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Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Pep Talks
Coack Kelly made a public appearance and spoke to the crowd at the ND basketball game today. On a day full of snow and sunshine depending on where you are located (2 ft in DC and 77 degrees here in San Diego), Kelly got the crowd fired up. Kelly entered the court to the 1812 overture and we finally got see what the hand signal was going to be. According to @Alexpelan, "middle index and thumb on both hands making dual Ks." Well that settles it. Weird looking K hands instead of the loss of down symbol, what can you do.
What really stood out was Kelly's passion. This man is a long time from his next football game. In fact he told us it was 259 days until his next football game. Coach showed a fire that was reminiscent of the last National Championship winning coach, Lou Holtz. What the team has been missing this past couple of years is fire. The team never showed up against a lesser opponent, just ask Navy, Uconn, and Michigan. Coach Holtz used to say that the toughest opponent he played every year was Navy. Being able to get the boys fired up no matter who lines up against them is a priority. Weis was unable to do this during his tenure. Coach knows he has a long time before they take meaningful snaps but during this off season of recruiting, restructuring, and trying to gain the current teams trust, he is saying what is needed to be said. The line of the day would have to be, "You'd better use this holiday to get in shape, because you're going to be doing a lot of push-ups." Genius, pure genius.
He also reminded us that the next kickoff is 259 days away and need to be patient. Sure up the current commitments and then steal some from Cincinnati coach.
Monday, December 14, 2009
1812 Overture
Has anyone figured out what the hand signal for the 1812 overture will be during the 3rd quarter timeout? Pretty sure the K looks like a mid-western gang symbol.
Weis, Davie, Willingham, and Holtz all provided easy to create hand moves. The L, W and even the D lend themselves to simplicity but the K could provide problems. We here at KGG think that the new hand symbol displayed during the overture should be that of our favorite referee's signal. The loss of down. It is the best signal in a referees repertoire and the student body should replicate this during the 4th quarter. It also looks better than the crumbled hand when throwing your K's up.
Weis, Davie, Willingham, and Holtz all provided easy to create hand moves. The L, W and even the D lend themselves to simplicity but the K could provide problems. We here at KGG think that the new hand symbol displayed during the overture should be that of our favorite referee's signal. The loss of down. It is the best signal in a referees repertoire and the student body should replicate this during the 4th quarter. It also looks better than the crumbled hand when throwing your K's up.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Golden is thy Tate
Golden Tate continues to pick up hardware on his way to the NFL. He became the first Irish receiver to win the Biletnikoff award. The Shark was a two time finalist but never took home the trophy. Golden has also been named to the AFCA Coaches, FWAA Writers, CBS Sports, and the Walter Camp 2009 All-American first team. Golden's ability to not go down was what set him apart this year. He would be stood up constantly with the play being whistled dead more times than he was actually brought to the ground. This frustrated corners and safety's and made for some great TV. For that Golden, you win the Kelly Green and Gold Awesome Award. Golden I am sure is most proud of this prestigious award.
Tate holds ND records for single season receptions and receiving yards and would be in contention for the all-time records if he came back next year. Tate only ran the Golden Go route his freshman yeah but managed to pull in highlight real type plays. His sophomore year he blossomed into a polished route runner and ND fans got to really see his best asset, his hands. His junior year he became the play maker that we all know and love. Golden is one of the first receivers that made me believe in the fade route and the bomb. This year Jimmy was able to just throw it up there and know that Golden would come down with it. He constantly caught balls he shouldn't have and he left us stunned when he actually failed to make a grab. For someone who played running back in high school he really could catch just about anything. Give Weis and Ianello credit for recruiting an athlete out of Tennessee and developing this future Biletnikoff winner.
Golden was fun to watch but he will be great on Sundays. How he transitions will depend on where he ends up. Molded in the likes of all everything collegiate receiver turned consummate pro, Steve Smith, Golden could dominate as a teams flanker. He could easily fill the roll of the number one guy in a receiving corps. However, Golden's versatility has some teams salivating for the next Percy Harvin type of player. Percy has done well playing every position this year for the Vikings and Golden could easily be as successful. Golden lined up in 7 different positions this year, Flanker, Slot, Split end, QB, RB, Kick and Punt returner. Golden lines up all over the field and still makes plays. NFL team should take notice of the way he dominated this year after Michael Floyd went down. Golden faced rolled coverage every game after ND failed to fill Floyds role but he still excelled. His draft stock is at an all time high and NFL teams should use Golden's ability as a play maker to its fullest.
