As soon as the announcement was made the rumors started. Tennessee fans have been clamoring and waiting for the announcement of a new head football coach for almost a month now. After 16 years of Fulmer, the Vol-nation was ready for a change. (Sound familiar?)
In the days and hours immediately following Fulmer's resignation there were some presitigious names in those rumor mills.
You heard names like: Jon Gruden, Lovie Smith, Mike Leach, Butch Davis, and Lane Kiffin. Some less-informed dreamers were even saying names like Bill Belichick, Jeff Fisher, and even Pete Carroll. Are you kidding me?
But as time has seperated us from that heart-wrenching press conference the names have changed substantially.
With Gruden, Smith, and Davis all saying 'Thanks but no thanks', some lesser-known candidates have emerged.
South Florida's, Jim Leavitt was recently rumored as a candidate. In addition, Tulsa's Todd Graham, TCU's Gary Patterson, Mike Reilly from Oregon State, and until Tuesday Texas Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp.
One name that has continually popped up that seemingly no UT fan knows is Brian Kelly. The Cincinnati Bearcats Head Coach was one of the first names I read about. From the moment I read that name and saw his resume I was hooked.
Sure I supported Minnesota's Tim Brewster at first. But then the Gophers became Michigan's third win.
But this Kelly guy just kept coming back to the top.
The question is why. Why does Brian Kelly keep coming to the forefront of the conversation? Why would the 2007 SEC East Champs want an unknown, former division two coach who is currently coaching in the less-than-stellar Big East?
- B/R Ticket Guide
Well for starters, Brian Kelly has been a head coach for 18 years. In those 18 years one of his teams finished under .500. That was his first year at Central Michigan. Two years after that 4-7 rebuilding season, the Chippewas won the MAC.
Kelly parlayed that success into becoming the replacement for Mark Dantonio at Cincinnati. In a little over a season in the Big East, he lead the Bearcats to a 10-win season in 2007 and he is two wins away from a Big East Championship, and a BCS berth this season.
Not to mention he's on the verge of winning the Big East while being decimated by injuries and using four QB's. Yes, I said four QB's in one season.
Tennessee will use its third QB this weekend and the Vols have 3 wins to show for it.
That's just what Kelly has done in Division I. While in Division II, at Grand Valley State he was 125-20-2 in 13 seasons as head coach. That includes back-to-back National Championships his final two seasons with the Lakers. In his final three seasons at Grand Valley State, the Lakers record was 41-2.
The questions I have heard about Kelly have been far ranging. Everything from 'Can he recruit in the South?' to 'Yeah, he might be great, but that's the Big East, or the MAC, or Division II.'
Those assumptions are true, on the surface. But the fact is Brian Kelly is a rising star in college football. Much like Urban Meyer was in the early 00's at Bowling Green, and Utah.
The difference between Kelly and Meyer was that Meyer had only been a head coach five years before taking over the Gators program.
Brian Kelly's career is actually quite close to that of Jim Tressel at Ohio State. T
Tressel was the head coach at Division 1-AA Youngstown State for 16 years, winning 4 national titles. He only went straight into a big-time, big conference Division 1-A program and lead Ohio State to a national championship in his second season in Columbus.
Am I saying that Kelly will do that for UT? No. I am simply stating that this guy has tons of potential and his past record indicates that he knows what he's doing.
And please UT fans, don't bellyache about how he's done this in the Big East or the MAC. Don't make stupid, uneducated remarks about his lack of recruiting ability.
He only recruited Dan LeFevour at Central Michigan. The same Dan LeFevour who was actually being mentioned on some Heisman short lists when the season began. Which is not a big deal until you realize that he plays for CENTRAL MICHIGAN!
And apparently Kelly has recruited some decent 3rd and 4th string QB's at Cincinnati. Considering the Bearcats 3rd and 4th stringers were better than either of the Vols top 2 QB's this season.
Will Tennessee take a chance? Will fans give him a chance?
This fan is giving him a chance. My recommendation to other fans is to read about the guy. Look at his record.
Check out the Bearcats next game against nationally ranked Pitt on Saturday night. Watch Kelly's team.
Educate yourself. Get to know Brian Kelly. Because at this hour it appears he will be the next head coach of the Tennessee Vols and hopefully 'the next big thing' in the SEC.
