Brian Kelly On An Odd Path At ND
September 28, 2021 at 11:36 p.m.
By Roger Grossman-
“Historically, Brian Kelly is going to be the most successful and also the most luke-warm coach in the history of Notre Dame,” I thought.
That made me sad.
With that win over the Badgers, Kelly has won more games with the Irish than any other coach in the history of Notre Dame Football.
More than Rockne.
More than Ara.
More than Lou.
More than Leahy.
106 wins, to be exact—and counting.
But in the days leading up to the historic moment Saturday, Kelly was asked a question that was fair, and his answer was really insightful and honest.
He was asked “Where do you think you sit in a historical perspective at Notre Dame?”
"The coach that won more games that hasn't won a national championship”, he responded. “That's where I'll sit."
Factually, that’s true. But is it reality?
I think it is. I think he’s right.
It’s very fair to claim that Brian Kelly is not as beloved, not as adored and not as worshipped as any of the aforementioned legends.
That begs the question: Why not?
The answer to that is both very complex and very simple. Brian Kelly has never been able to wear down a rough-edged first impression.
When Kelly took over at Notre Dame in 2010, he made it clear that he was there to win football games and wasn’t much of a public relations expert. And he’s been very true to that. He has delivered just about everything a coach could to South Bend—minus a National Championship trophy.
Our early images of him were these: slamming down his headset, eyes bulging, red-faced, spit flying out of his mouth so far that if the wind was blowing hard enough in the wrong direction, the sisters would get splashed in their faces with it.
He was anything but subtle. Really not likeable. And ultimately, he is where he is because of that right there. He turned us off, and some of us will never ever be able to look at him with the respect that he deserves.
Look, the guy has won more games than anyone at the football school of all football schools. He has done more echo waking in his time with the Irish than anyone since Lou Holtz. He cleaned up a mess that Ty Willingham, Bob Davie and Charlie Weis never could, and that George O’Leary didn’t earn the chance to.
Notre Dame has kept its nose clean. Sure, it’s had its share of knuckleheads who couldn’t stay out of trouble. Every school has that.
But Irish fans crawl into bed at night with a strong dose of certainty that they won’t wake up to headlines of scandal and controversy.
Brian Kelly might never win the biggest of the big games at Notre Dame. But if winning national championships is the only way to be seen as a quality coach in South Bend, then there is a real chance that no one ever will ever again.
I am willing to open my mind to the thought that he’s done enough to merit our favor—more than just reluctant golf applause, too.
“Historically, Brian Kelly is going to be the most successful and also the most luke-warm coach in the history of Notre Dame,” I thought.
That made me sad.
With that win over the Badgers, Kelly has won more games with the Irish than any other coach in the history of Notre Dame Football.
More than Rockne.
More than Ara.
More than Lou.
More than Leahy.
106 wins, to be exact—and counting.
But in the days leading up to the historic moment Saturday, Kelly was asked a question that was fair, and his answer was really insightful and honest.
He was asked “Where do you think you sit in a historical perspective at Notre Dame?”
"The coach that won more games that hasn't won a national championship”, he responded. “That's where I'll sit."
Factually, that’s true. But is it reality?
I think it is. I think he’s right.
It’s very fair to claim that Brian Kelly is not as beloved, not as adored and not as worshipped as any of the aforementioned legends.
That begs the question: Why not?
The answer to that is both very complex and very simple. Brian Kelly has never been able to wear down a rough-edged first impression.
When Kelly took over at Notre Dame in 2010, he made it clear that he was there to win football games and wasn’t much of a public relations expert. And he’s been very true to that. He has delivered just about everything a coach could to South Bend—minus a National Championship trophy.
Our early images of him were these: slamming down his headset, eyes bulging, red-faced, spit flying out of his mouth so far that if the wind was blowing hard enough in the wrong direction, the sisters would get splashed in their faces with it.
He was anything but subtle. Really not likeable. And ultimately, he is where he is because of that right there. He turned us off, and some of us will never ever be able to look at him with the respect that he deserves.
Look, the guy has won more games than anyone at the football school of all football schools. He has done more echo waking in his time with the Irish than anyone since Lou Holtz. He cleaned up a mess that Ty Willingham, Bob Davie and Charlie Weis never could, and that George O’Leary didn’t earn the chance to.
Notre Dame has kept its nose clean. Sure, it’s had its share of knuckleheads who couldn’t stay out of trouble. Every school has that.
But Irish fans crawl into bed at night with a strong dose of certainty that they won’t wake up to headlines of scandal and controversy.
Brian Kelly might never win the biggest of the big games at Notre Dame. But if winning national championships is the only way to be seen as a quality coach in South Bend, then there is a real chance that no one ever will ever again.
I am willing to open my mind to the thought that he’s done enough to merit our favor—more than just reluctant golf applause, too.
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