November 29th, 2009 at 4:16 PM ^
Over on the left sidebar, there is a section that says "Big Ten Blogs". There are a few ND blogs on there. I'm guessing they are some of the better blogs if Brian chose to link to them.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:35 PM ^
ND fans seem to frequent boards more than blogs if your interested in more active information it will be on the boards before the blogs for the most part.
Irishsportsdaily.com and blueandgold.com have the most up to date info most of the time but not a lot of it is free. If you want rumors take your pick (ordered from least to most stupid):
Goldhelmet.com
Irishenvy.com
domerdomain.com
Rivals board
Scout board
uhnd.com
ndnation.com
bluegoldnation.com
November 29th, 2009 at 6:11 PM ^
I think a lot of us enjoy your posts and look to you for all things ND. Any chance you'd consider writing a diary on the search? I'd be interested to hear who you'd ideally like, who you think they'll get etc.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:16 PM ^
Or he should write his own blog. I'd read it.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:47 PM ^
I don't know that I will have much of an opinion until after next years coach is announced. I have read some good articles and some pretty pathetic ones, I might try to repost some of them or link to them later on.
A good rule of thumb on the difference of Pathetic and Good is whether the writer tries to bolster what they wrote with some magical "source". The athletic department is being very tight lipped and until there is an official announcement no one should put any stock into anything.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:41 PM ^
Thanks!
November 29th, 2009 at 5:50 PM ^
I can spare you some time... the Stoops smoke is out of control.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:06 PM ^
People are smokin' somethin' Stoop Dogg style
November 29th, 2009 at 8:08 PM ^
and I'd much rather not face him every year. I think Steve Kragthorpe would be an excellent choice for ND. Al Groh is available, too. Hell, maybe they should go after Zook.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:14 PM ^
... that time and (many) other programs have passed it by.
If you look at their last 5 head coaches, only one was clearly up to the task (Holtz):
- Faust (1981–1985)
- Holtz (1986–1996)
- Davie (1997–2001)
- Willingham (2002–2004)
- Weis (2005–2010)
Let's not forget George Leary who was hired after Davie. And he's now coaching where? (UCF!)
Each time they blow someone out, the new AD convinces the President that ND is the best place for anyone to coach college football.
And they proceed to get shut down by everyone who could do a good job, and settle for one who can't.
All their top choices could go to a better school for a chance to win big, without the pressure cooker that is South Bend.
Bottom line: Whomever they hire, will probably be good for Michigan.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:19 PM ^
The reason he's at UCF is because of the resume "scandal". No major program was going to hire him after that. He was a pretty successful coach at GT before taking the Notre Dame job, only to get fired quickly.
A name I have not heard for the ND job is Mike Leach. I'm serious. The guy can flat out coach, he's beaten Bob Stoops 2 out of the last 3 years, he somehow wins at Texas Tech (which should always be behind UT, TAMU, and TCU because of being in Lubbock), and his athletes actually graduate. In fact they typically graduate at a higher rate than the other Big 12 powers (and some of the doormats as well).
Just a thought.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:50 PM ^
listen to one of leach's press conferences and you will have your answer as to "why not?" lol
November 29th, 2009 at 8:22 PM ^
2 points for you!
I just wonder if coaches now realize that coaching for Notre Dame isn't quite the great job it once was. ND might have to resort to finding someone not quite as established. All I hope is that ND still languishes regardless of who the new coach is. Next year won't be easy for them as we all know a few key players will not be present. And the team has no experienced QB if Jimmy leaves. Crist is out with his knee problem and then there's nada. Tough to be a Domer fan now.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:27 PM ^
We are actually very painfully aware of the fact that many programs have passed us by in the last 15 years.
But that doesn't mean this next hire will be a bad one.
I'm not going to predict anything. All I'm saying is that the Stoops rumors right now are at an all-time high, and it wouldn't shock me at all. And if not Stoops, I'm not sure why Kelly would pass it up.
The next 3 or 4 days will be very interesting.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:55 PM ^
There is plenty of reasons why Kelly would pass it up and there are even more reasons why Kelly might not even be a good ND HC
November 30th, 2009 at 8:22 PM ^
There are plenty of reasons I could pass up a million dollars. But that doesn't make it likely, or a good decision.
Your second point is the interesting one.
November 29th, 2009 at 8:44 PM ^
... about Charlie Weis while at Notre Dame.