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about 1 month ago
In your article you acknowledge the major counter-arguments, but then use no facts to dismiss them. Brian Kelly is winning with Mark Dantonio's kids. When he was at Central Michigan he won with mostly players he inherited too. The guy can clearly coach, I'm not saying he can't, I'm saying that it's not illogical to question some of his resume.
Sure he recruited Dan LeFevour to Central Michigan. Dan LeFevour was also a two star QB that had offers from Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Eastern Illinois, and Ball State. Him choosing Central Michigan isn't some recruiting phenomenon. He obviously turned out to be a great player that Kelly noticed, but had Kelly had an opportunity to get more highly touted prospects do you honestly think he would've said no, I'll go with LeFevour?
Questioning whether or not the guy can recruit isn't just some minuscule side point, that is not a "stupid, uneducated remark". The SEC isn't just some league where you can scrap together guys and coach them to victories. You HAVE to have talent to match other people's talent and Kelly simply has no ties to the south. Granted the Tennessee program sells itself to some point, but it doesn't sell itself enough to take recruits out of Urban Meyer or Nick Saban's pockets. We need a guy that can sit in kids living rooms and have a reputation that precedes him.
Also you urge people not to question his record at lower levels of coaching. Are you serious? I couldn't care less about his record at Grand Valley State. I'm not questioning your understanding of things here, I'm simply saying that you are on the complete other extreme of the Brian Kelly argument spectrum. The things that people are questioning about him are very valid reasons for concern. I have examined his record at every level myself and he is not the end all solution. I am not ignorant in saying that beating Toledo doesn't qualify you to beat South Carolina even.
Central Michigan was 4-7 his first season, 6-5 in his second, and 10-4 in his third and final. In that 10-4 final season look at who he beat and who he lost to. Every time he played anyone halfway decent he lost. In his first two seasons he didn't even beat some of the teams he was supposed to beat.
I would urge you to further examine the stats you point to before declaring Brian Kelly your new coach. Again, I'm not saying he's not a good coach or saying that he could not recruit at all here. I am simply playing devils advocate here and pointing out that there is another side to your argument and it's not stupid and uneducated to hold it.
from about 1 month ago
Ok here's what I see. I see a coach who has won absolutely every where he's been. I see a coach who has attracted to 4 star recruits to Cincinnati... CINCINNATI. That's Buckeyeville! I see a coach who has unquestioned leadership skills. I see a coach who can X & O with the best of them. I see a coach who has recruited well in the past at smaller, less attractive schools. I see a coach who took leftovers and made it into a great team. Cincinnati wasnt awful under Dantonio. Dantonio wouldnt have moved on to Michigan State if that were the case. And once again Urban Meyer had ZERO contacts or ties to the south. That's been your main argument for over a week now. That Kelly has no ties to the south. Meyer didnt. Saban when he came from Michigan State didnt. Mark Richt was an OC in the ACC. Les Miles from Oklahoma State... All four of those guys have entered the SEC after having successful careers in lesser conferences or schools and have turned the SEC into THE POWERHOUSE conference in the country. And the fact that he's coming from the Big East and MAC makes no difference. The fact that he can win and has won in those conferences with leftovers and a few decent recruiting classes speaks volumes to his ability. Mike Leach has never had a recruiting class in the top 30! And his school is in Texas!?! Texas' high school second stringers are as good as almost anyone in America!? Butch Davis said no. Gruden (Who has never recruited a day in his life) said no. Lovie Smith said no. Bill Cowher said no. Who else is going to do it? You suggested a rising DC who played football at UGA and has switched jobs each of the last 5 or 6 seasons for UT head coach! A guy who has no experience whatsoever in being a head coach. A guy who is a DEFENSIVE specialist. In case you havent noticed the UT decline has been on offense. So to me Brian Kelly is the best choice out there if for nothing more than he KNOWS how to win. He KNOWS how to recruit. Dont think for one minute he wont get down and get his hands dirty in recruiting right off the bat. He will surround himself with some of the best recruiting minds in America. He will get the job done.
from about 1 month ago
I respect all that and think that Kelly is a viable option for a new coach. You definitely make some good points here. I'm simply saying that I don't find his resume one that CLEARLY makes him the best option out there. I like that you've done a good bit of work here looking your information up because most people tend to not do so.
