2)Where there is smoke there is fire. Kelly has been looking to leave ND since 2012. His demeanor, strategy, interest and overall ambition has declined each season and drastically in the last two.
3)There appears to be a high level of disagreement between the admin / AD / Kelly in some form or fashion. The final straw was the forced firing of BVG by someone other than Kelly. That was not a Kelly move at all... period. Neither was moving Longo. I read the Longo move as a slap in the face back to Kelly from the Admin. "You can stay but we are taking your guys out".
4)After BVG firing, Kelly hunkered down and packed it in. He was, by no means, the same guy that came to ND. Totally not his style or at least what seemed to be his style. Further makes me believe he knew he was no longer calling the shots.
5)Such a bad season lead to no offers for Kelly. This tied the hands of the school who wants him gone and Kelly who wants to be gone. I do think Kelly actively looked. The rumors about USC are a total slap in the face, but because of the money and Kelly's inability to win / improve both sides are stuck (Mark Richt).
6)I think the school finally got tired of the looking and decided to turn the tables and reign in Kelly's ego. They said we will not buy you out. Find another job and we will mutually agree to part ways at no cost to either side. Stay here and you can coach the team, but you no longer call the shoots. Hence the entire overhaul of staff with what appears to be guys NOT on the Kelly-tree. To me this is Key. Kelly rarely hired from someone not on his tree / from his past. (exception: Sanford, who never got to do his job).
7)No takers on Kelly, he had to stay. All changes going forward were not his decision. He likely had input but the hire and fire decisions smell of coming from somewhere else. Kelly's ego is entirely too big to make the moves he made. If left to him Quinn would be the OC (another disaster).
8)From the players and coaches running from the dumpster fire, signal to me that there has been a lot more of a power struggling going on behind the scenes than most people would believe.
9)Kelly is praying for a 9 win season so he can get a job offer.