Never had a win over a team that finished in the top 20 by season end.
Was 20-0 when ND out rushed the other team.
Weis went 19-6 with Willingham's players but only 16-21 with essentially his own players.
All gleaned from
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gen…
November 29th, 2009 at 9:50 PM ^
Comments regarding Notre Dame and the statement that it is not a premier coaching job are ridiculous. Notre Dame has national exposure, a rabid fan base, every Catholic kid in the country wants to go to Jesus U which is a distinct recruiting advantage and a rich tradition of assistant coaches who have gone on to success at other programs. We should be duly concerned that the Irish have real talent from a variety of great recruiting classes and can attract a top flight coach.
I can't imagine it can be Stoops, Meyer or Saban - mostly because those programs will match any dollar figure. These are big donor schools and they are hard to outbid (especially considering the amount of money they have to pay Weis just to fire him). Notre Dame should focus on getting a coach who has proven himself in either a middle tier team or in a mid major conference. Those teams would have a difficult time matching the prestige of Notre Dame or the price that Notre Dame could pay for a coach.
Which brings us to the candidate that would be ideal for the job - Jim Harbaugh. He runs a pro style system which is most adaptable to Notre Dame's current personnel, which would mean little attrition and more importantly very little pain in transfer. He is pending a contract extension that he has not signed. He is not only Catholic - HE IS DEVOUTLY CATHOLIC (http://www.catholicreview.org/subpages/selectedstory.aspx?action=5024). He comes from a mid tier school in a power conference (just like every successful notre dame coach - Parsegian was Northwestern, Devine was at Missouri and Holtz was at Minnesota).
Could it be Chris Petersen, Gary Patterson or Brian Kelly? Absolutely it could be. They all have positives. However, I don't think Notre Dame is at the point of "SHAKE THIS THING UP" like Michigan was - that Appalachian State loss affected our program deeper than people even realize. Notre Dame is still a very conservative school in approach and style. These do not strike me as conservative coaches. This is a conservative AD also so I can't believe he won't want a hard nosed, good Catholic with a successful track record to guide this team. I don't know - sounds like Jim Harbaugh to me.
Though Harbaugh was definitely cursing like a Michigan man during the Notre Dame game.
November 29th, 2009 at 10:25 PM ^
I agree with a lot of what you wrote.
I do like Harbaugh a lot as a coach. My only problems are a) he's a Michigan man (ha, sorry, but true) and b) I think he wants to go to the NFL. Neither is enough to write him off though.
Don't underestimate the feeling of wanting to start anew after you've been at a place for a decade and are starting to become underappreciated. OK, I'll stop banging the Stoops drum here, I just don't want you guys to be too shocked if it does happen ;)
November 29th, 2009 at 10:28 PM ^
Then I thought:
- ND hasn't had the greatest luck with hiring Stanford HC's lately.
- Jim playing at Michigan would cause some problems on both sides.
- Jim also had a recent DUI (not a deal breaker but not good either)
On the other guys:
I don't think Chris Peterson wants all the BS that comes with the ND job.
Stoops and Meyer are at better programs. It would not be a step up.
November 30th, 2009 at 12:04 AM ^
ND would be crazy not to want Kelly. I'd rather see Stoops every year to be honest.
November 30th, 2009 at 3:32 AM ^
"Big Game Bob" the big game coach that can no longer win big..
I hope they take him over Kelly.. at ND he'll coach a weaker version of his Oklahoma teams as he can't just smuggle in borderline-literate players into Notre Dame..
November 30th, 2009 at 7:41 PM ^
can anyone provide a source for the whole "brian kelly is pro-choice" thing? i tried googling this and i couldn't come up with anything other than conjecture. help?
November 30th, 2009 at 11:11 PM ^
I have seen this pop up many a time... These perceived "skeletons" in Kelly's closet. I don't know anything about the man, other than the fact that he appears to get a lot out of his players. Last year for instance, rotating in at some points 4 or 5 QBs and still finished 10-3..
Frankly, as an ND fan, I'd love to have Stoops. But after that I say Kelly then then Patterson (TCU). Harbaugh is everyones wet dream, but he's going to bolt in a few years.
The hardest thing to do is find a good coach. That is a good recruiter. That is happy to be in college. That runs a clean program. That can survive the fish bowl that is ND.
The cupboard won't be bare this time, like Willingham left it. The right coach will make an immediate impact.