Now that the Irish offense reverted to 2016 and the team suffered its first loss, I'm trying to assess what it will take to call this year a success or warrant a change at the head coach position. Will the wholesale change experiment work? I've already lost confidence.

 

I consider the following "Must win" games.

 

• BC
  
• MSU
  
• Miami of Ohio
  
• North Carolina
  
• NC State
  
• Wake Forest
  
• Navy
  

 

If BK's last ditch efforts really have produced an improved 2017 squad, then these are "must-win" games.

 

That leaves the following:

 

USC - Just be competitive. Not a must-win, but certainly not a blow-out loss.

Miami (FL)

Stanford

 

The Irish need to win one of those games. Those are the remaining "big" games on the schedule. BK needs a W in at least one of those to be safe. Lose to a "must-win" and he'll need 2 "big" wins.

 

In summary, I'm stating that an 8-4 season warrants the ax on BK's tenure in South Bend. Enough of the excuses, enough of the experiments, enough of the mediocrity. It's sickening.

Honestly, I don't think Miami is all that great. Didn't ND beat them last year, at 4-8?

 

Stanford and USC are the two games BK needs to win. At some point, he has to show he can win a big game.

 

To some degree, upsets happen in college football. No, Alabama never loses an average team, but everyone else does at some point. Will I bitch and moan if ND loses to one of those lesser teams, of course, but it happens.

 

However, it also has to happen that at some point you beat a team that is better than you. You can't just accept upsets happen unless you actually upset someone once in a while.

 

When is the last time ND won a game as an underdog? I saw the last 5 times they've been a single digit favorite, they've lost straight up. Can't imagine there are many upsets in there.

Until Kelly proves otherwise, you *have* to consider Stanford, USC and Miami to be losses. If you are putting down money that a BK-led team is going to beat a team that's as good, or better than they are, then you're throwing away money until proven otherwise.

how about...

ALL OF THEM

They're all must wins, Kelly is running out of time for a big win and he knows it. We have USC at home after a bye week, sooner or later he needs to beat a team that's better as a result of him outcoaching or just being more prepared.

 

Who knows if Miami or Stanford are even going to be ranked when we play them. He needs to split those two as a worst case scenario.

 

Everyone has seen the 8 win seasons now and they are getting old, anything less than 9 wins and he should be fired.

how about...

ALL OF THEM

 

Not sure if serious....

 

Do you really believe BK should be fired if he loses 2 games this season? I get it, he's under-performed, but ND simply cannot afford to fire BK after a 10-2 year. They already have trouble attracting good coaches. If you fire a guy after improving from 4-8 to 10-2, then its an admission that you should have fired him earlier. That will never happen.

They're all must wins, Kelly is running out of time for a big win and he knows it. We have USC at home after a bye week, sooner or later he needs to beat a team that's better as a result of him outcoaching or just being more prepared.

 

Who knows if Miami or Stanford are even going to be ranked when we play them. He needs to split those two as a worst case scenario.

 

Everyone has seen the 8 win seasons now and they are getting old, anything less than 9 wins and he should be fired.

 

So.... you're disagreeing with me and then you're agreeing with me?

 

As I stated in my original post, he can't lose more than 2 more. That would be 9 wins. Clearly if he losses 2 more, than they all can't be "must-win".

So.... you're disagreeing with me and then you're agreeing with me?

 

As I stated in my original post, he can't lose more than 2 more. That would be 9 wins. Clearly if he losses 2 more, than they all can't be "must-win".

 

Well I say that as wanting our team to win all games possible, if the goal every year is playoffs then they are all must wins.

 

I think it's clear ND does not want to pay a coach millions to not coach for them. I think the fans think anything under 9 wins should result in a firing but realistically I'm not sure if 6-6 would get the administration to fire him.

 

This is Jack's big hire, he is riding or dying with Brian Kelly and if he gets fired so does Jack most likely. The only thing I think I am sure of is that a losing season gets him fired, but that's it. 9 or 10 wins is the only way I'm giving him another chance going into next season.

I think you need to add into the equation what the stadium looks like for the late season home games against North Carolina, Wake Forest and Navy. If there are lots of unsold seats-combined with the sea of red game- the optics don't look good for Kelly through ND's PR oriented lens. Given that, I'd say the USC game is a must win. If we get hammered by USC- and this assumes a win at MSU- a lot of people are going to stay at home for those three cold November games.

Edited September 11, 20177 yr by Frankus

I think you need to add into the equation what the stadium looks like for the late season home games against North Carolina, Wake Forest and Navy. If there are lots of unsold seats-combined with the sea of red game- the optics don't look good for Kelly through ND's PR oriented lens. Given that, I'd say the USC game is a must win. If we get hammered by USC, a lot of people are going to stay at home for those three cold November games.

 

Good point. I think the only saving grace is us poor folk that can't afford $1,000 tickets that would like to see the renovated stadium. Cheap tickets might be appealing even if the team stinks. They newness factor may put a few more butts in seats.

Good point. I think the only saving grace is us poor folk that can't afford $1,000 tickets that would like to see the renovated stadium. Cheap tickets might be appealing even if the team stinks. They newness factor may put a few more butts in seats.

 

Yep. You'll be able to get them for nothing by game time. I can see locals doing that and perhaps Chicago/Indy people, but it's still a lot of money to stay overnight for out of towners from farther away.

 

My only guage on demand so far is that we have a second home as close to the stadium as you can get that we rent for games. We've been doing it for 5 years and have never not booked the house for a game. All three November games are still unbooked and we've been dropping the price.

