Brian Kelly has won everywhere he has coached. Whether it be Grand Valley State or Central Michigan or The University of Cincinnati. He has flat out won. Two Division II National Championships and five conference titles at Grand Valley, a MAC championship in 3 years at Central, and two straight Big East championships and an undefeated season in 2009 at Cincinnati.
In Kelly's last 9 recruiting classes between Central Michigan and Cincinnati he averaged bringing in the 93rd best classes in the country. That is out of a 118 schools. He was able to recruit 20 three star athletes and just 3 four star athletes. No five stars. With this little talent Kelly was able to take his teams to three straight conference championships, one undefeated season, and the brink of the National Championship game in Division I college football.
Now lets look at what Kelly inherited when he was hired to coach the Fighting Irish. He takes over a squad that went 16-21 the last three years under Charlie Weis. A team that lost twice to Navy in three years. A team that lost at home to Syracuse and UConn. On the surface you would say Brian Kelly didn't inherit much of a team, but if you remember what he did with little talent before, and dig a little deeper you may come to just a little different conclusion. In the four classes that are currently enrolled at Notre Dame they averaged the 12th best recruiting class in the country. They have 47 four stars and 5 five stars. Huge difference between what Kelly has had to work with in the past and what he now has.
If Charlie Weis proved one thing to Notre Dame fans its that good athletes still want to come to Notre Dame to play football. If Brian Kelly has proved one thing in his career it is that he is a master at getting the absolute maximum talent out of an athlete.
The development of talent is paramount to success in college football. That is where the last staff failed but I believe it is where this staff will succeed.
GO IRISH!
