Following Notre Dame’s latest loss – an embarrassing home loss to Duke – head coach Brian Kelly was quick to point the finger at everyone except those that deserved it the most – his defensive coaching staff that hasn’t taught a roster full of players they selected and recruited basic fundamentals.
[UPDATE: Brian Kelly has pulled an about face on Sunday announcing that Brian Vangorder has been relieved of his duties!]
Notre Dame is not a fundamentally sound football team – especially on the defensive side of the ball where the missed tackles are piling up at record pace. Notre Dame is playing historically bad defense during the reign of terror of defensive coordinator Brian Vangorder.  Good news though, the problem isn’t the coaching.
“Coaching had nothing to do with the outcome today,” Kelly defiantly said to the media following a game in which his defense was a kneel down away from surrendering 500 yards for a third time in four games.
Could have fooled me.
“That’s probably the one area that I feel better about today,” Kelly said regarding his defensive coaching staff.  “We did what I wanted today in terms of coaching. “There are things that I want to get better at defensively, there’s no question. But that’s the least of my concerns after today.”
This isn’t the first time Kelly has stood behind his staff following terrible defensive performances this season. Â Kelly backed Vangorder following the losses to Texas and Michigan State as well and up until this point, I had given Kelly credit for publicly supporting them.
Today, however, Kelly wasn’t shy about calling out his players for poor execution or their lack of emotion.
“Oh, yeah, there will be personnel changes, absolutely,” Kelly said when asked about possible personnel changes.
When asked about the last two Notre Dame drives, Kelly again gave his staff’s coaching a pass. “Poor execution. Poor, poor execution. I like what we called. I liked the looks that we had, and we did a poor job executing.”
Perhaps sensing that he was putting too much of the blame on his players, Kelly finally admitted the coaching staff needs to do better as well. “Listen this is not all on our players, we still have to coach better as well. There’s a lot that we have to do,” Kelly said, Â “I’m a 1-3 coach, we’re all 1-3 coaches, so we’re in the same boat as all of our players. So let’s be clear on that.”
The criticism of his staff was short lived though. Â “There’s no passion. There’s no passion for it. It looks like it’s hard to play. Like we’re pulling teeth,” Kelly said. “You’re playing football for Notre Dame. It looks like it’s work. Last I checked they were getting a scholarship to play this game.”
Last I checked his staff was collecting a paycheck to coach football at Notre Dame. Â And they are doing a bad job of it right now. Â Kelly can talk about poor execution, players having bad tackling form, and players being out of position all he wants, but at the end of the day, it’s his and his staff’s responsibility to teach those fundamentals.
When an entire defensive unit is so fundamentally bad at tackling, the problem is much deeper than poor execution. It goes back to what was taught and worked on in spring and fall camps. Â Fundamentals are developed in camp. Â Game plans are developed week to week. Â All of the evidence at hand this season suggests those fundamentals were not taught well by the defensive coaching staff heading into the season.
It’s also on Kelly and his staff to have these players ready to play each week and notice if they “lack grit and fire” before they run out of that tunnel each Saturday. Â Coaching is more than just drawing up a gameplan and expecting the players to execute with perfection.
Duke racked up 498 yards and scored 38 points after totaling a combined 27 points on Wake Forest and Northwestern in back to back losses weeks two and three. Â But the defensive coaching is the least of Brian Kelly’s concerns? Â There’s shouldering the blame for your staff and protecting them from the media and there’s sounding out of touch with reality.
Instead of placing any blame on his defensive coaching staff, Kelly harped on the execution of an offense that had 534 yards of total offense. Â While the offense was far from perfect on Saturday, that side of the ball hardly deserves all of the blame.
“We put our defense in a bad situation today and they gave our offense a chance to win, quite frankly.  Those turnovers were deadly and obviously the kick off return for a touchdown just put us in a tough situation,” Kelly said as if forgetting that a defense can occasionally make a stop on their own.
