Grading The Kelly Era

[FaithInIrish Forever 4,738]

5-5 Bowl Record 113-40 Overall Record 9 Consensus AAs 2 CFP Appearances

 

I think we are far enough away to look at this objectively.

5-5 Bowl Record is not good enough for me.

Grade: B

What are your thoughts?

[jbrown_9999 1,028]

4 wins in his 7th year will never earn an 'A' in my book.

3 years with only 8 wins and 1 year with 9 wins

Almost no major wins over Top 10 teams. No Bowl wins worth really mentioning

Big 'B' for Brian "Big Game" Kelly from me

[Baldy 1,268]

50 minutes ago, FaithInIrish Forever said:

5-5 Bowl Record 113-40 Overall Record 9 Consensus AAs 2 CFP Appearances

 

I think we are far enough away to look at this objectively.

5-5 Bowl Record is not good enough for me.

Grade: B

What are your thoughts?

I gave a B for Brian “Big Game” Kelly as well.

I almost went with a C, and here’s why.

No major bowl or playoff wins.

4-11 versus top 10 ranked teams, and 2-5 versus top-10 from 2017-2021.

Basically, Brian was good, but not great!

[IrishGuy 178]

I actually want to give him an A given the fact that I do feel like he did sooooo much to turn around a pretty embarrassing football program. Hell, he even had us "disappointed" in 10 win seasons.

However, I cannot forgive that 4 win season. I can't forgive some horrific losses to inferior teams. I can't forgive the questionable assistant coaches.  ....and most of all I can't forgive the mediocre recruiting.

Kelly did a lot for the football program, and I am thankful for the years he spent at ND......but I can only give him a B. If I include the ending of his time here, I would drop him much lower because that made it clear he did not give a crap about ND. 

[FaithInIrish Forever 4,738]

1 hour ago, IrishGuy said:

I actually want to give him an A given the fact that I do feel like he did sooooo much to turn around a pretty embarrassing football program. Hell, he even had us "disappointed" in 10 win seasons.

However, I cannot forgive that 4 win season. I can't forgive some horrific losses to inferior teams. I can't forgive the questionable assistant coaches.  ....and most of all I can't forgive the mediocre recruiting.

Kelly did a lot for the football program, and I am thankful for the years he spent at ND......but I can only give him a B. If I include the ending of his time here, I would drop him much lower because that made it clear he did not give a crap about ND. 

Agreed.  Kelly brought Notre Dame from a D grade range to a B grade range on the field. 3-9, 6-6 ,6-6 were a long way from 12-0 just 3 years later. But  the practice tragic loss of Declan Sullivan, the courting with the Eagles, the constant recruiting questions, a couple of player scandals over the years and finally his departure indicated to me his priorities were messed up.

[Rocketsan 773]

Lasting memories: the "I just sh!t my khakis" look in the tunnel before the start of the national championship game...the bonehead end to the Tulsa game the week after the Sullivan tragedy...the cowardly exit...the stupid southern drawl.

B

[Mike 687]

12 minutes ago, Rocketsan said:

Lasting memories: the "I just sh!t my khakis" look in the tunnel before the start of the national championship game...the bonehead end to the Tulsa game the week after the Sullivan tragedy...the cowardly exit...the stupid southern drawl.

B

That southern drawl is something I will never be able to forget. 😅

 

[TexasDomer 1,290]

What I’m marking him down for is that he never revealed those sweet, sweet dance moves while at ND, so it’s a B from me.

[FaithInIrish Forever 4,738]

 

[jessemoore97 1,295]

I went with a C.  He did not meet the historical expectations for a successful ND HC, namely winning a NC.  He stayed the longest and has the most wins allegedly by some, though it will forever be an asterisk by the mark for me.  Way too many embarrassing moments and losses, Declan's tragic death, and so forth.

I've said it many times here, BK will go down in the books as the most controversial HC at ND.  The older fans who've seen really great ND teams and coaches will never truly accept him as a success.  While younger fans who only saw ND post Lou will laud him as a savior for the program because of all the turmoil that happened post Lou and "righting" the ship.

[NYGoldenDomer 2,046]

C
I will forever give him credit for cleaning up and turning around the program after the mess in which his 3 predecessors left it.  However, The dude was a regular season gem and a straight up postseason dud.  Hell, he was an any big game dud.  And he was a lazy recruiter.  His winningest coach record is a facade and a slap in the face to the greats before him.  I am grateful for the fact that he made Irish football fun again.  But he is what he is.  

[NYGoldenDomer 2,046]

@GunSlinger Can you vote again while not intoxicated? 🤣