Say it ain’t so Brian -- Coach Kelly set for Philadelphia Eagles? -- Met with Eagles brass after Notre Dame championship game

Notre Dame's Brian Kelly is interviewing with the Philly Eagles
(Photo: USA Today)

Say it ain’t so Brian Kelly!

Just days after losing the BSC Championship game to Alabama ESPN reported that Kelly had met with the Philadelphia Eagles about the head coaching job.

You know that “The Scream” painting by Edvard Munch? That’s how we Notre Dame fans feel right now.

After a quarter century in the wilderness it looked like we were on our way back to the big time.

Sure ‘Bama beat us, but 12-0 was nothing to sneeze at and making the national title game was extraordinary.

And now this.

Kelly will do what Kelly has to do, but it surely cannot be about money as Notre Dame would surely match any offer from Philly.

He has never coached a day as a pro and would be taking an enormous gamble.

But we do know that Kelly is a winner and the Eagles desperately need a winner.

We know too the pressure on a Notre Dame coach is like nothing else in football. Lou Holtz gave it up because he was so exhausted.

Read more: Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly attracting interest from pro NFL teams

Kelly after three years might be feeling the same way.

Or he might just be parlaying his position to get a better financial deal.

Whatever it is it is bad news for the Irish.

Recruits in the pipeline will hold off until it is clear what the deal is.

Confidence in the football program will be shaken until Kelly’s future becomes clear.

He’s on a vacation outside the country.

Hey, it is a business first and foremost and Kelly and Notre Dame know that.

But having resurrected the Irish football program, Kelly was on his way to sainthood around South Bend.

Now there may be as many brickbats as bouquets heading his way.

Sad that.

Read more: Notre Dame support is a search for family and common roots for millions

Brian Kelly confident Notre Dame’s Everett Golson can come through in the clutch

Everett Golson

Coach Brian Kelly has no doubt that Everett Golson will rise to the occasion in Miami in he BCS bowl game.

"The kid started three or four games that were on national television and in pretty hostile environments," Kelly said, reports the Times Free Press. "He started at USC, at Oklahoma and at Michigan State, so he's got enough seasoning. I would be very, very surprised if he can't handle the moment."

"Once he gets into the flow of the game and you start seeing him smile a little bit, I think everyone who watches him knows that's when he plays his best."

"I think once he knew after the Oklahoma game that he was the guy, the confidence level and the trust builds and builds and builds," Kelly said. "I think that's why I'm confident that the moment won't be too big for him, because he knows that we've got 100 percent confidence and trust in him that he can go in and win us a national championship."

Alabama think they can take away the running game and force Golson to throw.

"We want to take away the run and make them one-dimensional," Crimson Tide safety Robert Lester said. "If we can take away the run and force them to put the ball in the air, it gives us more chances to make plays on the ball and gives more chances for them to make mistakes."

Kelly agreed they will have to throw the football: "We're going to have to throw the football. We're going to have to find some big-chunk plays. He is going to have to be integral in that. He knows that, we know that, and I think Alabama knows that, too."

"This season has been the definition of a growing process," Golson said. "To come in inexperienced and having to go through the trials and that adversity -- at the end of the day, if you're tried like that, that's what makes great players great. You have to be tried."

"I think once he knew after the Oklahoma game that he was the guy, the confidence level and the trust builds and builds and builds," Kelly said. "I think that's why I'm confident that the moment won't be too big for him, because he knows that we've got 100 percent confidence and trust in him that he can go in and win us a national championship."

"I think I'm very confident with myself and my teammates," Golson said. "We've always kind of been the underdogs, but we've worked our way up from the bottom and have shown great resilience."

Notre Dame football naysayers looking very foolish now -- Brian Kelly proves academic excellence and football can mix

Brian Kelly

All those naysayers who thought Notre Dame would never compete for a national championship again can sit down now.