After refusing to criticize his defensive coaches, Kelly didn’t offer the same media protection for his starting quarterback. Â “Below standard. It’s not acceptable, his play,” Kelly said of Deshone Kizer. Â That is the same Deshone Kizer who threw for 381 yards and has now accounted for 16 touchdowns this season.
Kizer, despite the stats, did not play his best game and left a lot of plays on the field. Â He also didn’t deserve to be thrown under the bus by his head coach while the defensive coordinator in charge of one of the nation’s statistically worst defensive gets a free pass week in and week out.
So to recap, Kelly feels that the defensive coaching staff which is being paid to coach football is the least of his concerns but the play of his starting quarterback who is the only reason Notre Dame was even in the game against Texas and Michigan State is “unacceptable”.
Am I taking crazy pills?
I didn’t disagree with everything Kelly said on Saturday though.
“I must be doing a poor job. I’ve got to do a better job of finding out what those things are that are putting our football team in that position. But we got to have more of it.”
Couldn’t agree more.
No fire, no excitement, no connection to his players, time to go
Quit blaming Coach Kelly-in August you all supported him.
Everyone runs into problems. We will come out of this
Keep being negative and those recruits will look elsewhere.
Yes he would and Oregon will need to replace this years starting QB. Not sure if Zaire would have to sit out a year if he transferred though.
He’d be a good fit there Jeff
Zaire to Oregon
Wow!!! I said BVG needed to be fired today and he was. If I knew that I got one wish to be granted today, I should have asked to win the lottery…
SFR
I think no matter what BK’s plans are for Zaire, he’s probably gone after he graduates in the spring and to be honest I don’t blame him a bit. He sat on the bench and watched Golson turn the ball over like a turnover machine without a chance to play because BK’s ego kept him from admitting his choice was a bad one.. Then finally he was the man and proved himself in the Texas game. Then after a season ending injury lost his job while Kelly played some type of mind game with both quarterbacks when he promised Zaire Kizer and Wimbush would be placeholders til he was ready to play. When coaches break promises like this and then wonder why kids no longer buy into their philosophy it’s time to go or start over. Fact is Zaire is a natural for several SEC programs. His family has hinted at his transfer on Facebook and twitter. As I’ve said before I’d love to see him in a Gators uniform, but I’m sure Auburn would be thrilled to have him also. Fact is I can think of atleast 10 high profile programs he could end up in.
ND needs to work a graceful exit for BK. HOLTZ was fired despite what was public. Leahy was also fired. The results have been disastrous. So right now ND and BK should plan his exit so the next coach has a chance to bring ND back.
Hmm. Well. Too bad. He didn’t work out. I bet he lands at some football factory and bites the Irish in the ass someday.
He probably was only symptomatic of he greater problem. Very disappointed he didn’t work out but we should wish him well.
BK should consider a graceful exit and I return for the payout should help them find a successor.
BVG FIRED!
Agreed, C-Dog. Nothing like a little clear-sighted realism from you.
I think the problem with many here is, on the one hand, nostalgia (for us older fans) and inexperience with ND football greatness, on the other hand (for the younger fans).
Something has to give or ND football will go the way of the dodo bird.
The problem is deep and until the money stops flowing it’s not going to change. The university isn’t going to pay out BK to leave. CW is still eating at profits. Willing ham and Davie required payouts. They’ve proven that they can still sell the hope ad the nostalgia. My generation got 3 national championships as kids and one as adults. It’s only when our age group stops bankrolling a fantasy fun park that the limp wristed Fathers will start to worry.
Jenkins is a puff as was Malloy before him. Father Ted was a real man but even he tried to deemphasize football. Ara was hired because the money started to trickle. That’s what needs to happen again.
