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THE OBSERVER

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Saturday, December 12, 2009

Brian Kelly ‘the right man’ for ND

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TODAY’S STAFF Sports Matt Gamber Sam Werner

Graphics Andrea Archer Photos Ian Gavlick

IAN GAVLICK/The Observer

Brian Kelly addresses the media Friday at the Guglielmino Athletics Complex as Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick looks on. Kelly was announced as the new Irish head coach Thursday night.

By MICHAEL BRYAN Associate Sports Editor

After weeks of rumors and speculation, Brian Kelly was officially introduced as Notre Dame’s 29th head coach Friday.

Kelly has signed a five-year deal to coach the Irish after leading Cincinnati to consecutive BCS appearances. The 47-year old Kelly went 34-6 in three years with the Bearcats, and was named Big East Coach of the Year all three seasons.

Kelly also won the national Home D e p o t C o a c h o f t h e Ye a r a w a r d Thursday night.

“Nobody does it like Notre Dame,” Kelly said. “There’s a chapel in every dorm, and there’s a leader around every corner, and we will cultivate that leadership here at Notre Dame, and we will continue to move towards excellence both in the classroom and on the football field.”

A veteran with 19 years of head coaching experience, Kelly will not coach Cincinnati’s Sugar Bowl game against Florida. He informed the Bearcats team of his decision Thursday afternoon before the team’s banquet.

“I’m forever grateful to the players at the University of Cincinnati for what they gave me. They gave me this opportunity here at Notre Dame.

Their work on the field gave me a great opportunity for my family, and for that I’m forever grateful,” Kelly said. “But transition is difficult.

Emotion gets involved, and I only wish all of them the very, very best.”

Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick said he had a timeline with the goal of hiring a new coach by this weekend, and was excited to finalize the agreement with Kelly Thursday.

“We followed our criteria, we stuck to it, and at every step along the way, it kept taking me back to the same place. It kept taking me back to the

conclusion that Brian Kelly was the want to win football games, and they right person to lead this program,” w a n t t o b e l e d . T h e y w a n t t o b e Swarbrick said. “He was the first developed. I could tell that immediperson I talked to. He was the only ately.

“You do not come to the University person I offered this opportunity to.

A n d i t w a s a c o m p e l l i n g c a s e of Notre Dame because you want to be average. You want to be the best throughout.”

The news of Kelly’s hiring broke of the best. And that’s why I’m here.

Thursday afternoon and was official- It inspires me to be around young ly announced through a university men like I had in front of me today.”

Swarbrick said that throughout the release that night.

“Growing up as an Irish Catholic in process he sought the advice of sevBoston, Massachusetts, I’d come eral members of the team, who home from church after driving my helped the director of athletics with parents crazy and listen to the reruns the search.

“I read a lot of things about people or the replays of Notre Dame football, and indelibly etched in my mind, saying that this was a less attractive job than it used to be, in my vision was the or the interest was not great Lindsey Nelson “They want to win what it used to be. You talking about as we weren’t in my shoes,” move further into the football games, and Swarbrick said. “The t h i r d q u a r t e r, t h e they want to be led.” interest in being the action, and Notre leader of this program Dame playing that Brian Kelly was extraordinary, and day,” Kelly said. “That I was so buoyed by the was all that was on the Irish coach level of that interest TV in the Kelly house.” and the way many of Kelly said the Notre Dame job has been a dream of his for the best coaches in the country were really interested in being part of our years.

“The story is like this: You come program.”

One trait that stood out to Swarbrick home as a parent and you’re going to tell your kids that they’re moving and was Kelly’s appreciation for the tradithey love the friends and they love tions of Notre Dame, and he honored the community, and as we started to the new coach with a unique gift.

“There’s a tradition that we didn’t tell them, tears began to well up in their eyes, and Gracie came up to discuss that you may or may not be m e , g r a b b e d m e , h u g g e d m e a n d familiar with. The last element of that said, ‘Dad, I’m so happy for you. I team Mass frequently as celebrated by know this has been your dream. And Fr. Doyle, who’s with us today, is to I’m sad for me just for a little bit. Is identify a saint that we’re honoring that okay?’ And I kissed her, and I that day, and every player as they said, ‘You know what, that’s what is leave the mass and head across the so magical about this is that my kids walk or get on the bus for an away know that this was a dream for me,’” game, gets a medal to take with them.

