Notre Dame Football: What If Brian Kelly Wins?

You can lump me into the category of “Brian Kelly hater” if you like. It’s okay, and to be honest, this is all pretty new for me. For the past 6 and a half seasons, I have been a big Brian Kelly apologist. For one reason or another, I could see a great deal of hope and promise within the program that Brian Kelly was leading.

All of that changed in the middle of a hurricane in North Carolina. What I witnessed in that game was level of stubbornness I thought was only reserved for fictional villain coaches. It was like Coach Bud Kilmer took over Brian Kelly’s body- but Kilmer would have ran the damn ball.

So, within that one game my view was changed, and the blue and gold colored glasses that I must have been wearing were gone. I combed over Kelly’s entire career at Notre Dame, and I wanted him gone. I had stepped across the line and joined team #FireKelly.

A few months later...

Brian Kelly is still employed by the University of Notre Dame. Despite talking heads, bloggers, social media crusaders, and newspaper ad buyers (among many others) decreeing his incompetence, Brian Kelly will coach Notre Dame football in 2017.

So, what if he wins? What if he wins 11 or 12 games next year? Is all forgiven? Does that paint a prettier picture of the future moving forward? How do we react?

All of my life I have always been proud of myself for being able to know when I am wrong. I will defend my point and make the best argument available- but if I end up being wrong... I have the strength to admit it with humility and grace. Some people call this “flip-flopping” but I consider it to be an admirable trait. Admit you’re wrong and move on.

What I am asking here, is... will your opinion of Kelly be swayed if the Irish go 12-1. 13-1, or 12-2 next year (all playoff scenarios there)? What if Notre Dame goes 11-2 or 10-3? A lot of us are demanding a number as a part of the standard for Notre Dame football, so what is that number next year? Not Swarbrick’s standard or Kelly’s standard- but your standard.

I’m just trying to take an early read as to how compromising the fans are in regards to their own feelings. There is no right or wrong answer here, but you should definitely have an opinion and an answer. What do we do if Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish win a ton of football games next year?