The Irish will miss Jimmy Clausen next year but I think they will feel the loss of Golden just as much. As the leader of this team, he was a play-maker on any down. It was great watching his years at ND and we wish him all the best. Golden dominated from all points on the field this year and he put a fear into collegiate bands known across the world. The NFL is lucky to have him one year early.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Kelly’s Questions
It will be interesting to see what coaching staff Kelly installs at ND. With Coach Ianello leaving to Akron, who will he want to keep in South Bend?
Kelly’s first hire could be his old friend from Grand Valley State Chuck Martin. Martin took over the helm at GVSU and has led the Lakers to a 61-5 record with 2 national championships. Martin also has his team in the hunt for his 3rd championships this Saturday. Martin is known for being a defensive minded coach who served as Kelly’s D-coordinator during his tenure. During that time his defense was known for its run stopping abilities and their ball-hawking tendencies. Two things that were desperately needed by this years squad. Kelly has expressed interested in Martin in the past but Martin has yet to leave GVSU. Martin has recently commented about his interests in Notre Dame and it would be tough for him to stay put if Kelly comes calling.
Kelly’s next move would be to determine the current ND Defensive Coordinators fate. John Tenuta and Corwin Brown have yet to show any signs of improvement, but that doesn’t mean they are not worth keeping. Tenuta agreed to be a position coach when first hired by Charlie Weis, but that was with the knowledge he would be calling plays soon there after. Tenuta who coached the LB’s in 2008 was highly regarded coming from Georgia Tech where he led a top 30 defense every year. After leaving the Jackets he was rumored for numerous jobs including the Michigan State coaching gig and the Defensive job that was left vacated by Bo Pelini at LSU. It seems like it would a tough sell for Tenuta to stay on with ND in a lower role.
Corwin Brown was given a chance under Charlie Weis. After coaching for many years under great minds like Belichick, Crennel, and Herm Edwards. Weis gave a talented young coach a shot and he led a decent defense. He switched the Irish into a 3-4 D and never had the right players he wanted. This year the defense was switched back to a 4-3 and Corwin gave a lot of responsibilities over to Tenuta. Corwin is talented mind who coaches with passion that is evident on the sidelines every Saturday. It may be tough to keep him around, has he has a bright future calling defensive plays.
Randy Hart literally coached his heart out on the sidelines. Working with an undersized and young defensive line, Hart made some strides. By no means was the defensive line the strong point of the defense, but they showed potential. Working with guys that were recruited for a 3-4-type defense and in his first year, Hart showed fire and determination to improve his players. Hart would be a great holdover for Kelly but he may be unlikely to stay and look for greener pastures back in the Northwest, where he spent 21 years with Washington.
Brian Polian has to go. Special teams have struggled under Weis and this was extremely evident this past year. Not much else to say here. A fresh face could breath new life into this aspect of the team.
Bernie Parmalee has coached a couple of great tight ends. He has worked with some greats that are now NFLers and now is mentoring Kyle Rudolph. It will be interesting to see if his name pops up for a coordinator job somewhere else.
Line coach Frank Verducci came in and made a difference in his first season with the offensive line. Coaching a much maligned but talented group, we started to see potential out of the line we had always wanted and needed to see. Verducci is well respected in the game and this may be his only year at ND. The NFl could lure him back and he may even follow Weis. Kelly would be wise to hire Verducci has he has proven his worth not only at ND but everywhere he has been. With the loss of 3 starters on the offensive line, and the recruiting of all-world Seantrel Henderson at tackle, Verducci could and should be a holdover from the old regime. Cincinnati’s offensive line coach is Jeff Quinn who is highly touted as Kelly successor at UC.
