Notre Dame Recruiting: Extension For Brian Kelly Means Nothing to Recruits

Notre Dame announced an extension for head coach Brian Kelly on Tuesday to ensure the Fighting Irish will have their coach through 2016.

In theory, it’s a big day for the football team and for potential recruits looking to enter a stable situation in a time where coaches are constantly looking for a better gig.

The problem is, the Fighting Irish have a strong track record of extending their coach only to show them the door rather quickly.

Remember Charlie Weis? He was hired in 2005 and was given a 10-year contract extension just seven games into his tenure. A few mediocre seasons later and Weis was canned at the end of 2009.

Before him it was Tyrone Willingham, who lasted only three seasons on a six-year deal.

Recruits aren’t stupid. They see the history of quick-trigger terminations at Notre Dame and see right through today’s announcement.

Why does Notre Dame keep extending coaches that aren’t producing BCS wins? Kelly is coming off an 8-5 season and by all accounts it was a disappointment. His team’s performance in the Sun Bowl was an embarrassment.

Is it a coincidence that the Irish made the move a day after stud cornerback Ronald Darby de-committed?

With the loss, Notre Dame now only has five players in the ESPN Top 150. Nobody owns a grade over 81. Not one of their 17 commits play linebacker or quarterback, two positions of need going forward.

The class is weak, and losing Darby is a big deal.

I doubt Kelly’s extension was a last-second attempt to save this recruiting class, but you can’t deny the timing seems rather odd.

Tense times in South Bend right now.