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

Notre Dames defeat by Alabama was God's plan, claims religious zealot - VIDEO

William Tapley

Let's face it, for most Notre Dame fans Monday night's national championship game felt like a three hour visit to the dentist.

The Fighting Irish were, to put it mildly, routed. And one rather strange man who predicted the outcome also claims he knows why.

Almighty God, claims William Tapley, is was sending America a stark message: President Obama is the Leopard, the fourth beast mentioned in the Book of Daniel. And, oh yeah, the Apocalypse is coming.

And you thought just the game was hell on earth?

Is there ever a time when the Apocalypse isn't coming, though? And is the Creator of the infinite universe really going to use a college football game to make His mysterious ways known to man?

Tapley, 73, a retired furniture engineer from Forestport, New York is in no doubt. A well known religious zealot, he refers to himself the 'Co-prophet of the End Times' and 'Third Eagle of the Apocalypse,' which must make for a bit of fun at parties. But he's deadly serious about his predictions, as video below makes clear.

Read more: Nightmare for Notre Dame ends a dream season for Fighting Irish

Obama sounds like Alabama, he says. And Notre Dame is a Catholic institution, which means it's important to Catholic bishops, and the Catholic bishops were deified by Obama. Or something. Watch the video and decide for yourself.

This is a man who actually looks forward to the end of the world. So much so he writes ear bleedingly celebratory songs about it. Check them out below. And remember that Notre Dame's defeat was actually God's plan.

Notre Dame vs Alabama: A Prophecy?

Is the Notre Dame BCS Bowl ad aimed at dissing Alabama?

Fighting Irish fans prep for game day

Is Notre Dame dissing Alabama not so subtly with their BCS Bowl ad which they have just released?

With ESPN predicting a record all time viewership for a college game, all eyes will be on the Irish and the Crimson Tide on Monday night.

The undercurrent in the game however, is the rivalry between two colleges whose student athlete graduation rates and the type of degrees they achieve could not be more different.

Notre Dame football team graduates 97 per cent, first in the nation indeed. Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick has stated that he is at least as proud of that figure as he is of the team reaching the national championship game -- and rightfully so.

Alabama is in the low 70s percentage in the past few years and have been improving steadily but there is little comparison in the quality of degrees earned or the entrance test.

Some cynics have dubbed  the BCS Bowl the ‘Catholics Vs Cousins’ stand off.  During a game Alabama played in, rival supporters held up a blown-up picture of a library and  a comment that  essentially said “Hey SEC this is a library.”

All of which is the reason why the prime time ad is so interesting that Notre Dame have put together.

It shows a bunch of Notre Dame students gathering, walking across campus lighting candles and you think it is leading to a scene at the grotto or the church. There is even a shot of Touchdown Jesus.

It eventually fades into a shot at what looks like Notre Dame stadium and the candles held aloft by the students, standing in a narrow circle of lights together spelling out the words
“#1 in student athlete graduation”

Interesting focus that, given who they are playing don’t you think?

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 actually played a tougher schedule than Alabama -- More reason to believe an upset is on the cards in Miami

Contrary to popular belief Notre Dame had a tougher schedule than Alabama which makes them an even better prospect to beat the spread on January 8th in Florida.

And they went unbeaten unlike the Tide who lost to Texas A&M.

In an excellent article in CSN Chicago J.J. Stankevitz notes that the Irish schedule was definitely tougher as they played fewer patsies, only Boston College and Wake Forest ranked 122nd and 117th respectively.(Wow how BC have fallen)

Alabama on the other hand beat up on Western Kentucky (No. 80), Florida Atlantic (No. 131), Western Carolina (No. 199) and  Auburn (No. 83). Alabama played four top-20 opponents in Texas A&M (No. 6, and a loss), Georgia (No. 7), at LSU (No. 11) and Michigan (No. 20).

On the other hand Notre Dame beat No. 8 Stanford, No. 34 BYU, and No. 9 Oklahoma to give them an edge considering Alabama lost to A&M.

Little wonder then that Jeff Sagarin's strength of schedule rankings placed  Notre Dame at No. 31 and Alabama at No. 34.

All of which points to a greater potential of an Irish upset of the Tide when the sides meet in Miami
Now that would be cool!

Could the Dropkick Murphys be the real reason for Notre Dame winning season?

Dropkick Murphys

Might the Dropkick Murphys, the legendary Boston Irish rock band, be the reason for the Notre Dame resurgence this season?

