Brian Kelly Will be the Popular Name to Replace Charlie Weis at Notre Dame … What About Bob Stoops?
College Football November 8th. 2009, 8:00am
Brian Kelly of Cincinnati will be the most popular name connected to the soon-to-be vacant Notre Dame coaching job. Other names, such as ESPN analyst Jon Gruden and Florida pipe dream Urban Meyer are expected to be in the mix as well.
What about Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops?
This doesn’t have a ton to do with Oklahoma’s humbling 10-3 loss last night in Lincoln to rival Nebraska. (Landry Jones tossed five interceptions and for the first time in the Stoops era, the Sooners didn’t score a touchdown.) But there will be a tiny fraction of nutty Oklahoma fans who wake up today and say, “we were supposed to be in the National title mix and now we’re 5-4 … and Stoops hasn’t won a big game in forever …” And we all know those knuckleheads voice their opinion loudest.
1) Stoops was in the mix for the Irish job in 2001. He declined. (Florida also came after him to replace Steve Spurrier at about the same time.) Notre Dame, having failed miserably in coaching hires since Lou Holtz departed in 1996, will be desperate to bring in a proven winner. And not just to get back to success on the field - but for the NBC TV contract. After Notre Dame gets shut down in its quest to aim high for Urban Meyer, Stoops could be the 2nd name on the list.
2) Oklahoma, which has finished in the Top 10 in seven of the last nine seasons under Stoops, loses a ton of talent this year. QB Sam Bradford is going to the NFL. So is TE Jermaine Gresham. Junior DT Gerald McCoy seems like a lock to jump to the NFL. Toss in players like senior LT Trent Williams, RB Chris Brown, LB Ryan Reynolds, and junior RB DeMarco Murray, and the core is gone. They don’t use the word “rebuilding” in Norman, but it seems highly unlikely that Oklahoma will be a Top 10 team next year.
3) In talking with a passionate, plugged-in Notre Dame alum last night, this was tossed out: Stoops is a Midwest guy (from Ohio, played football at Iowa) who perhaps could be lured back near his roots. And also he’s allegedly a “fan” of Notre Dame (though we couldn’t find a link to back this up.) Perhaps not on the Urban Meyer level (see “dream job” reference), though. And what’s left to accomplish at Oklahoma?
Oklahoma fans are certain to whip out the contract (has the $3 million buyout changed?) extension Stoops signed in June as proof that he’s not going anywhere. (By simply staying at Oklahoma each year, he will receive another $700k, plus another $250k as an annual raise.) But if there’s a college football program where money is no object, it is Notre Dame.
Should be an exciting week in South Bend.
Previously: Because it is never too early for Notre Dame coaching speculation
71 Responses to “Brian Kelly Will be the Popular Name to Replace Charlie Weis at Notre Dame … What About Bob Stoops?”
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November 8th, 2009 at 8:13 am
iowa were who we thought they were.
November 8th, 2009 at 8:18 am
usc was so convincing yesterday.
November 8th, 2009 at 8:28 am
And we all know those knuckleheads voice their opinion loudest.
is this political Sunday?
but it seems highly unlikely that Oklahoma will be a Top 10 team next year.
I disagree with this. I also don’t think Murray is leaving, and the Oline which is so bad next year, will be way better next year. Plus, Oklahoma (like the other big boys) gets tons of misplaced/misinformed preseason love.
November 8th, 2009 at 8:30 am
I’d also like to point out that Notre Dame lost that game in the final minute, which up till yesterday, had been something to hang their hats on around here.
When they win the Outback Bowl against a barely eligible Duke team, people will realize what a good coach Charlie Weis is.
November 8th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Damn I love college football, yesterday looked like it was going to be a boring day then bam, iowa/nd/mich/ou/oreg all lose, fantastic.
Unfortunately I have to be a Faghorns fan the rest of the season, I dont want no Cinci/BSU/2 loss USC (how long before the media drumbeat begins?) in the title game.
November 8th, 2009 at 8:34 am
In talking with a passionate, plugged-in Notre Dame alum last night
Did he say that Stoops was a bojack ninnie, and that he would definitely homer it high and hard, and come back to Notre Dame?
November 8th, 2009 at 8:36 am
coop, don’t worry. There’s nobody left on Texas’s schedule. Nobody. The Big 12 north title might even be vacant.