I keep reading there are a bunch of people that think Kelly should bench Kizer and play Wimbush. Please put down the crack pipes. First, Kizer has been one of the only bright spots we have had all season. (ESB and Sanders) The season is already a loss so let Wimbush use his redshirt instead of wasting it for a .500 team. Zaire will be a graduate transfer at the semester, Kizer will leave for the draft at the end of the season, and Wimbush will get the opportunity to fashion a team and season with positive opportunities in front of him next year. Wimbush was supposed to RS last year but when Zaire went down Kelly was forced to burn a year of his eligibility. Kelly needs to do what’s right for the kid which in this case is also best for the team long term. If he doesn’t, recruits talk and it will be detrimental to future recruiting.
Frank this article and Sept 23rd article “Almost no longer good enough” are both spot on. Thank you for your candor calling this situation what it is. We are also seeing most of those that defended BK on this site last year, now finally seeing he has played out his string, as I had posted a few years back.
After almost seven full seasons, the time for excuses have run out. If the players aren’t motivated or executing properly, then BK is ultimately responsible. Plain and simple. The buck stops with him! Time to earn the big bucks, BK.
However, BK won’t be fired quite yet. If he doesn’t right the ship soon, then BK will join CW on the ND gravy train.
Ultimately, however, it comes down to if the university administration is committed to winning football. And not just winning games, but playing for titles.
Our DB’s are too slow and unathletic. They get toasted 90% of the time. BVG can’t fix that.
And on a side note, it is kind of interesting how a couple weeks ago BK’s message was that “those are the guys we have. We can’t trade them. They’re not getting cut. We recruited them.” And yesterday he came out and said that every player is expendable.
So, Hurls, BK bears no responsibility at all? Are you telling me he’s not also regularly out-coached in-game? Is that not part of his job description also? How hired and has kept BVG around?
Please, Hurls, tell me what you think BK’s job description entails? How does he earn his multi-million dollar salary?
It’s crap to put all the blame on college players, who are nonetheless accountable to learn from their coaches and execute the game plan, while giving the head coach, who makes millions of dollars, a free pass.
BTW: When BK got his multi-million dollar contract extension did he share any of it or ny credit with his players? I’m sure he didn’t!
Privatize the rewards and socialize the risks. Sounds like BK should be working on Wall Street!
Yes, Damian, all of us wanted the same success for BK. Despite what the delusional BB believes, not me or anyone else on here is happy with the current state of ND football right now. I’m sure I speak for everyone else by saying we would rather be gloating about how great BK and his teams are to all the ND haters.
There is absolutely no pleasure in being right about how bad BK’s team is right now. None!
I really believe that ND should make a run at David Shaw of Stanford. He’s a great recruiter, who is also used to dealing with high admission and academic standards.
If not, then take a shot at a young, promising HC or assistant and hope to catch lightning in a bottle like we did with Ara and Leahey back in the day.
GO IRISH!
“Fire tha bastid!” (from Boston, hence the phonetic-spelling) “Kelly’s full o’crap.” And you all wonder why the team looks like they don’t give-a-schlitz beer? It’s the coach’s job to put the players in a position to win…and to modify his own coaching staff if & when necessary. kelly does the first. The second is debatable. I am sick and tired of people blaming the person responsible (who should be blamed, but that’s another issue) when what he’s responsible for plays like a bunch of self-entitled brats. NO ONE EXECUTED as they should have – not because they were under/mis-coached. NO ONE EXECUTED BECAUSE NO ONE WANTED TO WORK. That’s reality, sad-but/and-true.
I guess in retrospect, an early ominous sign was Tony Alford leaving for a lateral position. I can understand a coach leaving for a HC gig. Most of them want to be a HC, so I can’t begrudge anyone that. But how many leave for the same position with another school? And then some players leaving for the NFL early when another year may have helped their draft sock. BK falling of my coaching pedestal really gave me new perspective to some things that happened since the 2012 season. Just so disappointed. I really was hoping BK was going to join the ranks of the ND coaching legends by winning NC’s and making ND elite. Rockne, Leahy, Parseghian, Devine, Holtz, Kelly. That’s what I was hoping to see when they hired BK.