Many of our players figure out a way Kelly said.

Kelly also met with the Notre Dame to affix that to their uniforms or otherteam before his press conference wise have it with them. And yes, we do F r i d a y, a n d h a d a s t r o n g i n i t i a l keep of the saints’ won loss records.

We’re careful about that,” Swarbrick impression. “ T h e y w a n t t o w i n , ” K e l l y s a i d . said.

“They’re like any other football program that I’ve been around; they Contact Michael Bryan at mbryan@nd.edu

Saturday, December 12, 2009

The Observer ◆ IN

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FOCUS

THE CINCINNATI STAFF

Kelly has ‘plan in place’ for coaching staff

Kerry Coombs

Mike Elston

Bob Diaco

Jeff Quinn

Greg Forest

Lorenzo Guess

Tim Hinton

William Inge

Charley Molnar

Associate HC, Def. Backs

Special Teams, Defensive Line

Defensive Coordinator

Off. Coordinator, Offensive Line

Quarterbacks

Tight Ends

Recruiting, Running Backs

Linebackers

Passing Game, Receivers

By BILL BRINK Sports Writer

Charlie Weis is gone, Brian Kelly is here, but there are two groups of assistants and coordinators whose job situation remains uncertain.

Some Irish assistants led their departments to success this season and coached their players to drastic improvement, but other position groups took steps back.

Kelly has not yet announced who he would bring with him and who, if any, of Notre Dame’s assistants he will retain, but did say he would interview all of Notre Dame’s assistants.

“I’ve got a plan in place. I clearly know where I want to go,” he said.

“I want to make sure I talk to everyone involved in the process.”

Kelly said he would begin the process Monday.

“That’s a process that won’t take very much time,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of those pieces already put together.”

Some seem like logical choices to keep; others seem as though their jobs might be in jeopardy.

Interim head coach Rob Ianello has taken the head coaching job at Akron, leaving the positions of receivers coach and recruiting coordinator open.

Bearcats offensive coordinator Jeff Quinn has been with Kelly the longest, back to Kelly’s days at Grand Valley State. Quinn played football and wrestled at Elmhurst College and was a third-team AllAmerica selection in football in 1993. He coached football and wrestling at DePauw starting in 1984 and moved to Ohio Northern in 1986.

Quinn has coached alongside Kelly for 19 years and joined Cincinnati’s staff for the 2007 season. He also served as the offensive line coach. Weis functioned as Notre Dame’s offensive coordinator.

Quinn’s offensive line counterpart, Frank Verducci, joined the staff this season and helped the line’s play, keeping junior quarterback Jimmy Clausen off his back and allowing the running game to improve. The Irish rushed for 3.8 yards per carry this year.

Quarterbacks coach Greg Forest has also spent a long time with

Kelly. He was a sports management intern in 1991 at Grand Valley State, Kelly’s first year.

Forest has had great success this year with both quarterbacks Tony Pike and Zach Collaros. Notre Dame’s quarterbacks coach, Ron Powlus, has helped develop Clausen into one of the nation’s top passers.

Charley Molnar has run the Bearcats passing game for the past four years and worked with Kelly while he was at Central Michigan, where he coached Dan LeFevour during his freshman year. At Cincinnati, along with the success of Pike and Collaros, Molnar coached receiver Mardy Gilyard to a great season.

The closest parallel at Notre Dame is Ianello, who previously served under Weis as receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.

Ianello helped receivers Michael Floyd and Golden Tate flourish during his tenure and also knows Notre Dame’s recruiting inside and out, giving him a strong case to stay around.

Cincinnati’s recruiting coordinator, Tim Hinton, also serves as the running backs coach. Given the

success of Notre Dame’s running backs coach, Tony Alford, in improving the run game and the fact that Hinton was the only coach Kelly inherited at Cincinnati, Hinton is less likely than others to make the jump. He has coached multiple positions, however, which adds to his appeal.

Lorenzo Guess, Cincinnati’s tight ends coach, has a background in strength and conditioning in both football and basketball. He has not coached with Kelly long. Bernie Parmalee, Notre Dame’s tight ends coach, helped Anthony Fasano and John Carlson reach the NFL. Given Notre Dame’s struggles on defense, Kelly will likely make changes to the defensive staff. Bob Diaco took over as the Bearcats’ offensive coordinator before this season. Previously he served as defensive coordinator at Virginia and as linebacker and special teams coach before that.