Also, USC is currently 4th in the Pac10. They’re not coming back around.
November 8th, 2009 at 8:38 am
you know you spend too much time here when you start having dreams about the place.
beadle commented that michelled tits looked fantastic on fannation then gave us a top secret link to her superhot playboy spread.
/horndog
November 8th, 2009 at 8:47 am
Urban Meyer is the next ND coach. Tebow is leaving, along with a bevy of other seniors. Florida will be nowhere near as good next year while other teams in the conference (Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, LSU, Tennessee and maybe even Georgia) will all be improved. The Gators will still be good … just not a clear-cut National Championship contender.
Meyer has no allegiance to Florida and is on record as stating Notre Dame is his dream job. He has a history of leaving one situation and going to another where the cupboard is full of someone else’s recruits. He’ll command a monster contract (something ND can afford) and have a softer schedule than he does in the SEC. Somewhere between 8-11 wins a year is a guarantee with someone as good as Meyer (and, yes, he’s a good coach). He has cultivated recruiting contacts in the South, which will help him draw talent to ND (one of the failings of Weis). He will be hailed as a savior by the Irish faithful and NBC. And all he has to tell Florida is, “I’ve won three titles in five seasons. I don’t feel as if there is anything left to prove here. Notre Dame has always been my dream job and I wouldn’t leave Florida for any other position. But this was too good to pass up.”
November 8th, 2009 at 8:59 am
No chance Stoops goes to Notre Dame. He’s in the perfect place at Land Thieves University. Steal a bunch of players from Texas and pay them a large chunk of change to work part-time at a car dealer. He’s dirtier than Calipari.
Plus Notre Dame won’t hire a fag who wears a visor on the sidelines.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:00 am
I still don’t get why Stoops (or Meyer) would trade down to go to Notre Dame. That’s why Brian Kelly is a popular name. His current job is clearly inferior, and he’s poised to land a big time gig.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:03 am
I would agree they are similar, but nobody is dirtier than Tressell.
I picture Pistol Pete typing that in his ND pajamas. Lefty is right tho, Kelly is the only one who would actually upgrade his situation.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:07 am
There’s a contingent of die hards (Tony Kornheiser and TBL) who still think that Notre Dame is college football’s premier job. They act like being on TV every week is impossible if you’re not Notre Dame. Meantime, nearly everybody is on TV every week, and Notre Dame is never on the real college football channel(s).
November 8th, 2009 at 9:15 am
ND is a bad football team. This year’s squad can move the ball from 20 to 20. However, Charlie’s arrogance disdains the run in favor of passing the ball because he draws up genius* schemes.
The lack of interest to the little things that win football games is noticeable, and really quite hilarious. Those are things that he never had to worry about as an assistant and that he obviously skipped over as his time as the head coach. It was such a bad, panic hire to go after a guy who had no expxerience and it shows.
I just wonder if he’ll have a place back with Team Belicheat. The Patriots have been better without him. I’m sure his arrogance is that much more profund now that he has been a head coach at a major Division I school. Will Bill allow that?
As for names for coach? It starts and ends with Kelly. I actually think he’s a good fit and is a damn good coach, albeit with some questionable background issues.
No way does Stoops come.
I’d be floored if Meyer did, but it’s possible. It will be tough to live up to standards at post-Tebow Florida.
How about Nick Satan? He loves to job hop and his arrogance would tell him that ND is a better job than Bama… Wouldn’t that be a hoot… Satan at God’s school.
Would ND go after Peterson at Boise? It would be a mistake, but I could see them doing it…
November 8th, 2009 at 9:17 am
But, but…it’s Notre Dame!
/Fraud
//Choked
///Exposed
////Insert random, overused, dumbass buzzword
November 8th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Major major props to ESPN and Fox for their work with the veterans and serving military this week. I wish somebody would have thought of this stuff sooner. Fantastic stuff this morning on OTL..
November 8th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Also, does NBC embargo Notre Dame highlights until the game is over? I noticed that there were none shown at halftime of the Tech game on ESPN2.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:27 am
I just wonder if he’ll have a place back with Team Belicheat. The Patriots have been better without him. I’m sure his arrogance is that much more profund now that he has been a head coach at a major Division I school. Will Bill allow that?
He’d be lucky to catch on with the Mangina, if he catches on at all in the NFL. Belichick never looks backward. You don’t see Romeo Crenell taking up space on his sideline, do you?
