Report: Notre Dame AD says Brian Kelly will be back in 2017
Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick says head coach Brian Kelly will be back in 2017, according to ESPN's Matt Fortuna.
The Fighting Irish are 2–5 on the season but Kelly is expected to return for an eighth season.
"Brian will lead this team out of the tunnel opening day next year," Swarbrick told ESPN.
"I bear responsibility,” he added. “I'm ultimately responsible for our performance, so all of us are in this together. But I can tell you I continue to have complete confidence in Brian. I think you really see what you've got in a coach with how they manage times like this, and I think he has done a great job of it.”
• Campus Rush Podcast: Week 8 preview, making playoff picks
Kelly is 57-28 in his seven seasons at Notre Dame. He inked a six-year contract extension in January that will keep him with the Irish through the 2021 season.
After a 1–4 start to the season, Kelly fired defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder. Greg Hudson has taken over the defense.