Kerry Coombs, Kelly’s associate head coach and defensive backs coach at Cincinnati, may make the trip with him. Coombs started in the high school ranks and has coached with Kelly for the past

three seasons.

Coombs would replace Corwin Brown, the associate head coach and defensive backs coach. Notre Dame’s defensive backs underperformed this season based on previous performance and perceived level of talent.

Cincinnati’s linebackers coach, William Inge, has coached at Cincinnati for two years but in 2008 three of the team’s top four tacklers were linebackers — not the case at Notre Dame. Notre Dame’s linebackers coach Jon Tenuta has enjoyed great success elsewhere, but his blitz-happy style of defense hasn’t produced results during his tenure at Notre Dame.

Defensive line coach Mike Elston spent his first year coaching the linemen after two years as the tight ends coach. Elston would replace Notre Dame defensive line coach Randy Hart, who has 39 years of college coaching experience, 21 of them at Washington.

Notre Dame recorded 20 sacks and 73 tackles for loss this season.

Contact Bill Brink at wbrink@nd.edu

PLAYER REACTION

Irish players impressed by new coach’s energy, passion Notre Dame, said he’s talked to friends of his on the Sports Writer Bearcats and even a manager of the team throughout the One w o rd em a na ted fro m process. He’s heard nothing the players and resonated but positive responses and throughout the Guglielmino saw it himself Friday mornA t h l e t i c s C o m p l e x F r i d a y ing.

“The way he carried himafternoon.

T h e w o r d s t e m m e d f r o m self, very passionate, he has a new coach Brian Kelly’s meet- love for the game,” Rudolph i n g w i t h t h e p l a y e r s t h a t said.

Rudolph said the Cincinnati morning and came to light basketball team used to be when Kelly started speaking. the main attraction in town, The word was energetic.

The players echoed it and but Kelly had turned the football program Kelly broadcast into a frontit, reminiscing r u n n e r.

He about listening “Coach Kelly is a lot hopes Kelly can to Notre Dame more energetic and do the same for football as a kid outgoing.”

Notre Dame. in Boston, his “When we voice crescenw e r e b e i ng doing as he Kapron Lewis-Moore recruited it was answered quesIrish defensive lineman back-to-back tions.

BCS bowls,” “Coach Kelly Rudolph said. is a lot more e n e r g e t i c a n d o u t g o i n g , ” “That’s where we want to get sophomore defensive lineman back to.”

Sophomore receiver Michael Kapron Lewis-Moore said when asked about the com- Floyd said Kelly conveyed his p a r i s o n b e t w e e n K e l l y a n d expectations to the team and they weren’t much different former coach Charlie Weis.

Kelly met the team Friday from his behavior.

“Just him coming in, just morning to introduce himself and allow the team to get to wanting to talk about what he wanted in the team, us being know him, he said.

“Basically, it was getting to a h i g h - e n e r g i z e t e a m a n d know him and how he does being passionate about the game,” he said. things,” Lewis-Moore said.

The attitude, Floyd said, can Sophomore tight end Kyle Rudolph, who is f r o m carry over to the team.

“New coach coming in here, Cincinnati, where Kelly coached prior to coming to different mentality, guys will

By BILL BRINK

PAT COVENEY/The Observer

Sophomore quarterback Dayne Crist speaks to the media Friday after Brian Kelly was introduced as Notre Dame’s new head football coach. Crist is expected to be the team’s starting quarterback next season. be more upbeat, more excited,” he said.

That high-energy style also carries over to the field.

Sophomore quarterback Dayne Crist said although he h a d n ’t w a t c h e d t a p e o f Cincinnati, he saw enough of the Bearcats to get excited about the fast, quick-strike offense.

“It’ll be a little bit of a change but I think we have the guys on the team to do it,” h e s a i d . “ E v e r y o n e ’s m o r e excited than anything about

getting to work and making a great impression.”

Kelly’s ability to motivate players, Crist said, will benefit the Irish.

“I feel that everyone fed off of his energy in the team meeting,” he said. His passion was very contagious, his competitiveness tow in was very contagious. I think it will have some great effects on the team and we’re just excited about the whole situation.”

Sophomore defensive lineman Ethan Johnson said

Kelly’s energy shone through, but that wasn’t what really caught his ear.

“It’s really something else to hear a coach that’s been winning all these games to say it’s been his dream to coach Notre Dame,” Johnson said. “I guess I’ll be a part of that realization of his dream.”