All Fat Charlie’s gonna have is the 16 million more dollars that Notre Dame owes him, and the thousands of extra photocopies of his superbowl ring that he didn’t get a chance to send to recruits.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Andy Staples took a photo of the divot on the field.
/time still hasn’t healed
//good morning all
November 8th, 2009 at 9:45 am
After yesterday, and losing AGAIN to USC and Mich, it’s safe to say the Fupa is done @ ND.
As much as I would love to see Urban or Stoops @ ND, I think Brian Kelly has to be the front runner. In no way do I want Jon Gruden, they went the pro route with Weis and it didn’t work.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Where I take exception to that article is calling it a blown call. On the field, that was a blown call, yes. But once it gets to review, and every single angle shows that the guy was clearly dragging his back foot and controlling the ball, even while trying and succeeding to dot the I with his front foot.
He had two feet in bounds, and there was green dirt flying in the air to prove it. That was a crooked piece of refereeing.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Arizona controls their own destiny in the Pac Ten. Arizona. I’m not sure Im fit to live in such a world.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:51 am
Nice win yesterday Spencer.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:54 am
got the swine flu, it sucks.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:55 am
I don’t know if they do this in college, but when I went to the Saints/Giants game a few weeks ago, Ed Hochuli (and a lot of NFL officials) explain exactly after replay why the call was ruled the way it was. Apparently, SEC officials either don’t have to or refuse to do that. They just say, “the play stands.” It’s like they said “Fuck you and I don’t have to tell you why.” At least tell me that there was no conclusive evidence. In other words, lie. Then I’d know whether to charge you with incompetence or fraud.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Did he say that Stoops was a bojack ninnie, and that he would definitely homer it high and hard, and come back to Notre Dame?
this is fantastic
November 8th, 2009 at 10:02 am
I am “fortunate” enough to have been at ND when Weis began coaching in 2005. I remember him relishing in the opportunity to use Darius Walker and Rashon Powers-Neal in the backfield. He made Travis Thomas a relevant part of the offense again. His first two years at ND, Weis was extremely good at utilizing the running game. Since they have left, he hasn’t been able to develop any of the rbs in the stable into good players on the field. Armando Allen has shown lots of promise, and so has the freshman, but that’s it. Also, since the linebackers (that he didn’t recruit) left, he has not been able to find a defense or d coordinator that could be HALFWAY decent. It’s an abomination and it makes me sick.
That all being said. Urban Meyer could come to ND, if they offered him enough money. They won’t. Nick Saban could come to ND if they offered him enough money. They won’t. Brian Kelly should not come to ND. He has a chance to build something really special at Cincy. I would love him at ND, but would feel bad for all the criticism he will deal with his first 2 or 3 years. I would LOVE Gruden at ND. Love it. I can guarantee he would be successful there. However, that would result in him being in the NFL sooner than later.
I really don’t have an answer on who they should hire. But I know one thing, this team will be worse next year. Why suffer a bad season with a coach who has clearly regressed in 5 years?
November 8th, 2009 at 10:04 am
that white out looked great last night, especially when the student section was heading towards the gates after clarks int
November 8th, 2009 at 10:04 am
trade down? ha. I was unaware UF and OU each had all their games televised on their own TV channel.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:07 am
I was unaware UF and OU each had all their games televised on their own TV channel.
I think you’re overestimating the NBC deal. every Florida and Oklahoma game is on TV. the kids are still able to get exposure they want
November 8th, 2009 at 10:10 am
.
why would either coach care about the TV deal? its not like they need the NBC audience to help them recruit
November 8th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Waht makes ND dramatically better?
November 8th, 2009 at 10:15 am
What he said.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:19 am
TBL: Notre Dame is not who they were when you were 12. You and the media at large have this issue with ND. They have sucked for quite some time now, and they are about to be 8-4 or 7-5. Meyer most likely stays at FLA and Stoops is not leaving OU because he lost his best offensive weapons and has 4 losses by a combined 12 points or some shit like that. Kelly makes the most sense, but even he might be smart enough to know that a better job will be available. ND is not a top-5 job at all, and it may not be a top-10 job when you factor in the academic issues that coaches face.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:20 am
The Irish are the Cowboys-Lakers/Celtics-Red Sox/Yankees of college football. most hated/liked/polarizing team.
