Notre Dame Football: Why Brian Kelly Is on the Verge of Being Fired

Notre Dame football reached a low point this past weekend in South Bend.

Not only did the Fighting Irish lose their season opener to University of South Florida, but Head Coach Brian Kelly brought himself national attention in the worst way.

Kelly continuously reamed out his players on the sideline Saturday. The cameras panned to Kelly screaming on a regular basis.

One moment, he's exploding on wide receiver TJ Jones for getting hit in the shoulder by a pass from quarterback Tommy Rees, the next he's beet red with anger after a missed field goal by kicker David Ruffer. 

Needless to say, it wasn't the finest hour at Notre Dame. The game featured multiple lightning delays, turnover troubles and a poor performance from then-starting quarterback Dayne Crist.

Tommy Rees took over and threw for 296 yards, earning him the right to start this week at Michigan. Rees was 4-0 as a starter last season, compared to Crist's 4-5 record.

This upcoming Saturday is where the plot thickens. Notre Dame heads into Ann Arbor featured on ESPN's College GameDay, and an always raucous Big House holds its first night game ever, adding fuel to the fire.

Notre Dame, more importantly Head Coach Brian Kelly, will be on display in front of the entire college football world.

The once-famed football school has been looking for success for seemingly a decade. Inconsistency has Notre Dame fans thirsting for a winning program. The team went 8-5 last season in Kelly's first season in South Bend, but fans want consistent 10-win seasons.

While Brian Kelly knows this more than anyone, it appears that the pressure is immense. Regardless, it comes with the territory. He has to present himself in a professional manner.

It's easy for a coach to get upset, but Kelly has to keep his cool on the sidelines for the rest of the season before he has a Bobby Knight moment.

All eyes will be on Kelly's demeanor this weekend in Ann Arbor; if he loses his cool, the powers that be will begin to call for his head.

After last week's display, it's hard to believe that Kelly can keep his emotions under control on the sidelines through the 2011 season. Ultimately, this gives the school an undesirable image. 

The University of Notre Dame has been quick to pull the plug on head coaches before—Brian Kelly is next.