Johnson said he knew, however, that Kelly’s energy was only part of the equation.

Contact Bill Brink at wbrink@nd.edu

page 4

The Observer ◆ IN

FOCUS

Saturday, December 12, 2009

“He has won at every level with every kind of team. He is a winner.”

Jack Swarbrick director of athletics

“You do not come to the University of Notre Dame because you want to be average. You want to be the best of the best.”

Brian Kelly Irish coach

Saturday, December 12, 2009

The Observer ◆ IN

FOCUS

page 5

“I want tough gentlemen.”

Brian Kelly Irish coach

“We can’t trade anybody. There’s no waiver wire. We’re going to develop our players, and they’re going to play their very best for us.”

Brian Kelly Irish coach

Photos by ◆

IAN GAVLICK

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COMMENTARY

The Observer ◆ IN

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Saturday, December 12, 2009

STUDENT REACTION

Holtz’s ‘93 squad Students hopeful with Kelly hire a model for success Notre Dame message blitzes, but on linemen to boards have been a free-for- generate pressure up front, all for the past month, and l i n e b a c k e r s t o c o n t a i n t h e perhaps none more than ND run and defensive backs to Nation — the final destina- keep plays in front of them and go after balls in the air. tion for disThe coaches publicly gruntled and respected their gifted oppooften boisnent but privately exuded the terous Irish kind of contagious confidence fans to voice that sparks players and wins their opingames in college football. ions, espeThey challenged their players cially in to succeed “what though the times of odds,” and then they put coaching them in position, mentally transition.

Matt Gamber and physically, to succeed.

And with And they did it despite losing F r i d a y ’s Sports Editor several stars to the NFL and f o r m a l other key players to injury. announceIn that epic showdown, it ment that Brian Kelly would man the was the Seminoles’ offense N o t r e D a m e s i d e l i n e s n e x t that mysteriously abandoned year, the boards went hay- a s u c c e s s f u l r u n n i n g g a m e and inexplicably disappeared wire.

In sifting through the rub- for two quarters after utterly b l e o f q u e s t i o n s a n d c o m - dominating on their opening m e n t s o n t h e K e l l y h i r e , I drive. It was the Seminoles’ stumbled across one nostal- defense that lamented countgic post that linked to an less missed tackles and archived Sports Illustrated c o u l d n ’t m u s t er a n answer cover story that ran after the for a downhill ground attack.

N o . 2 I r i s h t o p p l e d t o p - It was the Seminoles’ coachranked Florida State in a ing staff whose poor time management colossal clash resulted in no of unbeatens at timeouts for a Notre Dame l a s t - d i t c h Stadium in This is Notre Dame, c o m e b a c k 1993. and there’s no attempt that I was only eventually fell four years old denying that Kelly’s short. And as then, and while new job presents an S e m i n o l e s I’ve read plenty unmatched set of coach Bobby about the ‘93 challenges and a Bowden put it Irish getting at the time, it robbed of a glaring national was Florida national title, this A u s t i n spotlight that only his S t a t e t h a t l e t predecessors can “the big one” Murphy article get away. from 16 years fully comprehend.

Stop. Reread ago was my that last parafirst real foray graph, but into the way Lou Holtz’s team played that replace Seminoles with Irish, Florida State with Notre year.

Dame and Bobby Bowden It was eye-opening.

The cover headline — “WE w i t h B o b D a v i e , Ty r o n e D I D I T ! J i m F l a n i g a n a n d Willingham or Charlie Weis Notre Dame outmuscle — no offense to the justFlorida State” — and the tri- retired Bowden, whose 388 umphant photo of the Irish wins at the Division I level stud defensive tackle turned rank second all-time.

N o w, h o w o f t e n h a v e w e me on to that ‘93 squad and convinced me that the next heard that over the last 12 N o t r e D a m e h e a d c o a c h years? Too many, and that’s should look to that team, and why Kelly is here now.

He’ll do it his own way, as that game, as his model.

Holtz was the last success- well he should, and I hope it ful Irish coach, at least by works. For the record, I think Notre Dame’s lofty standards. it will, considering the way in And while every coach has w h i c h K e l l y b u i l t a n d s u s his own strengths, his own tained successful programs style and his own approach, at Grand Valley State, Central Kelly would be well-served to Michigan and Cincinnati.

