Notre Dame Football: How Brian Kelly Can Stay off the Hot Seat This Season

Brian Kelly has won at least eight games in each season he's coached at Notre Dame since arriving in 2010. But outside of the 2012 run to the BCS National Championship Game, Kelly's Irish teams have mostly been mediocre. If the 2015 Fighting Irish underachieve instead of playing into the College Football Playoff conversation, Kelly's job will start to be called into question. 

Last season, Notre Dame began the year 6-0. The Irish seemed to have shaken off the disappointments of 2013, and quarterback Everett Golson was being mentioned as a Heisman candidate. 

Then the wheels fell off. A controversial call on a pick play led to a loss at Florida State and was the start of a 1-5 slide to end the regular season, including blowout losses against Arizona State and USC. Notre Dame was able to salvage some momentum at season's end with a victory over LSU in the Music City Bowl. 

Notre Dame is a football program with maximum standards and expects to be in the title conversation every year. The 2012 season made many believe Kelly was the man to take Notre Dame back to that standard, but he hasn't done anything to back up the success from that campaign. 

2012 was a great run. But one title run in five seasons doesn't earn Kelly immunity for largely underperforming since then. For the Fighting Irish, competing for a national championship should be an expectation, not an exception. 

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press/Associated Press

A third consecutive season with four or more losses won't have Kelly sent packing from South Bend. But it will be the start of offseason grumblings. 

Golson was suspended in 2013. Last season, the Irish were riddled with injuries. This time there is no reason for the Irish to stay stuck in mediocrity. 

Fox Sports' Stewart Mandel agreed that Kelly can't afford another average season. "This year's team is experienced, athletic and devoid of excuses," Mandel wrote. "An 8-5 record this time would unquestionably garner some hot-seat chatter."

Notre Dame has plenty of talent on both sides of the ball after returning 19 starters. There is also certainty at the quarterback position. After Golson's transfer, talented junior Malik Zaire will have the task of leading the Irish offense.

That offense will be loaded with weapons as the Irish return 1,000-yard receiver William Fuller as well as leading rusher Tarean Folston. 

The defense will have to improve. Notre Dame gave up 5,254 yards last season, which was by far the most of any season under Kelly. But some of the defense's struggles were due to the extreme number of injuries. 

Bringing back talented players like Sheldon Day and Jarron Jones from injury should have the defense playing at a much higher level in 2015. 

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Notre Dame's returning talent and experience were enough to land it at No. 7 on Sports Illustrated's Ben Glicksman's preseason power rankings. 

With a capable veteran roster, Brian Kelly needs to have Notre Dame competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff in 2015. 

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

As usual, the Irish will play a tough schedule this year. But that gives them plenty of opportunities to rack up a few big wins. 

Two of the toughest matchups for the Irish heading into the season come on the road against Clemson and at home against rival USC. Notre Dame needs a victory in at least one of those games.

Losses in both would knock the Irish out of playoff contention and have them sitting at 5-2 with a tough game at Stanford left on the schedule.

Two losses in the regular season are all that Brian Kelly can afford to avoid the hot seat. Going 9-3 or 8-4 won't work for a third straight season, not with this talented of a team.

Notre Dame has all the right pieces to win double-digit games, compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff and be playing in a bowl game on New Year's Day. Otherwise, Brian Kelly's job security will be one of the key talking points of the next offseason.