Good point. I think the only saving grace is us poor folk that can't afford $1,000 tickets that would like to see the renovated stadium. Cheap tickets might be appealing even if the team stinks. They newness factor may put a few more butts in seats.

 

Typically, the cost of seats goes down after we figure out what kind of team we have and interest wanes...

 

At this rate youll be able to catch NCSu or Wake tickets easily outside the stadium...

Yep. You'll be able to get them for nothing by game time. I can see locals doing that and perhaps Chicago/Indy people, but it's still a lot of money to stay overnight for out of towners from farther away.

 

My only guage on demand so far is that we have a second home as close to the stadium as you can get that we rent for games. We've been doing it for 5 years and have never not booked the house for a game. All three November games are still unbooked and we've been dropping the price.

 

That certainly speaks volumes.

Until Kelly proves otherwise, you *have* to consider Stanford, USC and Miami to be losses. If you are putting down money that a BK-led team is going to beat a team that's as good, or better than they are, then you're throwing away money until proven otherwise.

 

Huh? Why? Even trash *** 4-8 ND was able to beat Miami and last year Kaaya was supposedly better than Kizer?

Now that the Irish offense reverted to 2016 and the team suffered its first loss, I'm trying to assess what it will take to call this year a success or warrant a change at the head coach position. Will the wholesale change experiment work? I've already lost confidence.

 

I consider the following "Must win" games.

 

• BC
  
• MSU
  
• Miami of Ohio
  
• North Carolina
  
• NC State
  
• Wake Forest
  
• Navy
  

 

If BK's last ditch efforts really have produced an improved 2017 squad, then these are "must-win" games.

 

That leaves the following:

 

USC - Just be competitive. Not a must-win, but certainly not a blow-out loss.

Miami (FL)

Stanford

 

The Irish need to win one of those games. Those are the remaining "big" games on the schedule. BK needs a W in at least one of those to be safe. Lose to a "must-win" and he'll need 2 "big" wins.

 

In summary, I'm stating that an 8-4 season warrants the ax on BK's tenure in South Bend. Enough of the excuses, enough of the experiments, enough of the mediocrity. It's sickening.

 

Good post. I see 4 big games left:

 

MSU

USC

MIAMI

STANFORD.

 

Providing we win the other games on the schedule, and I believe we have the defense to do so, it would really benefit Kelly and the program to win 2 out of the above listed 4.

 

This would gives us a 9-3 record. That would certainly give Kelly another year. Wimbush could be a monster next year.

 

8-4 or anything else would really make for another awkward, uncomfortable off season of billboards and newspaper ads.

Not sure if serious....

 

Do you really believe BK should be fired if he loses 2 games this season? I get it, he's under-performed, but ND simply cannot afford to fire BK after a 10-2 year. They already have trouble attracting good coaches. If you fire a guy after improving from 4-8 to 10-2, then its an admission that you should have fired him earlier. That will never happen.

 

Just so I can wrap my head around this, you still think we could possibly only lose 2 games this season?

Just so I can wrap my head around this, you still think we could possibly only lose 2 games this season?

 

How bad do you think Georgia is? People are acting like we lost to a MAC school.

 

UGA is no doubt a top 20 team. That defense is for real.

How bad do you think Georgia is? People are acting like we lost to a MAC school.

 

UGA is no doubt a top 20 team. That defense is for real.

 

Haha they aren't that damn good. I focus less on the talent of UGa and more on how our coaching staff and players squandered several, several opportunities to get things going. IMO, that was about 25% the quality of UGa's defense and 75% abuse of available personnel and play-calling.

 

UGa killed themselves in that game and still won. We were lucky to only lose by 1.

 

The Bulldogs wont be in the top 20 by season end. I mean, App State gained the same yards against their vaunted defense. App State.

 

Serious question but how can you still have faith in the way this football program is run? It's been 7 years, man. The same bull$hit year in and year out.

Edited September 11, 20177 yr by echo88

Haha they aren't that damn good. I focus less on the talent of UGa and more on how our coaching staff and players squandered several, several opportunities to get things going. IMO, that was about 25% the quality of UGa's defense and 75% abuse of available personnel and play-calling.

 

UGa killed themselves in that game and still won. We were lucky to only lose by 1.

 

The Bulldogs wont be in the top 20 by season end.

 

Serious question but how can you still have faith in the way this football program is run? It's been 7 years, man. The same bull$hit year in and year out.

Their penalties were a huge portion of our offense. The game would have been a lot different without help.

Edited September 11, 20177 yr by cali_domer

Haha they aren't that damn good. I focus less on the talent of UGa and more on how our coaching staff and players squandered several, several opportunities to get things going. IMO, that was about 25% the quality of UGa's defense and 75% abuse of available personnel and play-calling.

 

UGa killed themselves in that game and still won. We were lucky to only lose by 1.

 

The Bulldogs wont be in the top 20 by season end. I mean, App State gained the same yards against their vaunted defense. App State.

 

Serious question but how can you still have faith in the way this football program is run? It's been 7 years, man. The same bull$hit year in and year out.

 

If a hurricane wipes out the west coast there is a fair to middling chance ND loses only 2 more games.

If a hurricane wipes out the west coast there is a fair to middling chance ND loses only 2 more games.

 

I'd agree with you, but right now BK is 0-1 in games played in hurricanes.

Edited September 11, 20177 yr by echo88