Is Kelly a REALLY good coach?

Crazy Balki

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I honestly don't know at this point, but I'm leaning towards no. It's year 5 and his team regularly implodes at inopportune times, can't do simple things like hold a snap on a FG, and struggles (loses) with Northwestern at home. Sure, he's lost some players to injuries, suspensions, and attrition, but I don't think he's done a great job at adding depth along the front 7. It's year 5 and there are too many times where the opposing team is able to run the ball down our throats and there's nothing we can to stop it.

He routinely makes questionable in-game decisions, seems to sit better players in favor of lesser ones (i.e. Redfield), and seems to have a hard time at adding good depth at needed positions (particularly along the defensive line).

He's the best coach we've had since Holtz, but that says nothing, because it's not hard to be better than the previous three clowns we've brought in (okay, Davie wasn't a clown, just overmatched). It seems like the overall talent level is better now than it's been in a while too. At some point however, you have to start seeing results. We've lost 4+ games in now four of the five seasons he's been here. ND did not hire him to lose 4+ games four out of every five years. That simply isn't debatable.

If he fails to win 10+ games next season, with the returning talent ND should have coming back, then I want him gone. He needs to hold onto the guys currently on the team who could potentially want out for various reasons as well. ND has had far too much attrition since BK has been here. At first, you think it's a coincidence, but then you start to wonder if maybe BK has something to do with all of the attrition we've had.

10+ wins next season or bust.

I couldn't agree more. Especially in terms of attrition. The level of players leaving early, transferring or getting kicked out since Kelly arrived is alarming to say the least. I've simply never seen anything like it. It always seems like ND starts the year with some off-season debacle, loses several key players. I honestly thought 2014 was the year that we finally bucked that trend. But low and behold, it rears its ugly face in the worst way with the frozen 5.

I can't fault Kelly for that, but it just seems like we can't get out of our own way ever since Kelly was hired. With Weis, Ty and Boob Davie, you kinda knew what it was:

- Boob was not a good head coach, and had a terrible staff. No offensive game plan.
- Ty was an absolutely atrocious recruiter.
- Weis' so-called "schematic advantage" didn't involve recruiting some damn linemen!

With Kelly, you just don't know what to expect. He's lauded as a great head coach, and has the history of doing so, but there is constantly CONSTANTLY something in the way to mess things up, and it seems like Kelly just can't overcome it.
 

Crazy Balki

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Brady Hoke had a great year with someone else's recruits too. 11-2 his first year, wasn't he? Just saying.

Oh, and we're going to finish with the same record as Brady Hoke this year, lol.

Unlikely. scUM is going to finish 5-7 unless they somehow pull off a miracle win in Columbus.
 

Crazy Balki

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As critical as I am of Kelly, it's hard for even me to find fault in him individually for this particular game. This defense is just so beat up at this point and it's a shit sandwich combo of a gaggle of true freshman having to fill critical roles in a complicated scheme being implemented by a new defensive coordinator. We can't stop anybody right now and you can bet your ass SC is going to light this group up for 40+ next week. This was not a Northwestern performance from Kelly today.

With that said, count me as having serious doubts about his ability to ever get this program truly over the hump. Good, not great.

That's what I'm afraid of. I remember watching Nebraska-Minnesota and the broadcasters were saying similar things about Nebraska. I'm really scared that ND is permanently stuck in neutral. They'll never be great, just good.
 

IRISHDODGER

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He's a good coach. Considering the alternatives & 1996-2009; he's a really good coach. I am truly frustrated w/ his red zone play calling & the poor tackling. The injuries are mind boggling at this point. That said, if they're going to use it as an excuse then it's time to ask why is it happening to ND players & not other teams. And it's rarely strains or sprains...it's typically season/career enders. That Louisville RB absolutely punished our defense. He was running agressive & our passive tackling led to big gains & injuries. That's a teamwide issue so that's on coaching. BVG needs to realize he's stuck w/ young, inexperienced players and should dumb down the defense to give the kids a chance...this ain't the NFL where you can jump on the waiver wire.
 

Crazy Balki

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He has had 3 upperclassman in the defense suspended for the season.


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Yeah, it's really alarming how pitiful the 2011 and 2012 classes have ended up. Especially 2011, because of the big names, which have either: transferred, bailed early for the draft or suspended/kicked out.

I think I remember something about the defense is starting all Freshmen and Sophomores minus 1 (Collinsworth) and occasionally Riggs..
 

