Who do you want to replace Brian Kelly?

[IrishSteelhead]

I personally would take Fleck over Rhule, just because IMO this program needs to take a HUGE leap of faith to break the current downward trend.

Rhule wouldn't bother me at all though. There's way worse names being thrown around.

 

[BroMontana]

Can. We become a team that other teams are afraid to play because of our size and physicality? Can we be disciplined and known for high levels of execution? I would love to see us as a team that breaks the opponents will. I think back to Harbaugh taking over Michigan. That change happened overnight. I want a coach that coaches toughness and demands execution and 100% effort. I'm out here in Columbus watching what Urban has put together. it just seems like expectations are higher. And they don't relent on that. Could we get Greg Schiano? Tired of finesse football. I wouldn't mind a tough coach who gets results. Can't neuter the next guy like they did BK in the media.

 

[Dizzyphil]

I understand the 'youth movement' for a coach if in fact Kelly is not back for '17. But I would really like to see ND look at Tressel if he is wanting to get back in coaching. Strictly an opinion based on his coaching abilities.

 

[phork]

If indeed, as reported, Kelly's reps are searching out other avenues then I am done. Pack his fucking bags and adios. Tired of these games.

 

[irishff1014]

I haven't kept up with this thread but any talk about Matt Rhule?

There is nothing impressive about him. His conference is an absolute terrible version of football. His only signature win was against a bad Penn State team. If it wasn't for weak game plan against temple ND should have wipe their feet on them. He didn't beat Houston then got beat by Toledo in the bowl game. No thanks

 

[connor_in]

Didn't see this posted yet

https://mobile.twitter.com/NDsidBertschy/status/802793540803854337

 

[NCND]

We are giving ourselves false hope with this. I'll believe he's gone when I see it.

 

[Blaise]

Kelly will be back in 17... Our focus should be suring up this coaching staff.. Mainly DC and Special Teams and stop dreaming about better options

 

[NDRock]

247 has Notre Dame ranked 6th in the composite rankings for 2017, not 15th. So two of the past 4 classes are on pace to be in the top 10, with one class just outside.

I'd be shocked if we end up with a top 10 class. Unless we fire Kelly and get a big name guy.

 

[tko]

Kelly will be back in 17... Our focus should be suring up this coaching staff.. Mainly DC and Special Teams and stop dreaming about better options

If Jackie boy is heading down this road, I sure hope he demands and has to sign off on the new DC and Special Teams coach. I doubt he fully castrates Kelly and takes his "buddy" Longo away from him, though.

 

[stlnd01]

I'd be shocked if we end up with a top 10 class. Unless we fire Kelly and get a big name guy.

Why? We may not add many more - so we'll probably slip in the rankings as more big name guys commit elsewhere - but so far there's no sign of much decommitting. Almost no one took OVs during the season, despite how bad it went. Hire a good DC, hit the road to shore up the base, maybe add a few high-upside types late, and this is a good class.

 

[Dizzyphil]

If indeed, as reported, Kelly's reps are searching out other avenues then I am done. Pack his fucking bags and adios. Tired of these games.

Agreed. Prolonging or keeping everyone guessing really screws up recruiting and it is truly not fair to the gentlemen returning next year to play for the Irish.

 

[NDRock]

Why? We may not add many more - so we'll probably slip in the rankings as more big name guys commit elsewhere - but so far there's no sign of much decommitting. Almost no one took OVs during the season, despite how bad it went. Hire a good DC, hit the road to shore up the base, maybe add a few high-upside types late, and this is a good class.

I just don't see us adding any big time players after this season. Heck, last year we only got one commit the last couple of months. We just never finish strong. I could see us adding some low ranked kids at the end to get our numbers up but no way it will be enough to keep a top 10 spot.

 

[stlnd01]

I just don't see us adding any big time players after this season. Heck, last year we only got one commit the last couple of months. We just never finish strong. I could see us adding some low ranked kids at the end to get our numbers up but no way it will be enough to keep a top 10 spot.

