...but not one of the absolute best such as a Saban, Meyer, etc.
If he wins a championship, then he deserves to be in that same category.
I do agree that he has become a much better coach, and that he's one of the best, but not in that "best of the best" category just yet.
He's proven that he can have us contending for a top 10 finish each year, and that he can get us to the playoffs at times. However, he still has to win the big one to be in that upper echelon of tiers. He has learned from his past mistakes, and was actually pretty fortunate that the Notre Dame Board of Trustees gave him a chance after 2016. Once he got rid of the dead weight, the program really improved to the point where we are no longer an automatic doormat for the elite.