Kingbish01

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I think he's a good coach, but one big piece of the puzzle is we have yet to land a great DC.
 

dang227

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I also think he is way too loyal to his coaches. Some of these guys on staff just aren't getting it done and need to go.


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Kingbish01

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If I was the CEO of ND football BVG would be gone. Why he was the best guy we could get was beyond me. He hasn't been able to keep a job in years...I don't care about is "stache" ND's D is fcuking garbage.
 

Old Man Mike

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Kelly is a very very good coach [I find using the word "great" for anything to be almost indefensible]. Brian van Gorder shows me all the signs of being a very very good DC. Kelly still needs his kind of quarterback rather than just a fabulous athlete who remains confused every other play. Van Gorder still needs a year or two more to settle into his magical confusion show with healthy players who understand it. This is particularly true for his linebackers and safeties. "Confusion" is good for the defense's system, but whereas BVG is a Good Master-of-Confusion, we can't have a QB who is one. It is not just turnovers which stop Notre Dame drives.

Though this is as unpopular as any random fan opinion can be, I am waiting desperately for our now-spectacular/now-horrifying athlete-playing-QB to graduate. I am looking at a rose-colored future with some quarterback walking onto the field who has the look in his eye that says "I got this!" rather than "What IS this?" I'm looking forward to the future where the quarterback can actually see the middle of the field immediately and deliver. I'm looking for the future wherein the quarterback is so understanding of the pre-snap situation that we can actually run an up-tempo offense. In that future suddenly Kelly will magically become the Supercoach in people's minds that he already is in professional football-person's.

As to BVG: the system is complex but ANY modern defense which hopes to cope with modern spread offenses must be complex. What do we want?: go simple and get our brains beat out by high-flying speed systems?, or try to gear up an actual defense which might strategically stop them, even though the youth of who we must play causes some terrible growing pains. BVGs defense has been good enough for us to win ten out of the eleven games as it is --- the defeats are largely on the giveaway erratic offense. [and kicking].

Any reasonable near-future which does not have Brian Kelly as head coach and Brian van Gorder as DC is a nightmare in my vision of it.
 

pkt77242

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If I was the CEO of ND football BVG would be gone. Why he was the best guy we could get was beyond me. He hasn't been able to keep a job in years...I don't care about is "stache" ND's D is fcuking garbage.

This is where I want to know who is responsible for Drue and Collinsworth playing. If Kelly is demanding it then I feel bad for BVG. Our D is struggling with tackling and that really isn't his fault. Now if he is the one putting them out there then that is frustrating. I think calls to fire him are a bit premature though.
 

Grahambo

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Kelly is a very very good coach [I find using the word "great" for anything to be almost indefensible]. Brian van Gorder shows me all the signs of being a very very good DC. Kelly still needs his kind of quarterback rather than just a fabulous athlete who remains confused every other play. Van Gorder still needs a year or two more to settle into his magical confusion show with healthy players who understand it. This is particularly true for his linebackers and safeties. "Confusion" is good for the defense's system, but whereas BVG is a Good Master-of-Confusion, we can't have a QB who is one. It is not just turnovers which stop Notre Dame drives.

Though this is as unpopular as any random fan opinion can be, I am waiting desperately for our now-spectacular/now-horrifying athlete-playing-QB to graduate. I am looking at a rose-colored future with some quarterback walking onto the field who has the look in his eye that says "I got this!" rather than "What IS this?" I'm looking forward to the future where the quarterback can actually see the middle of the field immediately and deliver. I'm looking for the future wherein the quarterback is so understanding of the pre-snap situation that we can actually run an up-tempo offense. In that future suddenly Kelly will magically become the Supercoach in people's minds that he already is in professional football-person's.

As to BVG: the system is complex but ANY modern defense which hopes to cope with modern spread offenses must be complex. What do we want?: go simple and get our brains beat out by high-flying speed systems?, or try to gear up an actual defense which might strategically stop them, even though the youth of who we must play causes some terrible growing pains. BVGs defense has been good enough for us to win ten out of the eleven games as it is --- the defeats are largely on the giveaway erratic offense. [and kicking].

Any reasonable near-future which does not have Brian Kelly as head coach and Brian van Gorder as DC is a nightmare in my vision of it.


Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
 

dang227

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I coached Inside Linebackers at the DII level for 12 years and went through a couple of defensive changes and have never been part of a defense that is too complicated for the kids to pick up by week 11. We also didn't have the hands on time that they get at the FBS level. and most kids went home for the summer. It just boggles my mind.