A win over USC puts Notre Dame in the national championship game, likely against Alabama, an unheard of possibility at the start of the year.

The AP and BCS rankings this week make sweet reading for the Fighting Irish boosters who never gave up.
Yes, there have been the wilderness years with the likes of Bob Davie and Tyrone Willingham.

But to counter that there has always been the amazing tradition and echoes just waiting to be re-awakened.
And now they have.

Most detractors insisted that the academic standards at Notre Dame had ensured that top players would always skip the South Bend campus trip.

Yes, Notre Dame graduates an incredible 96 per cent of their football students, the top rank in college football.

Alabama, by contrast, graduates just 75 per cent.

But Coach Brian Kelly was undaunted by the challenge that drafting intelligent footballers represented in the eyes of many.

“I have not seen anything here in my time that will not allow us to continue to have the highest graduation rate and compete for a national championship, and I’ve been doing it 22 years. So I think I know what it looks like if you couldn’t do it,” he said.
Amen to that.

Notre Dame's magical year continues as they stop Stanford on half yard line

Notre Dame wins game with Stanford

Notre Dame's victory over Stanford 20 to 13 was a game for the ages and the sense that the Irish are a team of destiny this year continues.

 It looked a sure-fire second period of extra time when Stanford had the ball at the one yard line in overtime with four efforts to get it across. Somehow this Notre Dame defense held which would never have happened in previous years.

 They won despite another stuttering start by Everett Golson who held on to the ball far too often, most notoriously in his own end zone when he fumbled and gave away a touchdown.

Asked afterwards if Notre Dame were a team of destiny this year Coach Brian Kelly hesitated a moment, perhaps believing in his heart of hearts that they are but being afraid to say so publicly.

6-0 with a miraculous victory against Stanford means that the grotto prayers are really paying off this year when it comes to miracles.

This was the most impressive victory of all because fit was achieved in adversity, when they fell behind and looked beaten, especially on offense for large parts of the game. But unlike Kelly's first two years this team finds a way to win, not lose and they did so again.

They could well crack the top 4 in the BCS bowl rankings on Sunday something that was far from most expert's minds at the beginning of the year. Back then the fear was that the secondary was too inexperienced and the defense would ship too many points. Just how wrong can the experts be?

Notre Dame national championship a real possibility

Notre Dame

Forget Catholics versus convicts.

Notre Dame's blowout against Miami was more Godzilla versus Mickey Mouse as the Irish steamrolled to a very impressive victory.

Suddenly the sky is the limit for this Irish team and the pre season jitters about a very tough schedule are suddenly fading away. Stanford? Not the powerhouse we feared. Oklahoma? ditto? USC ditto.

The prospect of competing for a national championship, especially if Stanford are defeated next week is truly amazing.

Pre-season we would have settled for  decent bowl game-- 8-4 maybe.

But with Golson blooming last night, Manti majestic as always and a running game that Woody Hayes would have been proud of as it crashed and battered a dreadful Miami defense, this Notre Dame team is for real.
Kelly has them playing out of their skins but Bob  Diaco has produced a defense that is truly fearsome out of thin air

Remember the fears about the secondary?

Well three minutes into last night's game that seemed a real possibility as Miami seemed ready to shred that defense.

Only dropped passes prevented an early Miami lead.

But Diaco and his merry men adjusted and held the potent offense to a mere field goal. It was no contest after that.

Notre Dame is for real and, incredibly,  a national championship is a real possibility.

Irish coach Brian Kelly needs to replace starting quarterback Golson - Tommy Rees a far better choice despite Kelly’s desire to stick with Golson

Everett Golson

It is hard to believe that Brian Kelly still seems determined to start Everett Golson at quarterback and leave Tommy Rees on the bench after the Michigan victory.

Kelly told NBC right after the 14 to 7 victory that Golson was his starter despite now having pulled him twice in four games because he was ineffective.