On average, we have gotten a new coach every five years over the past two full decades, and we’ve witnessed the same demoralizing cycle. Each coach’s era has been the same… a bit of success followed by an agonizing nose dive. This is the nose dive stage of BK’s era. But replacing him will not help. Replacing BVG probably won’t do anything either. There is no emphasis on winning at the University. The football program is set up to fail. Sure, every once in a great while everything might fall into place and ND will be in the NC picture, but actually competing against Ala or OSU is unfathomable. No five start talent, no support from the administration. This team can’t even make a freekin field goal.
BK definitely needs to do some soul searching. I thought he did in 2012. I really thought we turned a corner. Then I convinced myself losing EG in 2013 was why that was a wash, and the last 2 years the endless injuries. They were beating who they were supposed to beat, so it was easy to delude myself. But they have depth and experience now. Sure there was some turnover but every team has that. There’s no excuses for losing to an inferior team.
Is it impossible. I hope not. I saw it with Coughlin and the Giants. I lost hope in him after the 2006 debacle of a season. But he did some real soul searching after that season, and ended up winning 2 SB’s with the Giants, of course the first the following season.
What disturbs me is the total lack of insight on the part of BK. The offense and special teams have problems, but they are probably not past the point of no return. I think there are some good coaches on that side of the ball at least. The defense though is absolutely abysmal. The only good thing to come out of the BVG defenses (other than the 31-0 drubbing of Michigan which I’ll admit never stops bringing a smile to my face) is up to last year they had answered the triple option threat. They finally had figured that out after years of futility. I’m not confident they’ll be able to stop it this year, though one can hope. But BVG is finished, along with most of the defensive coaches.
Maybe BK should hand over day to day operations of the offense to his coaches on offense, fire BVG and manage the defense until they find a new DC. If nothing else, I can’t see how they could get worse.
The author accurately and succinctly identified the problem. I’ve supported Coach Kelly but am astounded by his seeming denial regarding the weak job his defensive coaching staff is doing. There is something weird going on when a problem can be so obvious to all around except the one person who can do something about it. No reasonable person could have watched this defense the last couple years without clearly seeing there is an enormous coaching deficit present. How else can you explain highly recruited athletes who cannot tackle, cover receivers, or exert force at the line of scrimmage? These pathetic performances will continue unless the coaching gets significantly better.
How to rescue this season?
Play for the future. If DK/MZ aren’t in BK’s plans, then play WB. That would be crazy to believe that DK or MZ aren’t in ND’s future, but who knows if these young men want to play for BK. Play all your young players. Time to plan for tomorrow.
Keep the recruiting class together. Not that top recruiting classes have helped much, but BK needs all the talent he can get. We seem to be saying this year after year. But talent is key. Not that coaching isn’t, of course.
BK has to rebuild team morale by looking in the mirror. He needs to become more accountable. Stop throwing your players under the bus.
BVG has to go at season’s end. No if and or buts about that.
If ND makes any kind of bowl and wins it is a big if right now. But if that does happen then something of a lost season can be salvaged. ND should be very selective of what bowl and who it plays. Last year ND should have really played UF and not Ohio St.
Just some random thoughts from someone who according to at least BB doesn’t know anything about ND football.
Go Irish!
This team now resembles a Charlie Weis coached team. No energy, unprepared, and poor fundamentals. That goes straight to the coaching staff. It makes one wonder just what did they work on during fall camp? The players are clearly not buying into what the coaching staff is trying to do. Im surprised that a team like Duke was more physical at the line of scrimmage. I expected more from our O Line. The D Line is simply not getting any push or pressure on the QB. Coach Kelly has lost this team.
This season reminds me of 2011. They got off to a bad start, underachieved and BK showed a lack of character by throwing those players under the bus that he didn’t recruit. I thought he learned from that in 2012 and beyond. But after his comments, I’m not so sure.