Yeah. I generally agree. We don't tend to add elite players late and no reason to think we will this year. But some around here have predicted widespread decommits from the existing class, and there's no particular sign of that either so far. Just that one corner from California maybe.

 

[ShawneeIrish]

Looks like BK will be back. Maybe we will have some interesting new names next season. I feel like 2017 will just be a wasted year. It is absolutely clear that BK is not the guy but he will be back to lose to UGA out the gate and then have an 8 or 9 win year. Joy.

 

[Number3rockin]

If BK comes back, it shows the nation that Nd sees this kind of a season acceptable and thus Nd football will be mediocre. This morning I was actually kind of excited trying to think of who will infuse a new energy into the program.

This could also be Kelly saving face and showing other schools interested that he'll fight till the end.

 

[phillyirish]

I haven't kept up with this thread but any talk about Matt Rhule?

He should be:

Young? Check
Fiery/Energetic? Check
Good X's and O's? Check

IMO Rhule is a safer, more established version of Fleck. Rhule has a lower ceiling than Fleck, but a much higher floor.

Yes. Hadn't even thought of Rhule in all this. Actually a much smarter pick than Fleck, IMO.
Would be nice if he'd ever coached anywhere beside Temple. But he's done enough good things there that I don't look forward to seeing him on the opposite sideline in our next game. And, FWIW, he knows Philly and New Jersey, which are huge recruiting grounds for us.

I was in Philly over the holiday and everyone I talked to was convinced that Rhule to ND was a done deal. Major article in the Philadelphia Inquirer on Thursday.

Here is the article online:
Jensen: Notre Dame should hire Matt Rhule

I've brought him up, and someone pointed out the one big negative is that he is a PSU guy. However, I don't think thats a big deal for 2 reasons:

1. Frankline has bought himself a few more years at PSU and may be thee for the long haul.
2. PSU isn't a traditional rival to us (but still, f*ck 'em) and also isn't (at least IMO) a tier 1 job. Good job, no doubt. But they don't even lock down their state in recruiting, and rarley pulls the elite talent that comes out of neighboring NJ.

I'm a big fan of Rhule. He has been at Temple in some sort since 2006 (except a year '12 as NY Giants assistant OL coach), so that means he has been a part of the full turn around of Temple form perhaps the worst program in college football to one of the better mid majors looking at back-to-back 10 win seasons.

Took the Temple-PSU rivalry that used to be the equivalent to what ND-Navy was, and turned it into the equivalent of what ND-Navy is now. Pulled off first win of them in 74 years and this year played them to the wire in a year they might take the Big10.

An underrated aspect of him is that he as been an excellent recruiter at Temple. Brought in Temple's first ever consensus 4*, muiltiple 4*s in a year, and even pulled one from Florida-- absolutely unheard of in Temple Football.

I'm biased (Graduated from Temple last year) but Rhule is a young, likable guy. IMO if he wins the AAC this year (Champ game vs Navy next week), or stays and has another ~10 win season next year he will be the biggest name on the head coach market.

 

[koonja]

So in short, a quick review of Fleck in wikipedia, he was 1-11 in 2014 at WMU, 8-4 in 2015, and of course having a great year in 2016.

He set the 'highest ranking for MAC recruiting classes' each year, for the last 3 years straight.

IDK much about Matt Rhule but he looks like a turd ferguson so my immediate reaction is no thanks.

 

[phillyirish]

So in short, a quick review of Fleck in wikipedia, he was 1-11 in 2014 at WMU, 8-4 in 2015, and of course having a great year in 2016.

He set the 'highest ranking for MAC recruiting classes' each year, for the last 3 years straight.

IDK much about Matt Rhule but he looks like a turd ferguson so my immediate reaction is no thanks.

You got it a little wrong and are missing a year. He was 1-11 in '13, followed by two 8-5 years and then an undefeated year now.

 

[mgriff]

Is this shit going down or what? I need to know. This has been consuming me all morning. F5, F5, F5. I can see why Kelly should be fired and I can see why some would want to give him another year. I just need to fucking know where we're at.