This is Notre Dame, and make note of what Holtz’s ‘93 team did, especially in that there’s no denying that Kelly’s job presents an “Game of the Century” new unmatched set of challenges against the Seminoles.

The offense dominated the and a glaring national spotline of scrimmage, starting light that only his predeceswith All-American left tackle sors can fully comprehend.

A a r o n Ta y l o r, a p h y s i c a l But it also presents an increds p e c i m e n w h o h u s t l e d a l l ible array of opportunities, o v e r t h e f i e l d , s o l d o u t o n from elite resources to the every play and helped spread promise of legendary status that approach to his team- t h a t a c c o m p a n i e s a l l t h o s e mates. They punched people who bring success to South in the mouth and would grind Bend.

Holtz was the last man to teams out with a power running game for four quarters. accomplish that feat, and, in They didn’t turn the ball over truth, it’s no real secret how.

The blueprint is right there in or suffer mental lapses.

The defense played funda- that Sports Illustrated article.

I’ll give you the link — I mentally sound football, didn’t allow big plays and forced wouldn’t want you to have to turnovers. It relied not on sift through the message c o m p l i c a t e d s t u n t s a n d boards for it.

TOM LA/The Observer

Students perform their own variations of the salute to the coach during the ‘1812 Overture’ in between the third and fourth quarter of Notre Dame’s 33-30 overtime loss to Connecticut. recruits to build a winning Central Michigan is a strong indicator that he can snap football team.

Associate News Editor “I only hope that this pas- Notre Dame football out of sion will translate into land- its decade-long malaise.

“Ultimately, I’d like to see Within minutes of news ing recruits and winning them build to a b r e a k i n g t h a t B r i a n K e l l y games over the championship few would become Notre Dame’s n e x t by my senior he 29th football coach, students y e a r s , ” “I just hope Kelly can year,” he said started talking about how the said. turn the program “He’s built proJunior Riley former Cincinnati coach repgrams very fast resents a new hope for the Orloff was pararound before I in the past, so I t i c u l a r l y Irish. graduate. I’d like to don’t think it’s “After suffering three years impressed with see at least one unreasonable highof mediocre football, I’m the to win in three hopeful that Coach Kelly can octane offense winning regular years.” restore Notre Dame’s win- K e l l y r a n a t season.”

H o w e v e r, n i n g t r a d i t i o n , ” j u n i o r Cincinnati, and junior Marcus Richard Paulius said. “I said he hopes Perez is not guess this means the shirt the new coach Mike Delach convinced develop next year will be Kelly can junior Kelly may be N o t r e D a m e ’s green.” the perfect W h i l e w a t c h i n g K e l l y ’s talented playintroductory press confer- ers into national award-win- coach for Notre Dame, noting that Kelly is known as an ence, junior Scott McIntosh ning stars.

“If he can turn [Cincinnati o f f e n s i v e g u r u w h i l e t h e said he was really impressed with how the coach handled quarterback] Tony Pike into Irish’s biggest problem under the media’s questions calmly a B C S q u a r t e r b a c k , [ I r i s h Weis was an anemic defense.

“I would have liked to see a and politely — a departure quarterback] Dayne Crist is defensive-minded from former coach Charlie going to win the Heisman,” m o r e coach, but I trust that Kelly Weis’ gruff handling of the Orloff said.

F r e s h m a n will be able to lead the team media.

A d a m S c h m i t z to a great season next year,” “ E v e n s a i d a l t h o u g h Perez said. t h o u g h h e ’s the Class of 2011, next just taken “I only hope that this hDiasmfei r sfto oNtobtarlel y eFor ar represents their last over the propassion will translate season was dis- opportunity to see a winning gram, Kelly appointing, he regular season while at has really into landing recruits thinks Kelly pos- N o t r e D a m e . J u n i o r M i k e impressed me and winning games sesses the quali- Delach said he would like to with the pasover the next few t i e s o f a s u c - see Kelly have a successful sion that he c e s s f u l N o t r e first year to help heal some has for years.” of the worst scars of the Weis Dame coach. coaching at “ H e ’s v e r y era, including avenging lossNotre Dame,” Scott McIntosh charismatic and es to Navy. he said. “For junior “I just hope Kelly can turn he’s pumped up not having about our foot- t h e p r o g r a m a r o u n d n e x t gone here, ball team,” he year before I graduate,” Brian Kelly s a i d . “ P l u s , h e Delach said. “I’d like to see fits the Notre at least one winning regular Dame type. He’s very affa- knows the tradition.”

