Brian Kelly, Notre Dame Football Make Strides on Defense in 2010

Many questions surrounded the hiring of Brian Kelly back in December.

Could he handle the pressure of being the coach at Notre Dame? Is he the right fit?

It's true, he hasn't had as much success as Charlie Weis did in his first season (9-3 with a Fiesta Bowl berth), but if that's an indication of things to come, perhaps it's a good thing.

Charlie Weis and Notre Dame combined to go 19-6 in his first two seasons. He would finish the next three years with a combined record of 16-21.

Notre Dame was never at an elite level under Weis. They were thrashed by Ohio State in 2005, as well as USC and LSU in 2006.

Perhaps things are changing now.

It has been an up and down season for Notre Dame, but the Irish finished off their regular season this past Saturday with a win over USC. That's something they never did under Weis. In fact, it was the first time Notre Dame had beaten USC since 2001.

One thing is apparent—Brian Kelly has made an impact on this defense.

The Irish are allowing 20.5 points per game so far. Charlie Weis' lowest total was 22.2 in 2008.

Last season, the Notre Dame defense ranked 87th in total defense, 76th in sacks per game and 64th in scoring defense.

Kelly's hard work has certainly paid off. The Irish defense is currently ranked 49th in total defense, 29th in scoring defense and 46th in sacks per game.

Things are trending in the right direction. The Irish will look to carry their momentum forward in their bowl game and end the season on a positive note.

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