Notre Dame Football: This is Brian Kelly 3.0

Maybe it’s because we are hurtling faster and faster towards the college football season that I’ve snapped. Over the last week or so, I have found myself correcting more and more people about certain things when it comes to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football program. While it feels like I’m taking care of all family business like in The Godfather (or even from a scene in The Newsroom) it’s been a futile effort.

People can never grasp the concept of being a little wrong, and even more so when they are completely wrong.

One small and kind of ridiculous thing, is a take on head coach Brian Kelly. Fans (and some media) keep referring to this as “Brian Kelly 2.0” which is just completely wrong. I’m here to set the record straight for no other reason than to feel better about my efforts to teach. Yes... this is ridiculous — I know.

We are currently in the Brian Kelly 3.0 era, and have been since the beginning of 2017. Here is a small timeline:

• Brian Kelly arrives at Notre Dame December of 2009.
• Brian Kelly starts off year 2 in South Bend with a horrible loss to South Florida in which he changes color quite frequently.
• The 2011 season (combined with 2010) forced Kelly to make a lot of changes, and BK 2.0 was born in 2012.
• After the disastrous 2016 campaign, Kelly does a massive overhaul of the program. Coaches are let go, coaches are hired, and Kelly does a very thorough self-examination.
• Brian Kelly 3.0 was born (circa 12/16).

As far as what we call him — it all means jack and diddly in the grand scheme of things. Still, I think it serves some value as it suggests that Brian Kelly is capable of making needed changes AND has already done so.

Just wanted to clear that up.

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