I'm very excited about watching Cincinnati play against Pittsburgh tomorrow night. One of my big anti-Kelly arguments is that from the beginning to the end of his career he's never beat anyone legit so I hope he wins. I want to be confident in a candidate the way you are with Kelly right now, I'm just not there yet.
about 1 month ago
Did you watch the interview of Kelly at halftime of last Friday's Louisville game? I had heard he was personable, articulate, very Bruce Pearl like. He wasn't. He started with "and again" and basically sputtered through the interview. We can do better.
about 1 month ago
Wow Bill, who gives a shit how well a coach does in a half-time interview? Personally, I hope Kelly stays at Cincinnati and tries to keep building their program instead of wasting his time at has-been Tennessee.
about 1 month ago
wow richie we are one year removed from an sec east title calling one of the top ten all-time programs a has-been well I guess its better than being A NEVER-WAS! As for Brian Kelly I have wanted him from the get-go. The Vols don't need a retread like Butch Davis or an nfl coach. They need a hard as nails X's & O's guy and that is certainly Brian Kelly. Everybody wants a Bruce Pearl type there aren't any of those in college football but Brian Kelly comes close. Everybody just needs to watch the cincinnati game sat. night and get a feel of what he brings to the table.
about 1 month ago
As a big east guy (laugh now, wait till March) let me tell you that Kelly would be a great hire for anyone. This he has gotten two 4-star verbals to Cinci which doesn't sound like much until you consider that he isn't working with the greatest of facilities and he's in an area where all of the talent goes to Ohio State. This is the first time anybody has brought major talent into that football program.
And yes, he's a brilliant X's and O's guy. As a Pitt fan I am terrified about what that man might spring on us Saturday night.
about 1 month ago
I think that Tennessee fans are a little disillusioned when it comes to the quality of coach they think that Tennessee can attract. Obviously they aren't going to get any big name NFL coaches, not many colleges, if any, can attract an already successful NFL coach. NFL coaches that come to college come because they were unsuccessful at the NFL level.
Also, if the article is true, to think that Tennessee can lure someone away like Pete Carroll is beyond insane. The Tennessee AD must have peed himself thinking of the possibilities of coaches when he put his wish list together, and then must have shit himself when actually tried to hire these coaches.
As much as UT fans may hope that their program is a job that any coach would want the fact is that it isn't. Who would want to go somewhere that you can devote 16 mostly successful years of your coaching career, win a national title, a few conference titles, and be less than one year removed from playing in the championship game of the toughest conference in the country by beating out Georgia and the defending national champions Florida, and still get fired? What kind of coach would subject himself to such an ungrateful school administration and fan base?
Tennessee is no longer a job that any coach would want which is why they have decided to look at Brian Kelley, who it seems is a very good coach, but without a proven recruiting record and a proven ability to be a program builder may be no more than a thinner version of Charlie Weis, a coach who wins off of other coaches recruits. For those that think he is a good coach, and will do well in the SEC, just look at how his team performed against OU after running their mouths about how they could beat them because West Virgina beat them. That was not a good showing against the quality of teams he will face in the SEC.
from about 1 month ago
Exactly why I said in the story that some "Less-Informed dreamers" were talking about Jeff Fisher, Bill Belichick, and Pete Carroll. Never has there been ANY indication that Tennessee had any of these 3 on their wish list. I was actually making fun of those "rumors."
And the fact that Cincinnati went ON THE ROAD to Oklahoma and scored 26 points with a THIRD STRING QB is good enough for me. Cincinnati was NEVER supposed to beat Oklahoma because the Bearcats do not have the talent to do so. Kelly is coaching with very few of his own recruits this season. But he has already gotten 2 four stars to commit to Cincinnati.
And Fulmer deserved to be fired. The program has been in serious decline since 2001. Sure they've won the East but the Vols have not won the SEC since 1998 and have not been to a BCS Bowl game since 1999. Regardless of his spectacular 16 year career the current climate of college football demanded that Philip Fulmer lose his job. Not to mention the many supporters who were pulling their money because of a lackluster product on the field. And dont even talk about last year SEC East Title. UT was VERY lucky to even beat Vandy and Kentucky last season. Got waxed by 3 great opponents. And happened to get up for UGA.
from about 1 month ago
I understand that Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll weren't actually on the Tennessee list for a new coach, but names like Lane Kiffin, Butch Davis, Jon Gruden, and Will Muschamp all were, and all were much higher on the list than Brian Kelly. You talk about how Fulmer hasn't won an SEC title since 1998, but another of the Tennessee coaching prospects, Mike Leach, has never finished better than third in his own division much less won a conference title. Obviously that looks to change this year, but will Tennessee and it's fans be that patient waiting for a division title. I don't think so because apparently it's definitely not good enough to just win the division. Also, I was not saying that Brian Kelly is a bad coach by any stretch of the imagination, but simply that he is very unproven. Cincinnati happens to be 0-15 all time against top 5 teams, and the last time they played a top 5 team they were doubled up 52-26. Who cares that they scored 26 points on OU everyone does. They still were doubled up and gave up 52 points which is terrible. I know that nobody expected them to win, but after allowing and encouraging your team to talk trash before the game you should definitely come out with a better showing.
about 1 month ago
If you get this guy, be ecstatic.