In comparison Rees has done nothing wrong whatsoever, setting up the winning field goal against Purdue and reviving a moribund Irish offense, which had looked out of synch with Golson running it.

Golson has yet to show that explosive Denard Robinson running ability we were told he had. He has yet to show he can master a spread offense, and he has yet to show that he can be calm and cool under pressure.

Kelly has ended up in a strange place. He is considered an offensive genius yet it is his defense, which is winning games while his offense sputters.

Holding Michigan to just six points, winning six turnovers and preventing Denard Robinson from running amok were all stellar achievements.

Manti T’eo has played himself into Heisman consideration in my opinion with his performance yet again. If there is a better linebacker in college football, or all round athlete I have yet to see him.

Kelly needs to move to Rees and give him back the job. He deserves it pure and simple and the team obviously responds to him.

Golson just does not seem to have it at present and may never have. Kelly is risking a great season by keeping him under center.

Notre Dame's Brian Kelly's decision to stick with Tommy Rees for bowl game a major mistake

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly's decision to start Tommy Rees in the Champs bowl game against Florida State is already being second guessed.

Andrew Hendrix is seen by many now as the quarterback of the future. Rees's failings were only too evident against Stanford and his lack of a running option and deep threat means he will always be limited.

Hendrix on the other hand is an exciting runner and showed against Stanford that he can pass too.

Dayne Crist has decided to transfer his final year which explains why Kelly did not introduce him in the Stanford game.

-------------------
READ MORE:
More news on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from IrishCentral

Congressman Peter King slams fellow Republican Newt Gingrich

Christmas outrage in Killarney as six deer are decapitated
-------------------

Given that Cris is out of the picture it is hard to see why Kelly has gone with Rees.

He has had a full year to evaluate him and while he has done well against inferior opponents, against USC and Stanford he was ineffective.

Hendrix would be a gamble but a bowl game like this is the perfect opportunity to have him find his feet and see if he can make the cut.

Florida State will be tough. They are coming off a disappointing season but have every reason to want to win this one.

It is hard to understand why Kelly sticks with Rees.

I hope on December 29th he won't live to regret it.

'Tommy Turnover' as some fans cruelly nickname him, needs to have the game of his life.

Brian Kelly says Tommy Rees needs to reach next level as Notre Dame quarterback

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly has spoken about taking Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees to the next level.

‘‘That’s where we’re at right now,’’ Brian Kelly said ‘‘All the other stuff is just chat and opinions. Everybody is entitled to their opinions. His development now is, ‘How are they defending Tommy Rees?’ Tommy’s got to take that next step, and that is eight- and nine-man drops. How are you going to find a way to keep the chains moving?’’

Rees is 12-2 as a starter and his winning percentage is better than Joe Montana's but questions remain, especially about his mobility and ability to operate Kelly's spread offense.

He was not Kelly's first choice to start the season but he has cemented his place with a solid year.

--------------------
READ MORE:
More news stories on Notre Dame Fighting Irish


Age old mystery of life solved by Irish and US scientists in new research project

Bruce Springsteen to play Dublin, research his Irish roots
--------------------

‘‘I can’t run around and do what some guys can do, but I can definitely figure out where guys are open and get outside the pocket to make a play,’’ Rees said.

‘‘There are many pieces we are trying to develop with Tommy, and the last piece we’re trying to move up to the next level is the deep ball,’’ Kelly said. ‘‘He’s capable of throwing it, but there’s an evolution to that. We’re spending more time on it. The last few weeks, it has been a point of emphasis.

‘‘We’ll continue to work on it, but there have been so many things that we had to work on first before we got to this. I believe this is the next step in his progression as a quarterback — if he can continue to grow in that area — and a lot of it is technique. It’s not mental. He has to do some things with his arm slot and arm angle to be more efficient. We’re working on those things.’’

Brian Kelly can cap good year with Stanford victory for Notre Dame

Brian Kelly’s season comes down to Stanford on Saturday.

