These.

Also, even if we pretend there is a tiny chance Meyer would go anywhere, he wouldn't leave until after the MNCG, which pretty much takes him out of consideration anyway.

Reach out sure, but Kelly needs to be target #1, and he needs to feel that is what he is.

One of the reasons they gave for why he's not dynamic is that he is 49 and coaching at Cincinnati, as opposed to Meyer who was ten years younger when hired at UF. For some reason they weren't impressed by my pointing out that Saban was 49 when he took over LSU either, I thought it was a pretty good point considering he's number two on most of their irrational wish lists. It sort of makes me embarrassed to have gone there, don't even try to bring up statistics about fourth down.

He doesn't have a cool name either.

Bama could win the SEC title game to preclude that situation, but even if that happens UM won't be going anywhere. Line Kelly up now, while he wants the job, before someone else offers him huge $$$$$$$$$$$$$.

BTW is it anyone else's default assumption that we're gonna **** up this hire?

I do, but I'm biased and have an interest in just that happening.

I've been banned over there for less

I have a dreadful feeling about this hire.

The only saving grace is that they KNOW that they need a slam dunk here, they won't go for a strictly NFL guy again, and he is just such an obvious choice at the perfect time.

But yeah, that's why I'm worried too.

Wow. 49 is pretty much your coaching prime if you've been moving up in the coaching world. Guys like Meyer are the exception; prodigies who achieve huge results in small timeframes. If successful we could expect at least 10-15 years out of Kelly no problem.

Is there ANY chance that...

1. Weis doesn't get fired?
2. Kelly turns it down if offered?

The obvious assumptions are no. Any insight into what the ND administration is doing right now?

Yeah I could see a conversation where they almost all agree Kelly is perfect, but then talking about other guys just to be certain they've covered all their bases and end up talking themselves into Gary Barnett .

I don't see a lot of huge jobs opening up either that Kelly would prefer over ND. Not saying that out of arrogance, it's just that all the major programs seem to be pretty solidified.

Unless the NFL comes calling.

Yeah, that was the basis of that article Brian wrote that got overshadowed by the abortion talk. Weis failing and getting canned was about Kelly's only way into a big-time program in the immediate future.

We sorta have. Harbaugh brings a firece attitude, but:

1. That makes the admin squemish
2. He hasn't won very much yet.
3. Something involving a DUI with internet rumors suggesting a coed was in the car. see 1.
4. He's a Michigan Man and his goal is probably the NFL so even if he takes us to a 10-2 season he might jump early.


Of course 4. applies to Saban, but we don't actually have a chance there so no one mentions it.

I was wondering where you were. See what censored forums can do 4 u?

Brian Kelly isn't exactly a choirboy

i don't feel like plowing through the perma-thread, but what's the cliff notes opinion on DickRod atm?

This isn't so much the 2p2 opinion as it is the general Michigan internet fan opinion:

- Obviously getting a Year 3. Some people think next year is his do-or-die, > 8 wins or more or fired type season. I just made a post in the perma-thread where I think he gets a Year 4 unless we miss another bowl game. This is probably the minority position. Most people think he has to get it done next year, where "get it done" = 8 or 9 wins or more. I think he has a longer leash because the school is conservative and won't want to rebuild again.

- Most people think the offense is progressing just fine. Everyone agrees the defense is just terrible. There is division as to whether or not there is any hope the defense can become competent enough to not lose 5 game a season. If you have no hope, you want RR fired now or are very cynical about the future, and you think RR is to blame for focusing solely on the offense and ignoring the defense, for not treating defensive recruiting with the requisite seriousness, for cycling through two D-coordinators in two years and staying loyal to incompetent position coaches on defense like LB coach Jay Hopson, who's an old tag-along-wherever-he-goes of RR's. The LBs have been especially, inexplicably bad this season.

If you have hope, you just want this season to end, and think all the criticism of RR's treatment of the defense listed above are overstated, and the team is just too young, there's been too much attrition, and doesn't have enough bodies to seriously compete, and that with time we'll be better.

- As for potential replacements, there's a general division between hoping we could get Les Miles somehow (kind of like ND's perpetual hard-on for Urban Meyer, with the key difference than Urban Meyer is actually a good coach), Brian Kelly, and Jim Harbaugh. No one seems to think Kelly will be around if/when RR gets fired. No one is really talking seriously about it because any coaching search is at least a year off.

Thanks for the summary. Maybe I'm not following close enough, but always thought from the onset that RR was/is a great hire, and the type who will thrive when he finally gets his recruits in. You're obviously looking forward to next year, but I can't imagine there's the same sense of hopelessness in Ann Arbor as there is in South Bend atm.

It's just a different point in the grieving process.

wat

Do you really believe that sentence?

Oops, temporarily confused Hopson and Gibson (who played for RR, then coached with him at Glenville, then was on his staff at WVU), partly because I maybe had too much to drink last night watching SNF.

Hopson was with RR at Tulane, but yeah, wrong assistant to say he's a tag along.

This Farentz stuff better be a sick joke.

Surprised by all the Stoops talk today.

If he hire Ferentz, kill me now. Alternately, get ready for a whole lot more luck of the Irish headlines.

While I understand the appeal of the Notre Dame job, I would be very surprised if Ferentz emerged as any kind of serious candidate. He has about as secure a job as there is in D-1A, has a contract through 2015, is one of the highest paid coaches in the game and has ties at Iowa going back almost 30 years.