This Matt Hayes puff piece on Brian Kelly has to be read to be believed. Somehow Kelly tries to present himself as the Dude In Charge…
Before we go further, let’s make something clear: Brian Kelly is not pulling back. He’s not making change for the sake of it, not handing over the keys to the sleek machine and becoming more of a CEO coach. And he sure as hell isn’t sitting around while someone else tweaks it.
He built the damn car, people.
“I know what it looks like. I know what a team needs,” Kelly says without a hint of hesitation. “I know what has to happen. There’s no panic here.”
… while simultaneously claiming this as a reason last season went down the tubes.
“I was the absent professor,” Kelly says. “I wasn’t paying attention to the details that we needed. There were internal issues that—if a guy is on it, and he’s doing his job as the head coach, he would’ve seen those things early. My flawed philosophy was, We’re going to score points early while we’re figuring it out on the other side with a young defense. Well, that didn’t happen. We gave up way too many points early, we lost three games, and now we’re in trouble.”
Yeah, blame those assistant coaches.
If you’re a Georgia fan, you’ll love this excuse.
After its coach had to spend too much time, he now reveals to Bleacher Report, fundraising for a football-only facility and not enough making sure he had a firm grasp of his team’s physical and mental focus.
Think about that: The head coach at Notre Dame—which at one point was paying two coaches to not coach (Tyrone Willingham, Charlie Weis) while paying Kelly—was fundraising for a facility during the season.
When asked how that impacted 2016, Kelly says bluntly, “It f–ked up last year’s team.”
Maybe Mark Richt should have tried that.
Man, I hope Georgia pounds these guys. I hope Kelly’s face gets so red during the game, I can see it from the nosebleed seats.
Get The Picture 
We need to see a beat down. An announcement to the world that we are a entirely different team than we have been in the past. No more face plants. No more sleep walking. No more getting tossed around up front. No more unfulfilled promise.
All hammer, all the time. You may beat us, but you’re going to have to take it. We ain’t giving anything away anymore.
How many seconds to kick off? I’m ready to see my 2017 DAWGS!!!!
LikeLiked by 3 people
That’s what I’m talking about Derek! Heck man, you got me fired up with that post.
LikeLike
Couldn’t have said it better myself Derek
LikeLike
LikeLike
Oh, yeah, THAT’S why I don’t read people like Matt Hayes.
LikeLike
Exactly, there was literally no point to the article. I have done a fair amount of analysis on both coordinator hires. Memphis was not as impressive as the headline numbers indicate on a relative ypp basis (i.e., what was Memphis ypp relative the the average ypp of the defenses it faced). You realize that they faced a lot of bad defenses. Similarly, talent deficiencies aside, Wake did not really slow down any particularly good offenses.
My biggest fear is simply that ND actually did have a pretty good offense in 2016 and return most parts as we know. Thus, if Wimbush can perform well, they are not going to be easy to stop.
Re Kelly: Obviously, being the coach at ND elevates his profile, but he is not known as a great innovator, recruiter, motivator, or program builder. To me, Kelly is a uninteresting guy who seems like an unremarkable coach one way or the other. He could just as easily be Butch Jones (remove your emotion for a second) OR Mark Stoopes OR Mike Reilly OR Todd Graham OR many other guys that don’t offer anything particularly unique or are doing anything outstanding in the world of college football. He is literally the definition of an average OR “replacement” level coach in my book.
LikeLike
I think he’s a notch above those guys you listed, if only because a guy going undefeated in two different seasons (not including the bowl) at two different schools indicates some real ability. To carry your advanced metric analogy way too far, I consider him to be something akin to a one or two WAR player. He’s not worthless, but you’d sure like to trade up.
LikeLike
Fair point, I was probably a bit harsh in declaring him average. Nonetheless, I agree with your conclusion that he is not a coach that an average fan should be excited about.
LikeLike
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thats the face I imagine as he responds to all the interview questions.