He will be 9-3 if he beats them, Notre Dame’s best season in years. Arguably, if they win, they should be 11-1 only the defeat to USC was a game they did not deserve to win.

The losses to Michigan and USF were aberrations that would surely never happen again.

Kelly has a similar record to Lou Holtz at the same period in his coaching career at Notre Dame.

Can he go on and win or even challenge for a national championship in the future?

--------------------
READ MORE:
More news stories on Notre Dame Fighting Irish


Age old mystery of life solved by Irish and US scientists in new research project


Bruce Springsteen to play Dublin, research his Irish roots

--------------------

The signs are good. A victory against Stanford and then in a bowl game would provide the underpinnings of a great year next year, which kicks off in Dublin against Navy on September 1st.

A loss to Stanford, the only truly top team the Irish have played, will show Kelly what else is left to be done.

A victory will indicate that times are changing for the better, finally around South Bend and that Kelly has a secret formula that works.

If he can stop Andrew Luck, the certain No 1 draft choice then he will have done a hell of a day’s work.

The Stanford defense has conceded 142 points over the last few weeks, an average of 35 points a game.

They are beatable if Luck can be stopped, if Rees plays a complete game and Kelly keeps it up tempo.

I think they can do it.

Notre Dame win ugly against Boston College but Brian Kelly won't complain

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly

Get used to the Fighting Irish winning ugly.

Scraping through against bottom of the barrel Boston College was neither pretty or perfection.

But it got the job done.

For critics of the win I say Remember Tulsa.

Sure Tommy Rees had his worst game in the Blue and Gold-- but he still won.

And he's 12-2 as a starter.

He is starting to look like Tim Tebow. We will scratch our heads as to how he wins but he does.

Just win Baby.

Brian Kelly has come to appreciate the importance of that too.

He's no longer the riverboat gambler now he's like the sober sheriff.
--------------------
READ MORE:
More Irish sports news on IrishCentral

How the Irish saved Thanksgiving

Marriage of two former Death Row inmates, one Irish, one American
--------------------
Against Tulsa last year he got intercepted in the end zone when a field goal would have won the game.

He learned his lesson,

Yesterday with the ball on the BC 41 and fourth and one he punted.

That's a different style.

But when you run a turnover prone team, playing it by the rules is the best plan.

And the Champs Bowl now beckons.

Brian Kelly discusses home farewell to Michael Floyd, avoids Boston friends and family

Brian Kelly will be facing huge pressure this weekend , but it will not all be from the Boston College football team .

The Boston native knows family and friends will be calling incessantly to get tickets for the game at Notre Dame stadium.

"There's a lot of requests for tickets," Kelly told the Associated Press . "I don't even pick up the phone."

Indeed Kelly may face more pressure of the field from family and Boston fans than on this field. BC are having their worst year in over a decade and are only 3-7.

It will also be senior day at Notre Dame, the last chance to say goodbye to some of the greats, especially wide receiver Michael Floyd.
----------------------
READ MORE:


Ashlynn Conner’s family speak out over 10-year-old’s bullying and suicide


Gambling Irish nun blew close to $1 million in Atlantic City 


Hit and run driver who killed Queen’s Irish barman captured

----------------------
Kelly knows it will be emotional "Emotions are fine because it's your last home game, and you should feel those things naturally. I think when you get emotional is where you can run into problems," he said. "We talk about our players staying within themselves all year. So I'm not really concerned that we're going to come outside of who we are. ... You should be able to handle those emotions appropriately so you can enjoy the moment, but yet go out and execute."

Team captain Smith is a special player and person Kelly says, "He's the kind of guy that you can model as to what your programs look like because of the way he handles himself all the time," Kelly said. "When you're in the mix of changes going on in your program, he has to be a great communicator to the other players, as well. He sometimes has to carry the water, so to speak, in terms of the messages. He'll always be welcome here because of what he's meant to us."

