Because I could see someone who just looks at where Notre Dame is nationally in all the defensive categories in 2015 and thinking the guy was doing a good enough job.
At the end of 2015 Notre Dame was 45th in total defense, 26th in pass defense, 72nd in run defense (ouch), and 39th in scoring.
I could see Kelly selling the "third year in the program" crap, if Swarbrick even brought up VanGorder at all.
Plus, they were just 10-3 and were a pre-season top 10 team.
I think a lot of people saw what could be coming, and didn't like him, but there wasn't a huge clamoring for him to be fired.