Why This Notre Dame Fan Still Says “Thank You, Brian Kelly”

What has already been a flat-out insane coaching cycle in college football this season hit a new level Sunday night when LSU fired head coach Brian Kelly. The Tigers had preseason expectations to compete for a national championship according to Kelly, but were routed at home Saturday by Texas A&M, and suffered it's third loss of the year already.

Kelly of course coached Notre Dame for 12 seasons before departing for LSU following the 2021 regular season, winning more games as head coach of the Fighting Irish than anyone else in program history.

On a day where the reactions to Kelly's firing are strong, I just want to say one thing:

Thank You, Brian Kelly

Sure, you helped re-establish Notre Dame as a college football power again, but things had run their course in South Bend. Instead of excuses for not being able to compete with the biggest names in the game, it has since been replaced by endless effort on the recruiting trail and a willingness to improve in all necessary areas.

Notre Dame went as far as it was going to go under Brian Kelly. For the few days of grand confusion and concern by Notre Dame fans after the sudden departure, things have gone swimmingly since.

There haven't been excuses about "shopping down a different aisle" when it comes to recruiting, and the lack of LSU's food table on Notre Dame's campus hasn't held the Fighting Irish back under Marcus Freeman.

All Fingers, No Thumbs for Brian Kelly at Notre Dame

After seemingly each disappointing loss in a big game under Brian Kelly, it was the same dog-and-pony show.

Kelly might mention he needs to coach better, but that would come after humiliating his players and assistant coaches on the sidelines, and making excuses for shortcomings.

If a recruit didn't come to Notre Dame it was because something was wrong with that player, not because Kelly was too busy working on his golf swing to go pay that recruit a visit.

I know I was guilty of falling into Kelly's trap during his time at Notre Dame. Things were in the best shape for the football program that they had been in at least 25 years, so how much could I really complain?

Marcus Freeman is Brian Kelly's Lasting Impact on Notre Dame

As Kelly departs LSU and perhaps the coaching ranks for good, his lasting impact on the program he won (and lost) more games for than any other head coach previously lives on.

In the form of Marcus Freeman.

Freeman was hired by Kelly to be the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame for the 2021 season, and was impressive enough in one year that he was named to replace Kelly that December.

Since then, no stone has gone unturned in the Notre Dame football program. Wins in huge games have become the standard, not a pipe dream. Victories for major players on the recruiting trail have become a reality, not an impossibility.

So, Again, Thank You, Brian Kelly

So thank you Brian Kelly. Thank you for raising the bar of the Notre Dame football program from the afterthought it had become following the Tyrone Willingham and Charlie Weis tenures.

And thank you for hiring the right guy as defensive coordinator following the 2020 season and taking you and your fah-muh-lee to Baton Rouge, to get out of the way for someone who actually can take Notre Dame to that next level, something Freeman has already accomplished in three-and-a-half seasons.

Now go your time on the golf course, since that's where you seemingly would much rather be.