I wasn’t able to watch the game, so I can’t comment directly as to why they lost. But based on the articles I’ve read, the defense again shares a lot of the blame. They weren’t alone but they were a major contributor.
BK isn’t getting fired after this year unless there is some disaster within the football program. However, Swabrick can insist on the firing of BVG. I think he should be fired today. People say what go does it do to fire him misleading. IMO, it’s the perfect time. This season is shot in terms of earning a major bowl bid. This sends a message to BK to get his ass in gear and on board with the real problems with this team. And it also lets him know he not the Emperor. He has people to answer to and he needs to come up with better answers than the ones he’s currently using.
Now BK says his players don’t play with fire? He had a QB that was every bit as good if not better in many ways than Kizer, who was also one of the most motivational players on team. He lost his position because of an injury. This type of decision doesn’t get ignored by other players who wonder if an injury changes their career at ND. Human nature says “Why risk your body for an asshole like that?” Of course this is not the only thing wrong with this team but I think some of BK’s policies have resulted in him losing his players’ respect. Even former players are now calling him out twitter so maybe things weren’t always as rosy as people thought. I’ve said this before, Kizer is a good stats quarterback, but he hasn’t won a big game yet. There’s more to being a QB than just stats. I hope BK plays Wimbush so MZ can stay healthy for the team he transfers to.
I doubt BK steps down on his own. That’s not really a knock on BK, very few coaches these days would.
He keeps harping on the players not executing. Isn’t that a coaching issue? No position is safe (except the coaches apparently). You can have a totally new roster next week, but if the players can’t even execute the fundamentals it won’t make a bit of difference.
The defense reminds me of the defenses under Weis. Same problems, missed tackles, missed assignments.
At this point, no game is a gimme. I don’t think they’ll lose every remaining game, odds are a few will tip ND’s way. But bowl eligibility is in doubt right now. I’m not even all that interested in the consolation bowls, not when they should have at bare minimum been playing in a NY Day 6 bowl. I’ll watch it, I’ll root for the Irish of course, but it’ll be hard to get excited for it.
I agree – it is a real mess – I not turning into a Kelly hater – BUT he is getting out coached – there has to be a total turnover of the defensive staff – they have to TACKLE – no excuse there.
I can see 7-8 loss year, The only game I can see as a fairly sure win is Syracuse – the academies are playing good ball and both of those could be losses – counting on the D to stop that offense – NO
Looks like a really long season with me yelling and my do getting up and leaving the room.
They really look dead much of the time Kelly’s comment about no passion is on target. Tha is all on the coaches. BVG cannot be brough back for another year
Don’t recruit players who cannot execute then!
My favorite part was when the Duke QB dragged five ND tacklers for a couple yards before getting stopped just short of the first down marker. So go Irish!
I have followed Notre Dame football for over 40 years now. This is my first public post of any kind. After hearing BK throwing Kizer under the bus and protecting his DC, I have to speak up, and hoping others will continue to do be heard. After all, this is our team and school, BK and his staff is passing on through.
BK, you have one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He is still learning and refining his game. He left some plays out on the field vs. Duke. Happens to all Qbs on all levels. Yet he accounted for over 400 yards of offense and directed us to 35 points. Ill take it. Your defense on the other hand is nearly dead last in every single category that there is most notibly points allowed, yards given up, and lack of sacks (1). the reason is one of two things: one, you have recruited horribly or you have coached them even worse. When I watch a team that continually misses tackles, takes poor angles, cannot get off blocks, does not square up their shoulders to strike, that loses their feet on tackling, and is chronically missing assignments or flat out out of place, well, I think I know the answer.
BK, you have mentioned your team has lost passion and energy. Please go back and review the tape of the MSU game of you on the sideline. You damn near went into a shell and pouted. Your kids came back despite your lack of passion. Then you took the chickens way out when you decided to punt on 4th and 12 with just minutes remaining in that game. You could have gone for it, yet you wanted to put your defense on the field to bail you out. You did the same with Texas at the end of regulation. Both times your defense did not get it done. You know that the strength of your team is your offense, not your defense. You hid, where is your passion?
