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There are multiple reports coming in that Chip Long may have seen his last days as the offensive coordinator for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Long was also in Tuscaloosa today, according to sources. It looks like he could join the staff in some capacity even if/when Steve Sarkisian is hired as offensive coordinator https://t.co/wIOjGt0jik
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 13, 2019
Okay... that’s a lot to take in for Notre Dame fans. Basically, the reports read as if Chip Long is looking for a way out of Notre Dame one way or the other.
Chip Long was in Tuscaloosa on Saturday and interviewed with Nick Saban for a job with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Now, one would logically think that Long would only leave Notre Dame for an offensive coordinator position. I mean... why would he leave the Irish for a job demotion — regardless of pay? At 35, Chip Long is one of the up and coming coaches in college football. He’s really only another successful year away from being able to get a legit Power 5 conference head coaching job.
According to one of my sources close to the situation, Long feels like Alabama is a quicker route to one of those Power 5 head coaching jobs — or the NFL. My source also states that Long had a conversation with Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs. According to this same source, it would seem that Long and Brian Kelly had a bit of a falling out after the loss to the Clemson Tigers, and now Long is looking to move on from South Bend.
Now, a lot of the reports have placed Steve Sarkisian as the next offensive coordinator at Alabama with Long coming on as a position coach. Some reports say Long and Sarkisian would be Co-offensive coordinators with Chip calling plays and Sark coaching the quarterbacks. Nothing has been reported as concrete fact other than Long’s visit to Tuscaloosa and talk with Nick Saban.
I’m not sure where else to look as far as this story goes. Chip Long is interviewing to leave Notre Dame, and that may mean a job demotion of some type (although I’m sure the money will still be right).
IF Long were to leave Notre Dame, I’m not sure what direction the Irish would go. Internally, there’s Jeff Quinn and maybe Tommy Rees, but I’m almost certain Brian Kelly and Notre Dame would have to look outside South Bend to fill this position.
When we know more, we will report it. It feels like a much more complicated issue than money — or even power. Because of that, there may be conflicting reports that surface. Hopefully, we wil be able to cut though the BS to bring as much fact to the table as possible.