Notre Dame Football: Gunslinger Brian Kelly Hits His Myopic Target

6-6 has been the “magic number” for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in recent years, but for contrary reasons.

For example, 6-6 was the magic number that ultimately got head football coach Tyrone Willingham fired after the 2004 season, despite beating teams like No. 8 Michigan, No. 9 Tennessee as well as Michigan State and Navy, and going to a bowl game.

6-6 was the magic number and last straw for Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, the University and hordes of Fighting Irish fans in 2009. Head football coach Charlie Weis’ 6-6 (and final) season provoked Swarbrick into pulling the plug on Weis, Willingham’s replacement, last December.

The still-relatively-inexperienced Weis got the bum’s rush (albeit with a wheelbarrow full of money) despite the fact that he won 19 games and took his Irish teams to BCS bowl games in his first two seasons; and, despite the fact that Weis’ six losses in ’09 were all heart-breakers, losing each by a mere touchdown or less, including a missed easy field goal loss in double overtime against UConn.

And don’t forget: Weis was so successful in the beginning that his bosses eagerly extended his six-year contract for four additional years midway through Weis’ first season when rumors of NFL suitors began circulating.

And 6-6 was the magic number that new head coach Brian Kelly, Weis’ replacement, aspired and managed to attain last weekend, avoiding a losing season and becoming bowl eligible, which allows Kelly to put his players through 15 more rigorous drills during the holidays.

Ironically, 6-6 is also the number that many Notre Dame followers (presumably some of whom were the same people screaming for Weis’ head) now seem content with this season, despite the fact that the ballyhooed Kelly rode into town as the hired gunslinger with 19 years of notches on his belt—a high-paid mercenary who was suppose to quickly dispatch the memories of those bad guys who rode roughshod over the herd during the past eight seasons.

It still remains to be seen whether or not this hired gun can shoot straighter and farther, or whether he’ll end up riding the same battered stagecoach out of South Bend.