As your article implies he is nothing but a proven winner -- trust me -- he coached here at Central. I saw the guy first hand everyday, he's a special coach, a smart, smart coach.
And what he's done at Cinci already -- their first ever top 25 record in his first year -- and on the verge of winning the Big East in his second -- is astonishing. And you're right about that QB situation; tell me another coach who runs such a successful system that any QB can win in it?
If I am a Tennessee fan, I am rooting for Brian Kelly for sure. He is an un-loyal SOB, and I promise, if he has success there, he will eventually move up again to a even bigger name (he's young enough -- Alabama, Michigan, USC, UCLA, Penn St....any those jobs could open up in the future), but for an immediate turnaround, he's your guy. He can recruit and just flat out coach.
I hated him for a week after he lied and left my school. But I've followed him since and root for him where ever he goes -- after he got his big start here -- I like to brag about that. It be awesome to root for BK as part of an SEC program
All the best Vols.
about 1 month ago
I think Joel makes some good points. Before he moved on to be an assistant coach at Oklahoma State from UT, Trooper Taylor, was regarded as a great recruiter as well as a good position coach. We also lost an assistant coach to Georgia a few years ago who helped us recruit great players out of the state of Georgia such as Jamal Lewis, Cosey Coleman, Deon Grant, etc, who were all members of our 1998 national championship team. If Brian Kelly was named our next head coach, I believe he could find assistants with ties to the South who could lure the best talent from within our state as well as from our neighboring states. I've never followed Cincinnati Bearcats football, though. I've read where he's a really good offensive coach. I have a question for any Bearcats fans or any fans of their rival schools in the Big East. How do you think his abilities would compare to our coaches in the SEC such as Urban Meyer, Steve Spurrier, Nick Saban, Mark Richt, etc.?
about 1 month ago
I like the article. I take it you have read my article recently.
about 1 month ago
Kelly would be a great get for Tennessee. With the right assistants, the recruiting network would run from the Gulf to the upper Midwest. Tennessee's name alone will get him in living rooms until he builds his own connections in the South, and don't scoff at his recruiting for Cincy.
Go to scout.com and start looking at the offer lists for presently-committed Cincinnati recruits for '08 and '09:
Isaiah Pead - offers from Maryland, Pitt, and WVU
DJ Woods - offers from Iowa, Auburn, Penn State, Missouri, WVU
Lynell Payne - offers from Iowa, Clemson
Jamar Howard - offers from Cal, FSU, Illinois, Louisville
Will Sadller - offers from Louisville, Vanderbilt
Austen Bujnoch - offers from Louisville, NC State
Maalik Bomar - offers from Nebraska, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Chris Williams - offers from Minnesota, West Virginia
These aren't Florida or LSU or Bama, but they're schools who have no business losing recruiting battles to Cincy, even with the number of scholarships that go out.
Look at the guys that are still undecided. Look at Mike Edwards' list: six of the top seven recruiters in the Big Ten + Cincinnati. He holds his own for being at the traditionless school he's at.
He's going to get his fair share of recruits.
Oh, and what was Nick Saban's history in the south before going to LSU and coming back to 'Bama??? Anyone? That's right - nonexistent unless the Houston Oilers count.
He's a proven winner and would be a great hire, although as stated he will jump for a better job if he sees a green light.
about 1 month ago
Attention Meat Heads:
Joel is right. Now stfu.
about 1 month ago
He's a proven winner -- TN will be lucky to get him. He will also be lucky to get UT. THose who think TN is not a coveted college coaching job are smoking their socks. It's been drilled down by an outdated coach and by far too patient fans/administrations. It's time for UT to be big time again!
about 1 month ago
Kelly for Tennessee.
It's all spelled out here: http://3rdsaturdayinblogtober.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/better-know-a-candidate-brian-kelly/
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