I've written a lot about the things Kelly has done with the program since last season ended. The new coaches, the strength staff, being around the team more, giving up play calling, etc. In my opinion, they are all good things. Full stop.
But, all it does is give the team a chance. Last year, the team didn't have a chance. He submarined an entire season by allowing the program to devolve into a shit show in the weight room, with his defensive staff, and with his own involvement. And in my opinion, he deserved to lose his job for it.
Last season was a referendum on Kelly, not the roster. That's why it's a little easier for me to predict a 9-10 win season, because I believe that's the type of roster it is, and I believe they've been given the best chance to succeed this season, as opposed to last season.
The question still remains whether Kelly can get the program where we all want it. He's still the guy who has gone for two, multiple times, in moronic situations that has cost them games. He's still never proven he can prepare for and win a big bowl game. He's still not recruiting at the level of his main rivals. A better process doesn't change his game day errors.
So there is a place where people can applaud Kelly for what he's done and still question whether or not he needs to move on.
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In the weight room. This is another situation of Kelly's loyalty and lack of willingness to step in and support/help his staff costing ND games.
Hoping the new changes move this in the right direction. Wins cure all.
get concerned that they're weren't getting stronger?
But when you go 4-8 any deficieny will be blow up. Was it good enough, nope.
The environment in the weight room has changed, I know this first hand. Player worked hard last year, but things are different now. The approach is different. The methodology is different. It's more modern.
ND was 4-8 because of historically bad coaching decisions, BVG and the QB battle, and the players and staff eventually throwing in the white flag. The weight room didn't help, but ND had no business losing to Texas, Duke, Navy, NC St, and Va Tech. Even if the weight program was a membership at Planet Fitness.
Kelly should have been fired, he wasn't. Now let's hope the changes and a different mindset is the answer. Time will tell.
I'm rooting for wins.
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will observe and see what happens this season instead of commenting and proving they know very little. He will either sink or swim...and the hot seat will become on fire or a legacy will emerge. Judge not that ye be not judged.....and the judge will decide on the facts.
Disturbing
I mean, the guy has put together good teams at Notre Dame. I know people throw away the 2012 or dismiss it because of the final game, but he went 12-0. That's not nothing.
Personally, I think the issues that were present prior to last season give me pause about him, regardless of the changes.
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He can give up play calling. I sense a different attitude and tone in his demeanor.
That damned "it" has stopped so many great men from letting their greatness show thru.
The man hasn't taken responsibility for a single screw up since he's been at ND. This is no different.
It's also a backhanded slap at his former assistants. Deservedly so in some instances, but the message is the same, everyone and everything is to blame for failure. Except BK of course.
I don't understand why people 'reach' with Kelly. He hasn't been good enough at ND. Making shit up isn't necessary.
6 months after the fact. 6 months after getting heat from most corners.
That's not real contrition or acceptance of fault or blame.
And it definitely isn't "making shit up". Learn to recognize a narcissist when you see one, you'll be better off in the long run.
Fans just don't want to hear it because he's a big meany and not winning enough. It's a reach.
Kelly doesn't have trust with a lot of fans right now, and that's of his own doing.
In 2011 he went crazy on TJ Jones.
Post USC in 2011 he gave that speech about my guys versus the guys who were here.
Post 2012 he flirted with the NFL.
In 2014 he placed a lot of blame on Golson.
He defended his terrible 2 point decision against Northwestern.
In 2015 he made another awful two point decision against Clemson and defended that as the right thing to do.
And then last year over and over again.
He's made mistakes in games that he's never owned up to, so people don't give a shit what he says after 4-8 when he's trying to save his job.
Personally, I don't think he's really any different than most coaches. But, he hasn't won enough, so people will take his negatives and latch onto them.
Saban does the same stuff, but he's just holding the players accountable and he's won enough where you have to agree with his bad coaching decisions.
Generally I think Kelly calls out players that deserve it but I think he also gives himself a lot of blame when they lose.
As I said above, winning cures all. Just hope things start moving in that direction.
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And that's to his credit.
But, he's fundamentally the same person.
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