LikeLike
The one I remember most:
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fathlonsports.com%2Fsites%2Fathlonsports.com%2Ffiles%2Fstyles%2Farticle_top_img%2Fpublic%2FBrianKelly_irate_1.jpg%3Fitok%3DM4DyKkN2&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fathlonsports.com%2Fovertime%2Fsatire-brian-kelly-calls-out-god-notre-dames-2-5-record&docid=zXAFZPvQAN4yGM&tbnid=zlXqcS_7abtjZM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwjukd_ryd7VAhWLOSYKHUFoDLEQMwiZAShUMFQ..i&w=790&h=440&client=safari&bih=232&biw=568&q=brian%20kelly%20pics%20notre%20dame&ved=0ahUKEwjukd_ryd7VAhWLOSYKHUFoDLEQMwiZAShUMFQ&iact=mrc&uact=8
LikeLike
I hope he is sticking to his cholesterol medication routine.
LikeLike
That’s the face I want to see as Isaac Nauta burns past his OLB on his way to the end zone for the third time.
LikeLike
There isn’t a bad seat in Notre Dame stadium. I actually prefer to be on the last row with the concrete wall behind you to lean on.
It’s just a shame they replaced the natural grass…
LikeLike
Given the prices we’re paying to get in there, I’d hope that’s true.
LikeLike
I heard thats about the hardest ticket to get in College Sports–even more $$$ than Bama FSU, so enjoy!!
LikeLike
Is Brian Kelly an asshole? Absolutely. I Georgia going to go to South Bend and beat the Irish? That remains to be seen. Like Derek I would sure love it if they did though.
LikeLike
I think you said you were going there, if so….have a great time, I understand it ain’t hard to do. Not sure if you ever heard of a guy named Pete Cordelli, but got a very close friend (TN alumnus) that is related to him. I believe it was back in ’90 or ’91 that Cordelli gave my friend 2 tickets to that game (TN/ND), I was invited …but chose to stay behind & watched the Dawgs. Buddy said it was one of the best game day experiences he ever had…if not the best. Looking back, wished I had of gone now…have a good time if you are indeed going….great experience from my all I hear.
LikeLike
I am so looking forward to going to the ND campus and the game. So very glad we aren’t pulling a freaking Wisky and doing Mercedes Benz and Soldier Field. Very glad…maybe the only thing I am thankful that McGarity didn’t do. As for the game….a one point win will be alright by me.
LikeLike
Anybody got two together?
LikeLike
honestly, I feel like Notre Dame is a paper tiger on the order of Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl. UGA shouldn’t, and can’t afford to, go in there thinking they can throw their jocks on the field and win. They should go in there like the 07 team did in the Sugar Bowl, pissed off that the national media thinks the guys on the other sideline belong on the field with them, and play like they want to make ND give up football at halftime to make the beating stop.
Notre Dame was a bad team last year. They may be a little better this year, and they’re playing at home, but this is the kind of game a GOOD team should win. And it’s the kind of game where a mediocre team gets exposed. Close win, blowout, solidly in control, I don’t care, but this is a game UGA should win IF all the talk the last 18 months isn’t just talk.
LikeLike
ND lost a lot of close games last year, they will always have players/athletes there…..in no way will they be overmatched like Hawaii IMO. They had a lot of close losses last year, I expect them to bounce back this year & look for a very close game (GA).
LikeLike
I can agree that UGA has better talent, and should win, even on the road in a “backs against the wall” game for the Domers. But I don’t think they are a paper tiger, or Hawaii level opponent at all. It should be a low scoring, nail biter, in my estimation. ND wasn’t a very good team last year, but what makes you think we were? Our offense was constipated and while our defense was pretty good statistically, we showed very little character in protecting our end zone. There are several valid reasons for UGA optimism this year, but we have some questions on offense that we may not have the answer for in early September. Believe in your team but don’t underestimate anyone….we have no right to that after last season.
LikeLike
Just keeping the seat warm (again) until Butch Jones arrives.
LikeLike
Huge opportunity for Kirby. Guns blazing, Mr. Smart. Make their asses quit – don’t play for the 4th quarter.
LikeLike
Early in the season everyone is undefeated. What really happens is that teams that have weaknesses or just aren’t that good don’t know it yet so the mental edge that good teams develop over the course of a season is germinating. As Derek says above, if we go in there and lay the wood it could be an early turning point for either team.
LikeLike