IMO, in the elite class of ‘popular’ college football teams nationally (history, $, TV drawing power, etc), you have ND, Michigan up top (history helps), then Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, Miami, Tennessee, Alabama, USC, FSU, Ohio State in the next batch.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:23 am
GOTG: I agree with everything you just said. And that is what really scares me. There are no coaches I can think of that would want to go to ND. I still feel like the talent on the field is as good as you will find anywhere else, but ND really blew it when it came to getting the best college coaches when they had to. I still think our best shot is Gruden. When the regular season is over, they need to put everything they can into going after him if he can’t land a coaching gig in the National Football League.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:23 am
Back when ND was the only team on TV every single week, yes, they were top dogs. That is not the case anymore. Everyone is on TV every week. Notre Dame is not on the same level as USC, FLA, TEX, Bama, LSU or Oklahoma.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:24 am
that’s a fair opinion. i agree the academic standards are a major hurdle. my guess is that they get relaxed/compromised somehow at some point.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:24 am
IMO, in the elite class of ‘popular’ college football teams nationally (history, $, TV drawing power, etc), you have ND, Michigan up top (history helps), then Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, Miami, Tennessee, Alabama, USC, FSU, Ohio State in the next batch.
this is totally muddled. florida traditionally wasn’t a great school, neither was FSU or Miami. each has their history go back 30 years or so. Miami has no money since it has such a small alumni base. if those schools aren’t winning they are a total non-entity.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Gruden would be a huge recruiter, but his offense is tough to learn and I don’t think he is the type of guy who would tone it down. He would hire Bill Callahan as OC for sure (which would be a good hire).
November 8th, 2009 at 10:28 am
They don’t wear leather helmets anymore.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:29 am
There is a very powerful bloc of trustees who will refuse to let that happen. You’re about to see some infighting at ND over this issue.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:29 am
TBL have you looked at the SEC tv deal lately?
November 8th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Weis has done a perfectly adequate job, though obviously not up to traditional ND standards. In terms of their football (not financial) success, ND would be better off joining a conference than firing Weis, IMHO.
If they were to follow the basketball team into the Big East, they’d be in the top 3 for the foreseeable future (and with bowl renegotiation on the horizon, who knows what that means). They’re even with Pitt and WVU this year, a bit behind Cincy, and, as those of us from the future know, they’re going to beat UCONN by 4 on an inexplicable last minute touchdown two weeks from now.
The real elephant in the room isn’t Weis. It’s ND’s attempt to recruit to and play through an outmoded, independent model.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:30 am
I think you’re overestimating the NBC deal. every Florida and Oklahoma game is on TV. the kids are still able to get exposure they want
Even Iowa is on TV every week. And ask Jay about Wisconsin. Plus, if you’re a pro prospect, you don’t want half your game tape to be against service academies. Those tapes get disregarded, or graded even more harshly.
Sure, Notre Dame is on TV every week, and they even have their own fawning announcer. That doesn’t mean that kids are desperate to go there, when Florida is on the other line, or Oklahoma, or USC.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:41 am
I would rather burn my fucking diploma than relax the academic standards they have. Again, the players in the uniform are fine… the guys calling the shots on the sideline is what needs to change.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Regarding tv contracts… ND still has a contract through 2015 that won;t have to be negotiated again for another 3 or 4 years. They still pull more money from that and the BCS contract for their school than any other school.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:49 am
It’s both. ND has one player on defense that a USC or Florida would want (Te’o).
November 8th, 2009 at 10:55 am
No 18 year old gives a shit about what happened on football fields in 1932. And 95% of 18 year olds don’t want to live in South Bend or Linoln when they can live in California or Florida. While some people might see a difference with ND’s TV contract (I don’t know why they would, but apparently they do) every kid knows they’ll be on TV pretty much anywhere they go because no kid remembers a point in their lives when they couldn’t watch every fucking team on earth. It seems to me that whoever coaches at Notre Dame (especially when factoring in the academics) has retained all of the challenges while being stripped of all of the benefits. I
November 8th, 2009 at 10:56 am
“everyone is on TV” argument:
significant difference between CBS, ESPN, NBC, ABC = national TV, everyone gets the games … ESPNU, FCS, Versus, and all those other channels that a very small portion of the population get.
November 8th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Just curious. If Notre Dame has such high academic standards how come every alum I have every met is possibly the dumbest fuck alive? Please explain that?