Michael Floyd has repaid his coach's faith in him after screwing up with a drunk driving charge last year

"This is why I coach," Kelly said. "To see a young man change the course of his life, and see that on a day-to-day basis, it's probably as rewarding as any singular victory. And that's what Michael Floyd has done. And that feels good as a coach that you can see a young man who is in a good place. He wasn't in such a good place, but now he is, and that's important."

CBS writer slams Notre Dame’s new shamrock helmet - 'More like a St.Patrick’s Day craft project' than a helmet

New Notre Dame helmet

Notre Dame’s new shamrock logo on their helmet for their Maryland game is drawing criticism from CBS sports writer Adam Jacobi.

Referring to the new helmet Jacobi wrote”That? That doesn't look like a football helmet. It looks like a St. Patrick's Day crafts project -- and not a particularly good or tasteful one”

The game against Maryland is being called the Shamrock Series game but Jacobi says the helmet is all wrong.and just doesn’t make sense.

“What I don't understand about the Notre Dame alternate helmets so frequently using the shamrock is this: Notre Dame has its own set of iconography for its football team, and it's just about the most recognizable in the nation.

There's the interlocking "ND" logo, the "boxing leprechaun" logo, and to a lesser extent Touchdown Jesus*. But anyway, missing from all of those highly recognizable images is the shamrock. It's just not part of the look, and hasn't been since the Irish scrapped a three-year project with the helmet shamrock back in 1962.

-------------------------
READ MORE:
More news on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from IrishCentral

Irish rugby legend Brian O'Driscoll’s career may be over


Starlings take flight over River Shannon in Ireland - VIDEO
-------------------------

So when the Irish players slap a shamrock on their hats for the "sort of throwback but not really" game against Michigan this year, then do it again for the upcoming Maryland contest, it feels like an aggressive rebranding initiative by a program and school that have, in all other aspects, staked their reputation on sticking to tradition at all costs. It just doesn't make sense.

According to Notre Dame’s sports department release the Shamrock Series helmets are covered in 24-carat gold leaf and feature green shamrocks on each side and a leprechaun decal on the back.

Notre Dame says the shamrock decal will continue .”This marks the first in a series of uniform features that will be utilized for Notre Dame's Shamrock Series contests. After the 2011 game at FedExField, the Shamrock Series in 2012 moves to Soldier Field in Chicago for a game against Miami.

In 2013 the Shamrock Series match-up against Arizona State will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Irish will showcase uniform variations in their annual Shamrock Series games but otherwise will wear their standard uniforms the rest of the season.”

Why do Brian Kelly's Notre Dame quarterbacks screw up so much? ---Latest loss against USC down to quarterback errors

Notre Dame quarterbacks simply make too many mistakes under Brian Kelly.

The same old failing came back to haunt them against USC with three critical turnovers at vital times.

Kelly came to Notre Dame with a much vaunted reputation o f making good quarterbacks great. So far he is doing the opposite it seems.

The three turnovers speak to a lack of discipline, not just by the players but by the coaches too.

Dayne Crist fumbled on the one yard line with Notre Dame preparing to draw level and USC ran it all the way back. .

It was inexcusable, sloppy and we can blame the coach too.

Tommy Rees gave away two critical turnovers, the first a strange lateral to Ciera Wood that USC pounced on, the second a throw to Floyd in a crowd of players that was picked off.

These were the turning points in the game, a heavy loss to USC.

There was also the strange decision to insert Andrew Hendrix at a key moment after the irish had returned a kick off for a touchdown and looked like they were on the way back.

Instead Kelly mysteriously inserted Hendrix who failed to move the team and almost threw an interception.

What is with Kelly and his mistake prone quarterbacks?

It seems to me that the sloppiness in their play is down to coaching too.Kelly must take the blame for missing out on the fundamentals
.
Fact is unless his quarterbacks improve the Irish will never be a BCS threat.

That is obvious after the USC blow out.