly what you're advocating for, but it sounds as if your frustration is in the caliber of kids we admit? I'm not sure what else "hiding behind morality as an excuse to be cheap" could be because they're pouring way more money into the football program than the majority of students wants. Reaction to Campus Crossroads is hugely negative. The overwhelming majority of faculty and students want ND to be cheaper regarding the football program and spend that money elsewhere, such as on financial aid. To call ND "cheap" regarding the football program again shows a lack of awareness about what's really going on on campus.

To think that a comparison to Stanford casts our athletic department in a negative light is laughable. In no way whatsoever is Stanford more "flexible" than us. We spend far and away more money on football than them and also accept more recruits (see Niklas for example). To point at them is just a gut reaction of "they're winning right this second and we're not, let's be like them."

Let's say you were in charge of ND. What would you do for us to realize our religion more on campus? Fire teachers that "teach homosexuality?" What would you do to invest more in the football program? Up Crossroads from a half billion project to a whole billion? Your post really isn't rooted in reality, but somehow it seems to be a common sentiment among the older alumni, so I am interested in trying to understand it.

Quick question, how does spending a half billion dollars on the Crossroads project help the football program. I ask because I really don't know. It seems like they are just attaching a bunch of stuff to the Stadium (most of it classrooms I thought). That's not really investing the program, IMO.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Stunned by the poll. Apparently 83 people want Bob Diaco or worse as our head coach. If Kelly isn't our coach next year, someone much, much worse than him will be. I get the gut impulse of bad results = fire coach without thinking things through, but man. Thank god Jack Swarbrick is in charge instead of this board.

You are surprised? Just look at the political landscape; Don't like the results of the last 8 years? Put a buffoon in charge.

Expect something else here.

 

[House16]

Quick question, how does spending a half billion dollars on the Crossroads project help the football program. I ask because I really don't know. It seems like they are just attaching a bunch of stuff to the Stadium (most of it classrooms I thought). That's not really investing the program, IMO.

It's upgrading facilities, in this case the stadium. They've also upgraded many other football facilities, such as the Gug. Spending money on the stadium is pretty much the number one way to invest in facilities, which is pretty much the number one way to invest in the program. For example, when Oklahoma State courted T. Boone's massive donation, the vast majority of his money was earmarked for the stadium.

And we're doing a lot more than adding classrooms, we're also adding luxury boxes, a jumbotron, facades, etc. This is definitely a football-centric move.

 

[Bluto]

You are surprised? Just look at the political landscape; Don't like the results of the last 8 years? Put a buffoon in charge.

Expect something else here.

Haha...Good one...

 

[Bishop2b5]

I'm sure that pitch will get some proven assistant coaches to leave their current jobs to come here.

There's a point to it. You don't want assistants who would be scared to take a job with that sort of pressure and demands for performance. If they can't thrive in that environment and deliver, why would you want them on your staff? This isn't high school and it's not a DIII team. You're ND. You want a staff full of George Patton clones, not Mr. Rogers.

 

[Bishop2b5]

I'm sure that pitch will get some proven assistant coaches to leave their current jobs to come here.

How has letting a bunch of underperforming assistants stay on your staff worked out for you so far?

 

[NDRock]

There's a point to it. You don't want assistants who would be scared to take a job with that sort of pressure and demands for performance. If they can't thrive in that environment and deliver, why would you want them on your staff? This isn't high school and it's not a DIII team. You're ND. You want a staff full of George Patton clones, not Mr. Rogers.

That's fine and it sounds great on an internet forum but still not very practical in reality. My point is that you will not get proven assistant coaches to quit their jobs, pack up their families and move (potential) across the country by telling them you have 8 weeks or you're fired. Would you do that in your profession?

This same thing happens when a Head Coach is on the hot seat and tries to hire guys as a last ditch effort to save his job. It's tough to get good/great coaches to come to a potential 1 and done year. Imagine if BK goes 5-7 this year and is on the hot seat. It will be even tougher to bring in a proven, great DC to take the job. But we're ND so...

 

[NDRock]

How has letting a bunch of underperforming assistants stay on your staff worked out for you so far?

I don't disagree but you're talking about two different things now. Yes I agree, we should let go of underperforming assistants (I've been calling for Booker to get fired for two years). I take issue with your hiring tactics as I don't think it would be effective.

 

[Bishop2b5]

I don't disagree but you're talking about two different things now. Yes I agree, we should let go of underperforming assistants (I've been calling for Booker to get fired for two years). I take issue with your hiring tactics as I don't think it would be effective.

But what's the alternative? Do you hire assistants and tell them, "Well, I want to see some improvement and if it doesn't happen anytime soon, don't worry. We'll give you a few seasons to try and make it happen." That's how you end up with a staff full of dead wood who underperform and have no sense of urgency.

I'm not advocating telling new assistants they have 8 weeks or they're gone (I said that an assistant whose players are still making the same mistakes in week 8 that they were making in week 1 has no business being on your staff). I'm advocating hiring assistants who thrive on pressure, exceed goals, can coach kids up, and aren't afraid of a challenge. Hire 10 assistants and at the end of the season you evaluate which of them did all that and get rid of the ones who didn't. A good assistant can work wonders on a position group in one year. If they can't, why would you want them on your staff?

