Kelly Staying at Cincinnati?

If this report is to be believed, my prediction is out the window almost before the search officially started:

“Cincinnati:
FootballCoachScoop was the FIRST TO REPORT (November 29) that University Officials have been working behind the scenes on a contract extension,
one that could keep Kelly in Cincinnati for a long time.  According to our source, you can expect an announcement soon and it is almost finalized.  Our
source has confirmed that Head Coach Brian Kelly will be the Head Coach at UC next season.  Again, he is NOT a candidate at Notre Dame, which
FootballCoachScoop FIRST REPORTED on November 19.”

I am hearing that Kelly is not the focus of the administration right now but could be offered if some others pass.  If true, and he is offered eventually, I find it very hard to believe he would pass it up.

My Prediction: Notre Dame’s New Football Coach – Brian Kelly

I am going on the record with my prediction of the new football coach for Notre Dame.  Although Weis is not officially gone (although there are rumors of a potential press conference today), I am going to put it out there that I think Brian Kelly will be the new head football coach at Notre Dame.

My reasoning: he is easily the most logical choice.  Sure, everyone would love Stoops or Meyer but why would they leave their current positions.  This strikes me a lot like the Les Miles to Michigan rumors a couple years ago.  Very rarely do you see a successful coach at a premier program leave to go directly to another premier program.  Sure you can think up reasons for Stoops and Meyer to come, but when that happens take a step back and think about it as if you were them and not an ND fan.

Brian Kelly makes the most sense:

• He is hungry
• He has shown he can win as a head coach at every level he has coached at
• He has shown he can DEVELOP players
• He has shown he can MOTIVATE players
• Cincy is not a premier program and a jump to a big-time school is inevitable (whether it’s ND or somewhere else)
• His background in politics – that tells me he will be able to handle the white-hot spotlight

I don’t think his Irish-Catholic background would be a factor in the decision but it is a nice thing for the fan base.  He has a Bearcat team that had to replace 10 defensive starters undefeated and knocking on the door to back-to-back BCS games.  There are some questions – his offense being labeled as gimmicky, his ability to recruit nationally – but he has the intangibles that Weis lacked (motivating and developing talent).  On top of that his track record is stunning.  All the guy needs is a chance on the big stage.