Could be. Junior Matthew Cunningham, head of the Leprechaun Legion, believes it is so.

The legion acts as a go-between between students and the athletic department.

For years there have been complaints that the noise is not loud enough at home games, fans not properly hyped up.

Cunningham got permission to change all that.

His mission was to get music played in the stadium.

He surveyed 900 students and they all agreed.

“Let's make some noise!”

Finally, the Dropkick Murphys' "Shipping Up to Boston" has blared from the speakers for the home games.

Cunningham, said the student section was "as rowdy as I can remember."

Music is now played before kick offs, after key third downs and at the end of timeouts.

Result is an unbeaten season.

Go figure.

Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly polishes Notre Dame helmets -- Lost bet over USC game and forced to clean helmets of Irish players

Sports Illustrated top columnist Rick Reilly patching up Notre Dame helmets

Legendary Sports Illustrated top columnist Rick Reilly was forced to admit he has been wrong about Notre Dame football all year-- and he has the polished helmets to prove it.

Reilly told his twitter feed that he would polish every helmet at Notre Dame if they defeated USC in their final game.

They did; 22-13.

So last week Reilly was forced to fly to South Bend and polish, or rather patch as it is these days, every helmet in the place.

Before the season started Reilly had said Notre Dame had no chance of competing.

Reilly admitted that the USC prediction was not the only reason he had to eat humble pie.

“It was a column I'd written just before the season insisting Notre Dame's reputation far outkicked its performance ("it hasn't been a factor in almost 20 years,") and how Notre Dame gets far more hype and perks than it deserves ("Somebody needs to stick a pin in the still-inflated Golden Dome") and how Notre Dame should save itself the weekly NBC embarrassment ("Do the right thing and don't renew").

Oops.

They wound up 12-0, No. 1 in the nation, and will now play Alabama in the BCS title game Jan. 7 in Miami.”

When he got to Notre Dame’s equipment room a bunch of players were waiting, chanting "EXTRA SHINY!"

For the next three hours Reilly patched the helmets carefully.

“Turns out they don't polish the helmets at Notre Dame anymore. They patch them. They switched last October to a new kind of textured graphic helmet that's so shiny they look like miniature Golden Domes.
When they get a gouge in them, you don't paint them, you apply a sticky gold bandage over it, the way you would on the skinned knee of a Trump,” he wrote.

He said in the end it was a honor. “This team will never be forgotten at Notre Dame, and saying that at a school with 11 national championships is a mouthful. Imagine: They went from unranked to No. 1 and finished up beating USC, a team that went from No. 1 to unranked.”

Wonder what he will have to do when they beat Alabama?

Johnny Football got the Heisman and Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o got the shaft -- How on earth did Heisman voters pick Manziel over Notre Dame legend?

Johnny Manziel

So Johnny Football got the Heisman and Manti Te’o got the shaft.

That is the upshot of the most tarnished Heisman Trophy award in some time.

We have a kid arrested for a fight bordering on a racial incident against a kid who reflects the best values that America holds dear.

We had a kid who had a brilliant but possible flash in the pan season against a kid who has exemplified for years what it means to be a great college football player and human being.

We have a kid with a flashy nickname, Johnny Football, against a kid who just put his head down and worked hard and proved an inspiration after losing two of the people closest to him.

We had a kid who led a team of no hopers to a national championship battle against a kid who had one big victory over Alabama all season.

So here is why Johnny Manziel won the Heisman, his highlight reel looked better and he had a cute nickname.

Memo to voters ---highlight reels always look better when you are a quarterback as against a linebacker. And cute nicknames only go so far.

Unfortunately, in the flash and glitter and twitter world we live in a solid performance, inspiration and teamwork counts for little when you can watch a guy with a cute nickname avoid the sack against  big ‘ol ‘Bama.

Coach Kelly of Notre Dame is right, the Heisman is a joke after picking Manziel as against Te’o.

What will be fascinating to watch is how this plays out over time. Te’o will be a first round pick and a linebacker legend.

Manziel will leave for the pros next year and what then? I predict a Matt Leinart-tye stellar career once they figure out how to contain him ...

So let’s hear it for those Heisman voters.

Stupid is as stupid does and they just showed what dumb jock strap sniffers they really are.

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 still need to beat USC for a BCS title shot - BCS heaven awaits if they can win in Los Angeles!

