Re: College Football 2010: Dude, Where's my Conference?
Kelly ain't going to take no guff from anybody. I've listen to him cuss a bluestreak at guys for messing up in practice, and I lived at least 200 yards away from the practice fields at GVSU. Kelly can turn on the charm in front of the camera's, but he can also make a sailor blush when he wants to. He's also smart enought to work with what he's got as well. The quick turn arounds he had at CMU and Cincy are evidence of that. Neither of them were really full of guys that he recuited. ND will lose some guys because of his style, but probably most of them are malcontents who are just not going to respond to him.
For the last few seasons I have stirred the pot a bit with my prediction for Notre Dame football...so, since this will produce several responses including the words 'irrelevant' and 'sucks' but won't have as many pickle and fat jokes...here it goes:
(I'm not impartial, have no issues with being viewed as overly optimistic etc.)
I think they go 8-4, maybe 9-3. There isn't a game on there they can't win, only because USC will be having a transition year of some sort. As has been noted, Weis recruited great players and turned them into a terrible team. Kelly appears to be able to take mid-range players and get more out of them. Remains to be seen if the prima-donnas (as Kelly has described them) can be tough enough to play the way Kelly wants for 4Q vs blowing leads late.
When you read up on all the things Kelly has changed, such as having a training table so the players can eat real meals vs. getting out of Weis' practices after the dining halls had closed and eating at the McDonald's in the union, the increased strength and conditioning program etc. along with some of his comments about how the team was run like a waiting room for the NFL draft vs. guys trying to win today's game and worrying less about strategery and more about execution...I think it can only be an improvement.
They also will have one DC vs. 2-3 like they had last year.
Still, new coach, inexperienced QB, new system etc. 8-4 will be a good year.
Who else has a favorite they can offer some insight into?
edit: the irish also just got commitments from 4 recruits in the last 24 hours including 4 star RB Justice Hayes and DE Aaron Lynch. Maybe Kelly can recruit too.
Kelly ain't going to take no guff from anybody. I've listen to him cuss a bluestreak at guys for messing up in practice, and I lived at least 200 yards away from the practice fields at GVSU. Kelly can turn on the charm in front of the camera's, but he can also make a sailor blush when he wants to. He's also smart enought to work with what he's got as well. The quick turn arounds he had at CMU and Cincy are evidence of that. Neither of them were really full of guys that he recuited. ND will lose some guys because of his style, but probably most of them are malcontents who are just not going to respond to him.