P.S. LAX I SEE YOU LURKIN'

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

Honestly the best option for this team is to keep kelly and bring in a stud defensive coordinator someone who is proven at a big time program and is a badasss recruiter. Also bring in a new special teams coach and strength and conditioning coach. I think the biggest concern next year for this team is going to be on the DL every other position should be good moving forward, the entire offense should return and all these young guys on defense will have a year of experience under their belt.

 

[NDRock]

Honestly the best option for this team is to keep kelly and bring in a stud defensive coordinator someone who is proven at a big time program and is a badasss recruiter. Also bring in a new special teams coach and strength and conditioning coach. I think the biggest concern next year for this team is going to be on the DL every other position should be good moving forward, the entire offense should return and all these young guys on defense will have a year of experience under their belt.

In a perfect world that might be the "best option". The problem is Kelly hired the last DC, who was the worst DC I can ever remember at ND and then kept him on too long. Not sure I trust him to hire another guy. He has also shown little regard for STs indicating there is not enough practice time available to make them a great unit. Finally, his best friend is Longo and I see no way in the world he will fire him. I just don't see all of those things happening with Kelly so I am for us finding someone else.

 

[phillyirish]

So in short, a quick review of Fleck in wikipedia, he was 1-11 in 2014 at WMU, 8-4 in 2015, and of course having a great year in 2016.

He set the 'highest ranking for MAC recruiting classes' each year, for the last 3 years straight.

IDK much about Matt Rhule but he looks like a turd ferguson so my immediate reaction is no thanks.

As sad as this might sound, this might be a valid point. One problem with Kelly (and Weis before him) is that they are very disliked by the media It just seems so easy for people to rip and hate on them. At lot of that is their own fault (Kelly says a lot of stipid shit for someone with political experience, maybe thats why went down a different path), but a part of it definitely is just general anti-ND bias. Imagine if a guy like Ed Orgeron was coaching at ND he would be routinely ripped on and destroyed. People would call him Ogreon I mean he looks and talks like a fucking Ogre. Point is, likability or charisma if you wanna call it is key. It'll be a lot easier to handle the stress and pressure from national scrutiny if you can win over some people favors.

 

[Cackalacky]

I have seen a few tweets this morning saying that Dantonio is a very likely candidate should Kelly go. Don't know that I believe it.

 

[phillyirish]

On ESPN right now, top 2 headlines are ND/Kelly headlines.

Kelly exploring options
Kelly looking into Tillery actions.


Sigh......................

 

[mgriff]

I have seen a few tweets this morning saying that Dantonio is a very likely candidate should Kelly go. Don't know that I believe it.

Yea I've seen that as well. If Kelly goes I do not see them making a splash hire. It's going to be divisive. Ultimately, the next coach has to win and all will be well.

 

[bkess8]

I have seen a few tweets this morning saying that Dantonio is a very likely candidate should Kelly go. Don't know that I believe it.

How many realistic years does Dantonio have left? I don't know how Winbush fits into his offensive scheme.

 

[johnnycando]

We need a reincarnate of Knute.

Dear God, please send back Coach Rockne for another decade!?

 

[IrishLax]

Remember, Weis got fired the Monday after his last loss... even after they basically started planning to let him go after losing to Navy. So I think anything is possible until from now until Monday/Tuesday next week. There is no indication right now that any firing is imminent the way the public facade is being put out there.

Weis' last year was also eerily similar to this one... 6-6 with all 6 losses by 7 points or less. Realistically, "should've" won 4 of the 6 and had horrible breaks (bad refs at Michigan, miscues against Navy, 2OT collapse to UCONN, blown leads against Stanford). Historically looking at Weis/Willingham I'm not sure how it's even a question Kelly should be fired right now.

 

[BobbyMac]

Those are interesting. Patterson appears to be past his prime, but maybe a change of scenery is what he needs.

He's just reloading. He's done it three times already, this'll be his 4th.

He had his chance in '09 but chose his undefeated team over going to South Bend in December. Told him he would take the job after the Fiesta Bowl against Boise. Instead, they found a guy who would bail on his undefeated team before their bowl.