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pkt77242

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Kelly is a very very good coach [I find using the word "great" for anything to be almost indefensible]. Brian van Gorder shows me all the signs of being a very very good DC. Kelly still needs his kind of quarterback rather than just a fabulous athlete who remains confused every other play. Van Gorder still needs a year or two more to settle into his magical confusion show with healthy players who understand it. This is particularly true for his linebackers and safeties. "Confusion" is good for the defense's system, but whereas BVG is a Good Master-of-Confusion, we can't have a QB who is one. It is not just turnovers which stop Notre Dame drives.

Though this is as unpopular as any random fan opinion can be, I am waiting desperately for our now-spectacular/now-horrifying athlete-playing-QB to graduate. I am looking at a rose-colored future with some quarterback walking onto the field who has the look in his eye that says "I got this!" rather than "What IS this?" I'm looking forward to the future where the quarterback can actually see the middle of the field immediately and deliver. I'm looking for the future wherein the quarterback is so understanding of the pre-snap situation that we can actually run an up-tempo offense. In that future suddenly Kelly will magically become the Supercoach in people's minds that he already is in professional football-person's.

As to BVG: the system is complex but ANY modern defense which hopes to cope with modern spread offenses must be complex. What do we want?: go simple and get our brains beat out by high-flying speed systems?, or try to gear up an actual defense which might strategically stop them, even though the youth of who we must play causes some terrible growing pains. BVGs defense has been good enough for us to win ten out of the eleven games as it is --- the defeats are largely on the giveaway erratic offense. [and kicking].

Any reasonable near-future which does not have Brian Kelly as head coach and Brian van Gorder as DC is a nightmare in my vision of it.

While I agree that Kelly should be our head coach, why isn't Kelly responsible for the QB situation. If Golson isn't the answer get him out of there and find out if Zaire is the better option (not saying that he is). At what point do you hold Kelly responsible for our QB struggles (and Golson played pretty good today, statistics wise, but sure looks like he doesn't care and still is not seeing the middle of the field nor blitzes well).
 

Kingbish01

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I dont understand how a guy like Tom Bradley is out of coaching even with the Penn St debacle. BVG may be a good coach, but he has a bad track record, his kids can't tackle, and he gives up 30+ points a game.
 

GoldenDomer

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Because fans have unrealistic expectations and don't understand what it takes to truly build a program from the bottom all the way up.

How unrealistic is it to not expect losses to Northwestern and Louisville when we went to a National Championship 2 years ago
 

IRISHDODGER

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If I was the CEO of ND football BVG would be gone. Why he was the best guy we could get was beyond me. He hasn't been able to keep a job in years...I don't care about is "stache" ND's D is fcuking garbage.

I don't pretend to know what goes on or is said in coaches meetings, but BVG is a two-time Broyles Award winner while directing the defense at Georgia. Ironically, Georgia fans (that I've talked to) hated Grantham (personally & professionally) but loved BVG. This was in the SEC so he's got a nice resume. Dumb the defense down b/c he's obviously down to the bottom of the barrel.
 

West Coast Domer

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You guys are fucking crazy if you wouldn't take Jim Mora. I don't care if he is a prick the guy can coach. No one would want to come here because of the academic stuff but I would want Mora. He runs LA now.
 

Kingbish01

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While I agree that Kelly should be our head coach, why isn't Kelly responsible for the QB situation. If Golson isn't the answer get him out of there and find out if Zaire is the better option (not saying that he is). At what point do you hold Kelly responsible for our QB struggles (and Golson played pretty good today, statistics wise, but sure looks like he doesn't care and still is not seeing the middle of the field nor blitzes well).

I still think Golson is a gamer, and probably much better then MZ. I think the year removed from the game has really hurt him. Last year was probably the first season he missed since he was 8
 

GoldenDomer

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Jim Mora is awesome. That soft thread wouldn't exist with him here. He doesn't take people's shit. Also, he is a recruiting madman.
 

Kingbish01

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I live in Atlanta...I keep thinking of Falcons Jim Mora...he was garbage....lol..but he's def doing a great job at UCLA
 

Irish2155

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Who the truck do you want?

Like in 2012, next year when he's got the best team in the country...you'll be pissed we replaced him with Dan Devine.
 

AllGoldEverything

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Yes, Kelly is a good coach. Too many injuries and young guys playing right now to blame it all on coaching. Some questionable calls, yes, but Kelly has the program heading in the right direction.
 
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