I feel bad for BVG, I think he is trying hard, but its the wrong guy at the wrong place. He spent 7 years in the pros, where his players were fundamentally already sound. Apparently he does not know how to to build the fundamentals. He assumed that they were already there. He put in a scheme suited to pros where they had unlimited hours to understand. Our kids are lost. Now you have scaled back so much that they have lost their aggression in fear of making mistakes. He has lost his players. They want to be better, but don’t know how.
BK, this season is lost. Now, will you be able to save your team for next year? Not if you continue to throw players under the bus. If you continue to make statements about the players are at fault you will not only lose them but future recruits. No one wants to play for a coach that does that. Do yourself a favor, please watch Houston and I am absolutely certain Herman does not out recruit ND, but he has his kids playing with passion and they love their coach. He would never throw his kids under…Right now BK, your players are not having any fun, no passion is correct, the coaches are not either, and neither is your fan base. You have lost many of us. A big part of coaching is getting people to believe. There are many ways to do that, but your approach right now isn’t it. Not even close. You may know x’s and o’s really well, but you are failing miserably at human compassion and the understanding the spirit of Notre Dame.
I have been a coach myself for over 34 years at the high school level. Many went on to D1 schools. I understand kids pretty well, BK, you are losing more than games. You have lost the ability for your players to want to win for you. Trust me, these kids would never carry you off the field right now, ask yourself why?
A possibility, albeit small, Kelly steps down on his own accord. I doubt that happens but SFR, I think you are probably right, he’s around for another couple of years unless he has piss poor back to back years where BIG MONEY contributors start to have influence over the AD and demand change. I see BVG is still a ND coach and no one else has been adjusted on the coaching staff, so, business will be usual. I am having hard time even envisioning if ND can stay relevant as a so-so team. Losing to Duke just really validated ND’s role and how poor of a coaching staff we have. That is on Kelly, NOBODY ELSE. As I have said elsewhere, I just don’t see Kelly being able to make difficult decisions as a head coach that are REQUIRED right now. I have not been one calling repeatedly for his ” head” on a platter, but, if he continues to demonstrate a lack of being the man “in charge,” that is going to change. I am not even as a fan worrying about “who out there will replace him.” If he leaves or is asked to leave, then we start looking. The state of the program is in trouble. If the head coach can’t or won’t fix it, then the AD needs to take charge. As a fan, I am very dissatisfied how things are right now. All ND fans deserve better than this or, we seek admission to play Ivy League football. Go get them mathletes!
Looks like we all agree – there is a real mess here and a lot of it falls on Kelly – I am not fed up with Kelly yet but BVG has got to go and maybe the entire defensive staff a lot of works needs to be done with the OL – should have been able to consistently pound the ball down the field – did not try much.
Fundamentals still very poor – how many missed tackles were there AGAIN – Kelly out coached AGAIN
but the defense is just terrible – no excuse for it being that bad – forget the injuries, suspensions, etc no excuse. BVG a terrible job for three years
I can see a 7-8 loss season – forget the playoffs – being bowl eligible will be an issue
Blocking, tackling and covering are the essence of football.
Where these traits are absent, vicarious liability falls on the coach.
A coach who publicly criticises his players shows a greater moral flaw than someone like Bobby Petrino.
It is hard to imagine any parent who would recommend a son to entrust himself to this man.
Brian Kelly is a failure as a person. The players, their families and the fans (who pay good money) deserve better.
Typical BK. The sooner this clown is gone the better. But that just is not happening.
Miami. They and Michigan are 2 teams I like to see go 0-12. One fond BK moment was 31-0 against Michigan.
I also would like to beat the Service Academies. ND gets a lot of unfair flack for playing them in the first place (esp. Navy, I mean they usually field a decent team after all). Losing to them always brings the ND haters in force and I’m not really in the mood this year.