Notre Dame in BCS heaven? who would have thought it at the start of this season. For the first time since the Lou Holtz era in 1993 Notre Dame are Number 1.

But wait! there is one game to go and its against the dreaded USC so let us not count any chickens here.

Maybe it was the Sports Illustrated cover jinx but Kansas State played like they were snakebitten against Baylor.

And Stanford handed Oregon a dramatic defeat meaning that Alabama are the most likely rivals for Notre Dame for the BCS game.

Notre Dame has a clear shot at the BCS title game if the Irish can defeat USC next week.

That is a big if, especially in Los Angeles against a team that will be fired up like never before to deny the Fighting Irish.

Chip Kelly against Brian Kelly, the two New England Irishmen facing off against each other would have been a sportswriter’s dream --- green and gold against the green and gold.

A season that started with success in Dublin has ended in glory for the Irish.

Oregon lost against Stanford and Notre Dame’s luckiest escape this season
was against Stanford.

The Irish need not fear anyone the Irish defense is the best in football.

But first there is USC!

Notre Dame chances of national championship game soar - Alabama defeat leaves Irish in the argument for BSC game

Notre Dame

The chances of The Fighting Irish playing for a national championship have improved dramatically after Alabama went down to Texas A&M at home.

The Alabama shocker means that the Irish may play for the national championship for the first time since the Lou Holtz era in 1988.

Coupled with Notre Dame’s facile victory over Boston College the Irish are now definitely at Number 3 at least and possibly in the top two.

It is an extraordinary outcome for a team that was given little chance of cracking the Top 10 before the season started.

But there are still two obstacles to overcome. Wake Forest at home should be a relatively easy victory but USC in the Los Angeles Coliseum will be a real test.

The Irish/USC rivalry is among the most famous in college football and nothing would suit the Trojans more than to upend Notre Dame’s perfect season.

If the Irish manage to overcome that however, they will be in the final shakeup for a national title game—something absolutely no one predicted at the beginning of the season.

Against Boston College, Notre Dame appeared to play on automatic in the second half after a 21-3 half time lead. This team is plainly able to lift their game sufficiently depending on their rival. The BC game in previous years has often been a heartbreaker for the Irish but like everything hers this year they have learnt to do enough for victory.

Manti T’eo‘s interception will have done him no harm in the Heisman chase and he is surely moving up in the ranking.

A week of living dangerously for Notre Dame ends in Pitt win - Miracles are truly happening at the Golden Dome in 2012

Notre Dame v Pitt

Notre Dame's victory over Pitt was the stuff of miracles and Touchdown Jesus must have been working overtime to bring about the most unlikely comeback.

This 2012 team truly has the karma.

They won the game in triple overtime but only after Pitt had missed a chip shot to win the game in double overtime.

A team of destiny? Much as I hate that title I found myself thinking it as the chip shot went wide and Notre Dame lived to fight again.

On the 3rd OT Everett Golson was soon buzzing like that busy bee he is on his best moments probing, flitting, looking, running for first downs.

It was fitting that he sneaked in from the one yard line for the winning score and that Coach Kelly gave him the game ball-- he deserve both.

Pitt will wonder how they lost this game entering the final quarter with a 20-6 lead and outplaying the Irish.

But this year miracles are happening at the Golden Dome and the Pitt win might be the biggest one of all this year.

Clearly the Irish were flat off the massive Sooners victory last week and yet somehow as they have all season they found a way to survive,

They say the mark of great team is its ability to play badly and still win-see Alabama against LSU last night.

The Irish did that against Pitt and should make short work of B.C and Wake Forest before the titanic clash with USC.

It is a prospect to look forward to.

Notre Dame victory over Oklahoma the biggest win ever for Coach Brian Kelly

Notre Dame wins victory against Oklahoma

Notre Dame’s extraordinary 30-20 victory over Oklahoma gives them a real shot at a national title game. This wasn’t just a win - it was a rout against the No. 8 team in the country who were one of the favorites going into the seasons to make the national championship game.

“Folks, let me say it loud and clear Notre Dame is relevant again” said Brent Musberger on ABC and ESPN.

Are they ever! The victory against Oklahoma was a landmark wins, the greatest under Brian Kelly. All the great Notre Dame coaches have taken at least three seasons to settle in. Kelly is proving in his third year that he is the real deal.