November 8th, 2009 at 11:00 am
Jersey the point is that the tv thing isn’t nearly the advantage it once was. The SEC-ESPN deal is worth 3 billion. The ACC is about to redo their deal, and package it with hoops coverage to maximize earning potential. The Big Ten has their own network. The tv deal was a bigger advantage before everybody was on every week.
November 8th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Are the elite teams not pretty much always on these channels?
November 8th, 2009 at 11:01 am
damn, I failed at the line through again. JPQ, NEED SOME HELP
November 8th, 2009 at 11:04 am
You wanna step outside son?
November 8th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Look, I have never brought up the TV thing as an advantage or disadvantage, I was just countering the “how much” the tv deals are worth argument and TBL’s “they need to be worried about their tv contract running out”. I am happy with the players that they have on defense. I think they are very good. There are some pretty smart guys on that team. I don’t have a problem with them. One day, when I have nothing to do Gods, I am going to compile a list of kids on the roster and see where they were getting recruited to play. They are as good as most other teams. There are kids who are good at football and appreciate the university’s values and traditions. There aren’t many, but there are enough.
November 8th, 2009 at 11:13 am
same reason duke and princeton grades are pricks.
November 8th, 2009 at 11:14 am
grads, not grades
November 8th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Gladly.
November 8th, 2009 at 11:17 am
significant difference between CBS, ESPN, NBC, ABC = national TV, everyone gets the games … ESPNU, FCS, Versus, and all those other channels that a very small portion of the population get.
None of the teams we keep mentioning are better ever, ever have to have their games aired on Versus, or ESPN U.
Part of the trouble with Notre Dame’s deal is that they’re the only team that ever plays on NBC. If it weren’t for busting your balls, I’d never even tune in over there.
ESPN and ABC are the current king of college football, except that CBS has the best conference year in and year out.
If you only tune your TV to the Notre Dame game every week, you aren’t going to realize the exposure everybody else is benefitting from. You’re stuck in the past.
By the way, you’re going to want to tune into Versus this coming weekend, if they have TCU/Utah.
November 8th, 2009 at 11:34 am
How was the reunion? Is the wife speaking to you this morning?
November 8th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Gruden would be a good hire, but I’m not sure he’s ready to step back into college football. It’s an 11 and a half month grind. I can see him returning to the NFL, if he decides to leave the booth where he really seems to be enjoying himself. I bet this is the most relaxed he’s been in decades.
November 8th, 2009 at 11:52 am
CBS, ESPN, NBC, ABC = national TV
Are the elite teams not pretty much always on these channels?
damn, I failed at the line through again. JPQ, NEED SOME HELP
Are the elite teams not
pretty muchalways on these channels?/blows on fingernails
//rubs on shirt
November 8th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
you mean like when you said that Tressel needs to be replaced?
just sayin…
November 8th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Did TBL really just put USC and OSU in a “next batch” when it comes to the traditional powerhouses of college football? Uhhh, what?
Also, Meyer was a Buckeye fan growing up, went there for grad school and if ever there was a dream job, it would be OSU.
November 8th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
CC - See Meyer’s book for the quote.
November 8th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrpv4WegBlU
Does that sound like a guy that really favors Notre Dame over OSU?
November 8th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
ESPN did a pretty comprehensive run down last year of the top programs based on prestige. Check out the metric, it’s a pretty good one. They listed USC 2nd and Ohio State third.
I’d be interested to hear your basis TBL for putting Ohio State and USC in “the next batch.”
November 8th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
All-important eye test, with a pinch of sizzle factor.
November 8th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Stoops may leave, but never for ND. It’s a no win situation. Tons of expectations plus academic restrictions on recruiting means ND and less money than football powerhouses like OU, Texas, FL, etc., means you’re better off not going to the Golden Dome. By the way, this misconception that ND can compete with OU or any other big time public university financially is completely false. OU can outbid ND any day of the week.
November 8th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
For the record, I loathe Notre Dame and relish every time it loses … especially to an “inferior” opponent like Navy. I just see no reason for Meyer to stay at Florida, especially if they win the National Championship this season. Three titles in four years? There’s nowhere to go but down. Take the money and go to South Bend where 9-10 wins a season is practically guaranteed, and a run for the national title is always a possibility thanks to willing pollsters and the NBC hype machine.