Schmitz said Kelly’s record season.” ble.”

McIntosh said he hopes of quickly turning around Kelly’s passion for the Irish historically losing programs Contact Joe McMahon at c a n h e l p l a n d t o p - f l i g h t s u c h a s C i n c i n n a t i a n d jmcmaho6@nd.edu

By JOSEPH McMAHON

Saturday, December 12, 2009

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BRIAN KELLY PROFILE

Coach brings winning history to Notre Dame Résumé highlighted by 19 years of head coaching experience at Grand Valley State, Central Michigan, Cincinnati

By SAM WERNER Associate Sports Editor

Brian Kelly comes to Notre Dame with more collegiate accolades and achievements than any other Notre Dame coach in recent history — at least in the last decade.

From Grand Valley State to Central Michigan to Cincinnati, Kelly has blazed a trail of football success all the way to South Bend.

After four years playing linebacker, Kelly graduated from Assumption College in 1983.

Four years later, he joined the coaching staff at Grand Valley State as a graduate assistant and defensive backs coach. He was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1989, and then to head coach in 1991.

Kelly led the Lakers to winning seasons in each of his 13 years at Grand Valley State, compiling a 118-35-2 overall record. In his final three seasons in Grand Rapids, the Lakers went 41-2, at one point winning 20 games in a row.

K e l l y ’s 2 0 0 1 t e a m s e t a Division II record by averaging 58.4 points per game.

In 2002 and 2003, Kelly led Grand Valley State to back-toback Division II national championships, and was named AFCA Division II Coach of the Year in both seasons.

Kelly was hired by Central Michigan in 2004, and immediately turned around a program that had won more than three games only once in the

previous four seasons.

After a 4-7 record in his first year, Kelly led the Chippewas to a 6-5 mark in 2005, Central Michigan’s first winning season in seven years.

T h e n e x t y e a r, C e n t r a l Michigan went 9-4, won the MAC and qualified for the Motor City Bowl. Before Kelly could coach the team in the bowl game, though, he accepted an offer from Cincinnati to take its head coaching position.

In his first full season with the Bearcats, Kelly led the team to their first 10-win season since 1949, and was named Big East Coach of the Year. “[Mark] Dantonio left, and everyone was kind of like, ‘What’s going to happen now?’

Are they going to go back to just mediocrity?’” Garrett Sabelhaus, Sports Editor of the Cincinnati News-Record student newspaper, said earlier this week. “Then Brian Kelly came along, picked up right where Dantonio left off and just took it to heights nobody had ever imagined could happen at UC.” Sabelhaus said a big part of the transition was getting the team used to Kelly’s potent spread offensive scheme.

“He just installed his system over the offseason, and then the next year they started to be that machine on offense that you see now as pretty polished,” Sabelhaus said.

In 2008, Kelly led the Bearcats to their first ever Big

East title and BCS berth. This year, Cincinnati is currently undefeated and will play Florida in the Sugar Bowl.

Sabelhaus said that Kelly’s decision to not coach the Bearcats in arguably the biggest game in their history could irk some in the Queen City.

“I think what people might be a little concerned with, and maybe turn on B.K. a little bit, is if he leaves before the bowl game,” Sabelhaus said.

While Kelly brings a potent offensive attack to Notre Dame, Sabelhaus also said that the defense was likely to improve under the new regime.

“The thing is, [Cincinnati’s defense] is a motivated group of guys,” Sabelhaus said.

“You’ve got to think that if Brian Kelly gets the kind of recruits that Notre Dame gets, h e ’s g o i n g t o d o s o m e t h i n g w i t h t h e m , w h e t h e r i t ’s o n offense or defense.”

Sabelhaus added that Kelly was savvy enough with the media to handle the intense spotlight in South Bend.

“The way he handles the media is almost kind of a genius way,” Sabelhaus said.

“He gets everybody on his side.”

Kelly will get to face the media scrutiny right away, as a talented roster has many Irish fans hoping for a BCS berth in 2010.

Photo courtesy of COULTER LOEB/Cincinnati News-Record

Contact Sam Werner at swerner@nd.edu

Irish coach Brian Kelly talks to his players on the sideline during Cincinnati’s 47-45 win over Connecticut Nov. 7.

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Saturday, December 12, 2009