Even Notre Dame fanatics were fearful of the Sooners game given the fact that they are usually such a powerful force at home. Incredible now to think that until this year there were some who wanted Kelly replaced because the team had not broken out the past two seasons.

Coming in the 7-0 record was being criticized as achieved against an easy schedule. Michigan. Michigan State and Stanford easy? Hardly. But the Sooners game was really the acid test, playing in hostile territory against one of the great teams in college football.

Manti T’eo must surely have increased his chances of the Heisman Trophy given that once again he made the pivotal play of the game, intercepting a Landry Jones pass. That interception left the Irish two scores ahead with under 3 minutes to play. A famous night, a famous victory and Brian Kelly can say he has answered his critics and joined the legends. .

Romney and Paul Ryan split on Fighting Irish football game -- BYU and Notre Dame families backed different sides on Saturday

Mitt Romney and Paul split on BYU v Nortre Dame game

Finally, a wedge issue that caused a split on the Republican ticket on Saturday.

Paul Ryan’s family and Mitt Romney’s family attended the Notre Dame BYU game and cheered for different teams.

“This is probably maybe the only wedge issue between the Romneys and Ryans,” Tobin Ryan told ABC News in a phone interview.

Two of Mitt Romney’s sons, Craig and Tagg, are BYU fans and Tobin Ryan, Paul’s older brother, is a Notre Dame alum and big fan. Tobin’s older brother, Stan, also attended Notre Dame and graduated in 1984.

Tobin Ryan, who graduated from Notre Dame in 1987, gave the Romneys a tour of Notre Dame stopping at the grotto and the Basilica.

They then both attended a fundraiser for Romney/Ryan in downtown South Bend and the families sat together at the game.

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.

Michigan State victory by Fighting Irish marks the dawn of a new era -- A new Notre Dame team that has eliminated mental mistakes, turnovers

Everett Golson of Notre Dame runs from Michigan State's Marcus Rush

There is something different about Notre Dame this year.

It is not just the 3-0 start, the first time in a decade, or the pep in the step in this young team that almost no one gave a chance to against Michigan State, who they defeated 20-3.

No, it is not the fire in their eyes, the determination in their hearts or the will to win that is so extraordinary. Lots of teams have that.

It is that they play the game differently.

It is the absence of mistakes; those heart breaking, mind-crushing errors that bedeviled this team the past two years.

Remember the turnover fiascos? Remember the quarterback interceptions; remember the wrong decisions when the game was on the line?

The last minute losses were especially troubling, especially the one at Michigan State two years ago with the fake field goal and then the last second loss to Michigan last year that no one could believe.

Those mental mistakes and lapses in concentration are now gone.
And you can see this Irish team getting even better game-by-game.

Young Golson has a rifle arm and an unpredictable quality that makes him a hugely exciting prospect.

The young receiver corps have stepped up and won the big possessions when it counts.

Cierre Wood came through in the clutch yesterday in brilliant fashion.
And don’t even mention the defense and Manti Te’o. We are watching a legend grow before our eyes.

Brian Kelly has transformed a team of bumblers into a team of rare promise.
And the best is yet to come.

Bring on the Wolverines!

Tommy Rees may well be Fighting Irish starting quarterback in September

Tommy Rees 

Don’t be surprised if its Tommy Rees lines up as quarterback in Dublin on September 1st when Notre Dame begins their new season.

Sure, Rees is projected as low as number three on some lists behind Everett Golson and Andrew Hendrix but as game time approaches, Brian Kelly may decide to go with the devil he knows.

Rees gets a bum rap for his poor junior season when so much went wrong for the team in general.

He had an outstanding freshman year and surely deserves the opportunity to prove himself once again.
Rees certainly has a lot to prove.

His off-season antics were no more than a young man’s folly however, and trying to punish him for those makes no sense whatsoever.

Everett Golson is very much the home crowd Messiah at this point but he is largely unproven.

Sure, he fits into Kelly’s type of spread offense but he has yet to play a real game under pressure.

Rees has certainly done that, including leading Notre Dame to a bowl victory two seasons ago.

That’s is why despite all the bad mouthing, Rees may well be the safe pair of hands to line up behind center when the teams kick off in Dublin on Labor Day weekend.

Brian Kelly has a reputation as a gambler but he knows this season and his future will depend on his signal caller.

All the more reason why Rees would be the safest choice. If he can limit the interceptions he can go on to be the comeback kid.

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.

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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.