Think of it this way: can you imagine Nick or Urban keeping an assistant that didn't perform to a high standard? If you take a job at Bama or OSU, you know going in that you either kick ass & take names right from the start, or you better get your resume updated. That's how they've built such good staffs and turned programs around in only a couple of years. You're not Purdue. You're flippin' Notre Dame! Set a standard, hire guys who can meet or exceed it, demand excellence from everyone associated with your program, or send them packing and find someone who can!

 

[NDRock]

But what's the alternative? Do you hire assistants and tell them, "Well, I want to see some improvement and if it doesn't happen anytime soon, don't worry. We'll give you a few seasons to try and make it happen." That's how you end up with a staff full of dead wood who underperform and have no sense of urgency.

I'm not advocating telling new assistants they have 8 weeks or they're gone (I said that an assistant whose players are still making the same mistakes in week 8 that they were making in week 1 has no business being on your staff). I'm advocating hiring assistants who thrive on pressure, exceed goals, can coach kids up, and aren't afraid of a challenge. Hire 10 assistants and at the end of the season you evaluate which of them did all that and get rid of the ones who didn't. A good assistant can work wonders on a position group in one year. If they can't, why would you want them on your staff?

You're really going out on a limb there . I think I'll advocate for a Head Coach who wins National Championships.

 

[Irishman77]

watch any other ranked team and see the passion and urgency ....then watch our flop of sh!t

 

[NDRock]

It's upgrading facilities, in this case the stadium. They've also upgraded many other football facilities, such as the Gug. Spending money on the stadium is pretty much the number one way to invest in facilities, which is pretty much the number one way to invest in the program. For example, when Oklahoma State courted T. Boone's massive donation, the vast majority of his money was earmarked for the stadium.

And we're doing a lot more than adding classrooms, we're also adding luxury boxes, a jumbotron, facades, etc. This is definitely a football-centric move.

Thanks for the info. I'm not really sure how much things like jumbotron, luxury boxes, facades, etc... affect competitiveness. It seems like ND's problem is that they are always playing catch-up. Whether it's coach's salaries, training tables, recruiting, analysts, etc... we always seem to be behind other large programs. The last time I felt we were on the leading edge of college football was when we signed with NBC. Obviously that advantage is long gone.

How many times have we discussed things like "Weis was able to get us a training table" or "Kelly was able to get ND to pay more for assistant coaches"? Seems like a school that was absolutely committed to winning (within the rules) wouldn't need so much convincing to keep pace with other elite programs.

Maybe an elite HC would make up for a lot of this stuff.

 

[House16]

Thanks for the info. I'm not really sure how much things like jumbotron, luxury boxes, facades, etc... affect competitiveness. It seems like ND's problem is that they are always playing catch-up. Whether it's coach's salaries, training tables, recruiting, analysts, etc... we always seem to be behind other large programs. The last time I felt we were on the leading edge of college football was when we signed with NBC. Obviously that advantage is long gone.

How many times have we discussed things like "Weis was able to get us a training table" or "Kelly was able to get ND to pay more for assistant coaches"? Seems like a school that was absolutely committed to winning (within the rules) wouldn't need so much convincing to keep pace with other elite programs.

Maybe an elite HC would make up for a lot of this stuff.

I believe that those sorts of things affect competitiveness because they affect recruiting. That's why Oregon springs for a river in the locker room and crazy stuff like that. It's an arms race to wow 18 year olds, and crossroads does that.

I've felt as if Kelly has brought us up to the other major programs in terms of analysts, recruiting budget, facilities, etc. I don't have insider info on what the standards are there though, so I'm not completely sure.

(Now don't get me started on the school's investment in the basketball program... my goodness)

 

[NDgradstudent]

Kelly should have fired BVG in January, called Don Brown then of BC and outbid UM. It could have been done, and we would probably be 5-0 if it was.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Brian Kelly Revisited

Kelly should have fired BVG in January, called Don Brown then of BC and outbid UM. It could have been done, and we would probably be 5-0 if it was.

That's the real pisser. This team is 4-1 AT WORST with a remotely competent defense.

*And the way this schedule is shaping up, 11-1 AT WORST could have been a realistic possibility.

 

[Butchie]

I think Kelly could do himself and ND a huge favor and probably turn things around in a very real and dramatic way by completely overhauling his staff at the end of the season. I've said for the past 3 years that the problem is his staff does a poor job of coaching fundamentals, getting players ready, correcting problems, and getting players to execute consistently. The head coach can't do all those things himself. He hires assistants to do those things, and if they don't, it's on him to fire them and find assistants who can & will. My biggest issue with him is that he's kept guys on staff that do a mediocre job at best.

Gut the staff and go hire a bunch of hardnosed, no excuses, motivated assistants. Give them a one-year contract and tell them, "If you can't teach them fundamentals, have them execute consistently, and they're still making the same mistakes in week 8 that they were making in week 1, you better hope you didn't buy a house here."

You speak the truth & I love this model. Except Denbrock, Sanford, & Denson. They're the real deal. The 'D' needs this type of overhaul. Light, Gilmore, Elston & Booker are awful. Hope Coach Kelly logs into IE tonight!

 

[IrishSteelhead]

You speak the truth & I love this model. Except Denbrock, Sanford, & Denson. They're the real deal. The 'D' needs this type of overhaul. Light, Gilmore, Elston & Booker are awful. Hope Coach Kelly logs into IE tonight!

If you want to make an omelette, you gotta break some eggs. I wouldn't object to gutting EVERYONE under BK and getting a complete fresh start. Recruiting is meaningless if the guys coaching them don't get them ready to play anyways.