just saw:
Notre Dame announces Brian VanGorder has been fired as defensive coordinator. Defensive analysts Greg Hudson will assume DC responsibilities. Notre Dame had given up 35+ points in 5 of its last 6 games, dating to last year

I saw that. Long overdue.

ND is scoring 38 points a game and averaging 455 yards per game....and is 1-3.

I couldn't believe nd hired him. Auburn got rid of him too

Speculation is that it was Swarbrick's decision not Kelly's, and that Kelly may depart after this year. Not many coaches can take having personnel decisions being made for them.

He has coached at sixteen different programs (HS/College/NFL) in 35 years of coaching. That's an average of under 2.5 years per stop. The longest stop he had at any program was with the Falcons for four years from 2007-2011. He either wears out his welcome at each stop, or he is constantly looking forward to his next stop (I have a feeling it is more of the former and less of the latter).

Losing to Texas and Michigan State eliminated Notre Dame from the CFP. Losing to Duke eliminated interest in the season, unfortunately.

If Notre dame started unranked and beat their way into the top ten id pull for them.

(09-25-2016 02:20 PM)shere khan Wrote:  If Notre dame started unranked and beat their way into the top ten id pull for them.

You must have been cheering wildly for the Irish in 2012, then.

Talent not really the issue

Coaching certainly is, at defensive coordinator and yes, head coach.

Brian Kelly is a good coach but not an elite one.

Everyone who has ever won big at ND (Ara, Devine, Holtz) says that they needed every single bit of big school coaching experience they had to handle the pressure, the off the field and media demands, etc..

I think that it takes an elite coach to win at ND. There are lots of distractions and issues besides the on the field responsibilities.

Kelly had a good year in 2012 and last year.

So, he had bought some goodwill with the administration if not the fans.

But, he is not an elite coach. He showed that ND can recruit and win again after the Davie, Willingham and Weis regimes, but he may have hit his ceiling at ND.

I think that last year's 10-3 record, while overcoming quite a lot of adversity in the form of serious injuries, masked the defensive problems that manifested themselves again this year.

The offense is averaging 37.2 points and 455.8 yards per game and the team is 1-3. Even a mediocre defense and ND may be 3-1 or 4-0.

Is that on the coordinator or the guy who hired him?

Kelly probably survives this year after jettisoning his DC, but his seat will be very, very warm next years.

(09-25-2016 12:46 PM)TerryD Wrote:  I saw that. Long overdue.

ND is scoring 38 points a game and averaging 455 yards per game....and is 1-3.

I vaguely remember this guy being the HC at Georgia Southern when NDSU went down there and beat them, way back in 2006.

Southern fans complained a lot about him. But I thought that had more to do with him being the first coach to take away the triple option offense and try to install a pro-style scheme.

FWIW, LSU also fired Led Miles...

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Les Miles as ND defensive coordinator....lol.

Kelly needs to be the next one fired.

Brian Kelly:

- won DII national championship in 2002 & 2003 at Grand Valley St
- won the MAC in 2006 at Central Michigan
- won the Big East in 2008 & 2009 at Cincinnati

- went to the BCS national championship game for the 2012 season at Notre dame (12-0 regular season)
- went to the Fiesta bowl for the 2015 season at Notre Dame (10-2 regular season, with 2-point losses at Clemson and at Stanford)



Notre Dame has made its choice: it would rather have independence and a brutal schedule every year over more consistently winning and going to major bowl games.

If it can't get it done with Brian Kelly, then it's not going to get done much better with many others. Not going to get Urban Meyer.

When you talk about bad defenses with good talent, I note that in their three games so far against FBS opponents, Florida State is giving up 44 points a game. Is their DC's seat warm yet?

(09-25-2016 05:10 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  Brian Kelly:

- won DII national championship in 2002 & 2003 at Grand Valley St
- won the MAC in 2006 at Central Michigan
- won the Big East in 2008 & 2009 at Cincinnati

- went to the BCS national championship game for the 2012 season at Notre dame (12-0 regular season)
- went to the Fiesta bowl for the 2015 season at Notre Dame (10-2 regular season, with 2-point losses at Clemson and at Stanford)



Notre Dame has made its choice: it would rather have independence and a brutal schedule every year over more consistently winning and going to major bowl games.

If it can't get it done with Brian Kelly, then it's not going to get done much better with many others. Not going to get Urban Meyer.

Texas
Nevada
Michigan State
Duke


That is your brutal schedule this year?

Did you read the post you responded to? I highlighted some parts relevant to your post.

Football independence has absolutely zero to do with ND's 1-3 record this season. Zero.

(09-25-2016 06:45 PM)TerryD Wrote:  

(09-25-2016 05:10 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  Brian Kelly:

- won DII national championship in 2002 & 2003 at Grand Valley St
- won the MAC in 2006 at Central Michigan
- won the Big East in 2008 & 2009 at Cincinnati

- went to the BCS national championship game for the 2012 season at Notre dame (12-0 regular season)
- went to the Fiesta bowl for the 2015 season at Notre Dame (10-2 regular season, with 2-point losses at Clemson and at Stanford)



Notre Dame has made its choice: it would rather have independence and a brutal schedule every year over more consistently winning and going to major bowl games.

If it can't get it done with Brian Kelly, then it's not going to get done much better with many others. Not going to get Urban Meyer.

Texas
Nevada
Michigan State
Duke


That is your brutal schedule this year?

Did you read the post you responded to? I highlighted some parts relevant to your post.

Football independence has absolutely zero to do with ND's 1-3 record this season. Zero.

Yes, e.g., Sagarin says Notre Dame has played the #29 schedule so far this year. Respectable? Absolutely. But anything especially brutal? Absolutely not.

I agree that Kelly has plateaued. IMO, he will not be the coach next season, and best to fire him now because if he lingers it will damage recruiting the rest of the fall.

Dude had an insane DLine at ECU. Hope he does well for you.

(09-25-2016 07:09 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(09-25-2016 06:45 PM)TerryD Wrote:  

(09-25-2016 05:10 PM)MplsBison Wrote:  Brian Kelly:

- won DII national championship in 2002 & 2003 at Grand Valley St
- won the MAC in 2006 at Central Michigan
- won the Big East in 2008 & 2009 at Cincinnati

- went to the BCS national championship game for the 2012 season at Notre dame (12-0 regular season)
- went to the Fiesta bowl for the 2015 season at Notre Dame (10-2 regular season, with 2-point losses at Clemson and at Stanford)



Notre Dame has made its choice: it would rather have independence and a brutal schedule every year over more consistently winning and going to major bowl games.

If it can't get it done with Brian Kelly, then it's not going to get done much better with many others. Not going to get Urban Meyer.

Texas
Nevada
Michigan State
Duke


That is your brutal schedule this year?

Did you read the post you responded to? I highlighted some parts relevant to your post.

Football independence has absolutely zero to do with ND's 1-3 record this season. Zero.

Yes, e.g., Sagarin says Notre Dame has played the #29 schedule so far this year. Respectable? Absolutely. But anything especially brutal? Absolutely not.

I agree that Kelly has plateaued. IMO, he will not be the coach next season, and best to fire him now because if he lingers it will damage recruiting the rest of the fall.

This

I think the program has backslid since their national championship appearance.

Terry,

The post I responded to said "Kelly needs to be the next one fired." I then proceeded to show why that statement was silly.

Obviously the brutal schedule comment is talking about the whole schedule. And how since Notre Dame plays a very difficult 12 game schedule, it will have a more difficult time getting to the wins necessary to make a major bowl on a consistent basis, than say Alabama.