Thoughts on Brian Kelly

Notre Dame's last three coaching relationships (four if you count George O'Leary) ended in divorce court. Now that Brian Kelly and the Irish officially are an item for at least the next five years, can Irish fans expect different results than the Davie, Willingham and Weis eras?

Thought No. 1: If most of Cincinnati's players feel as jilted as senior WR/KR Mardy Gilyard, then Kelly clearly has an ability to sell a vision to his players. Kelly made the Bearcats believe they could battle for national championships -- when the rest of the college football world still thinks they're a mid-major in Big East clothing.

According to Bill Koch's story in the Cincinnati Enquirer: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091210/SPT0101/312100083/1064/Repor...

“He went for that money, that wasn’t no time for me to be in there,” Gilyard said. “I don’t want to hear it. I’m thoroughly disgusted with this situation, that it lasted this long. I heard everything I needed to hear, and that was, ‘I accepted the Notre Dame job.’”

If Kelly can get the Irish to believe like this, then that's half the battle.

Thought No. 2: I've heard and read complaints that Kelly hasn't recruited at the highest levels. Weis hadn't recruited at the highest level, but he corralled blue-chippers galore with the Notre Dame name behind him. Kelly shouldn't be any different -- and he has proof he can lead a team to a perfect record and the No. 3 spot in the final regular-season BCS poll.

Thought No. 3: Watched the entire Cincinnati-Illinois game. If I'm a Notre Dame fan, I'm not too thrilled Illinois' mediocre team lost at Cincy by just 13 points. I know it's just one game -- and the Bearcats could have been looking ahead to Pittsburgh -- but not a good sign.

Then again, after watching their team lose at home to Navy and Connecticut, Notre Dame fans probably are willing to accept any kind of win and not quibble about the style points.

OK, Irish fans...thumbs up or thumbs down? Who would've been a better choice?

LW