True enough. Each week is a new week, a new chance to try to right the ship. I’m deeply concerned that BK seems to be oblivious to what ails the team. I don’t even know what to say anymore, the fundamentals are just gone. For now, I’ll hope they beat Syracuse. All I have now is hope.
I just want to somehow, someway, beat Miami and USC.
If that means 3-9, so be it.
Anybody else have there own must win games?
GO IRISH!
Hey, Damian,
At this point he needs to try something different. What’s that old definition of insanity?!
Look, we’re stuck with BK for the foreseeable future. Unless there’s a great coach out there that wants to coach at ND none of us know about, Bk’s what we’ve got. So he needs to reinvent himself. Put it this way, Damian, at this point what does he have to lose? His program is going down fast. Time to make changes everywhere.
Go Irish!
As far as him getting the boot this year, you’re probably right. If they really crash and burn and end up with a losing season, or worse a 2007 3-9 type season, the alumni and others that hold the purse strings may get restless and demand changes. Frankly I can’t say I know a whole lot about that element of ND athletics. But it’s probably more likely they’d demand changes from BK and give it at least another year or so.
SFR,
I really don’t get him calling out the players (some by name). In the NFL, that’s one thing, they’re getting paid millions to play so if they screw up, they have to take the heat. But this is college. You can’t constantly be calling out your players and expect them to keep putting their butts on the line for you. Behind closed doors, yes, he need to chew them out, but not in public.
I’m not even so much interested in him saying it’s all his fault anymore. Weis was famous for that, constantly saying the buck stops with him, but he never did anything to fix it. BK needs to have the self awareness to know he’s falling short to be sure (and he appears to be lacking that), but he needs to fix it.
I know some have suggested BK go the CEO route, leaving play calling and day to day operations to his (competent) assistants. Maybe he needs to go that route. I’m dubious of that working, but I can’t imagine it making things worse.
Damian,
Unless there’s a clause in BK’s contract that allows the university to fire him without taking a CW like hit, BK will be around for at least 2-3 more seasons, regardless.
All BK had to do was take all the blame on himself. He could’ve said his work with the D this week was clearly insufficient. He could’ve blamed his own play calling here or there. He didn’t have to throw anyone under the bus, except for himself. But that’s what BK seems genetically unable to do, namely, be self-critical. That’s going to be his downfall in the end.
But, who knows, I’m sure all of us on here would love to be singing BK’s praises next season after winning a NC. I for one would love nothing more than for BK and Co. to prove me wrong and have to eat crow!
Go Irish!
Hence one of the reasons BK lost me as a supporter. I understand, to a point, the boss not calling out his staff on national TV. You want to show future staff you have their back. But this is ridiculous. I don’t expect him to come out and say BVG stinks and is the worse coach ever, but there are PC ways of saying they need work (God, that doesn’t even do it justice). Funny because he’s quick to call out the players. If they are not getting the fundamentals, that’s coaching. Why does he keep covering for BVG? I don’t get it. The defense is so horrendously bad.
It’s to the point that if BK were to fire BVG tomorrow, I really don’t believe there’d be a turn around anymore.
I share Bert’s concern, ND absolutely needs to hit a home run on the next coach. 2012 maybe bought ND another chance for a new coach. BK will likely last the year, there’s not much point in firing him now. They’d end up with an interim coach who probably wouldn’t be back anyway. I used to think he’d get 2017 too, but if ND has a losing season, I no longer think that’s a given.
I was a BK defender after the Texas game, and even after MSU… but I’m done. The team has quit. I’d like to see Brian Kelly stick around and coach the team out of this hole, but of they fired him I can’t say I’d be too upset (or surprised)
My only concern with firing BK, is who replaces him? Absolutely cannot afford to miss with yet another coaching hire and set the team back even further – but I honestly can’t think of a legit coach that would want to come to South Bend.
Forget Urban, Herman or Saban, we would be lucky to convince anyone to come.