Fansided

Report: Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly exploring coaching options

By Michael Whitlow

Nov 26, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly argues a call in the first quarter against the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly argues a call in the first quarter against the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports /
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According to a report from Yahoo Sports, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly could be looking elsewhere to coach in the near future.

This season ended about as well as it went for Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and the Fighting Irish on Saturday in a 45-27 loss to rival USC. The 4-8 mark for Notre Dame this season was their worst since the dreadful 3-9 year in 2007, and the rumblings have been surrounding Kelly and the program all season long.

That continued on Saturday night with a report from Yahoo Sports college football/basketball columnist Pat Forde.

Like Forde noted, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick gave Kelly a vote of confidence earlier in the season and said that Kelly would be the head coach of the Irish next season.

The question now is, does Kelly want the job?

Here’s a section of Forde’s report:

"Kelly just completed his seventh season as coach of the Fighting Irish, a 4-8 debacle that was the school’s second-worst record of the last 52 years. The disappointment was compounded by news Tuesday that the NCAA is vacating 21 Notre Dame victories in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons for academic misconduct involving eight players.However, sources told Yahoo Sports that Kelly’s curiosity regarding other jobs was not spurred by the NCAA sanctions and predates that development. Although Kelly has come under fire from some Notre Dame fans this year, athletic director Jack Swarbrick has consistently stated that Kelly’s job is safe."

Forde did go on to note that Notre Dame sources told him on Saturday night that Kelly has expressed no desire to leave the school.

With the Texas and LSU job opening filled already, the top-tier gigs could be at a minimum this offseason, unless Oregon moves on from Mark Helfrich and Texas A&M changes their mind and lets Kevin Sumlin go after another disappointing finish to the season in Aggieland.

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From the looks of things, Kelly will be staying put, but there also appears to be an opening for Kelly to leave South Bend if the right job comes calling.

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