Running back coach Tony Alford has made the ND running backs shine. Armando Allen, Robert Hughes, and Theo Riddick all stepped up their game this year. These players ran with a renewed passion and a second level of burst. Numerous many times before Alford got to South Bend were the runners hit once and spilled. Alford provided the coaching they needed and the running backs improvement was evident. Kelly would be wise to keep Alford around.
Ron Powlus is Ron Powlus. My formative years were spent watching Rick Mirer and then Powlus. Man that guy looked good in a number 3 jersey. Powlus has come into his coaching roll and has done a decent job. As much as Charlie groomed the qb’s, Powlus has been there to help. Not known for his recruiting prowess, Powlus has stepped upped and help mentor the current QB’s. Still getting his feet wet, Powlus can teach fundamentals of not only football, but also what it is to be a highly touted star and Notre Dame quarterback. This could prove invaluable as new qb Dayne Crist will be taking over the reigns and current recruit Andrew Hendrix has already expressed interest in Powlus staying on at ND. Powlus’ counter part at Cincinnati Greg Forest has been with Kelly for 19 years. The difference with Forest is that he has helped coach many positions in his tenure. Forest prepped as a defensive back and has coached running back, wide receivers, and tight ends. Forest has mentored some great quarterbacks but his talent seems to lie in coaching receivers. Forest coached the top 5 WR in school history at GVSU. This brings us back to Ianello who left the WR coach vacant at ND. Forest would be a great addition to the ND staff as a WR coach and helping Powlus with Crist and Hendrix. Forest could thrive with his coaching of Floyd, Goodman, Kamara, Shaq and Walker.
With all this being said, Kelly has some work to do. Getting a staff in place will start to sure up the current recruits and paint a picture of how Kelly will run his team. Lots of work to be done in the bend, but it seems like the excitement is palpable and Kelly can make a difference.
Kelly’s first hire could be his old friend from Grand Valley State Chuck Martin. Martin took over the helm at GVSU and has led the Lakers to a 61-5 record with 2 national championships. Martin also has his team in the hunt for his 3rd championships this Saturday. Martin is known for being a defensive minded coach who served as Kelly’s D-coordinator during his tenure. During that time his defense was known for its run stopping abilities and their ball-hawking tendencies. Two things that were desperately needed by this years squad. Kelly has expressed interested in Martin in the past but Martin has yet to leave GVSU. Martin has recently commented about his interests in Notre Dame and it would be tough for him to stay put if Kelly comes calling.Kelly’s next move would be to determine the current ND Defensive Coordinators fate. John Tenuta and Corwin Brown have yet to show any signs of improvement, but that doesn’t mean they are not worth keeping. Tenuta agreed to be a position coach when first hired by Charlie Weis, but that was with the knowledge he would be calling plays soon there after. Tenuta who coached the LB’s in 2008 was highly regarded coming from Georgia Tech where he led a top 30 defense every year. After leaving the Jackets he was rumored for numerous jobs including the Michigan State coaching gig and the Defensive job that was left vacated by Bo Pelini at LSU. It seems like it would a tough sell for Tenuta to stay on with ND in a lower role.
Corwin Brown was given a chance under Charlie Weis. After coaching for many years under great minds like Belichick, Crennel, and Herm Edwards. Weis gave a talented young coach a shot and he led a decent defense. He switched the Irish into a 3-4 D and never had the right players he wanted. This year the defense was switched back to a 4-3 and Corwin gave a lot of responsibilities over to Tenuta. Corwin is talented mind who coaches with passion that is evident on the sidelines every Saturday. It may be tough to keep him around, has he has a bright future calling defensive plays.
Randy Hart literally coached his heart out on the sidelines. Working with an undersized and young defensive line, Hart made some strides. By no means was the defensive line the strong point of the defense, but they showed potential. Working with guys that were recruited for a 3-4-type defense and in his first year, Hart showed fire and determination to improve his players. Hart would be a great holdover for Kelly but he may be unlikely to stay and look for greener pastures back in the Northwest, where he spent 21 years with Washington.
Brian Polian has to go. Special teams have struggled under Weis and this was extremely evident this past year. Not much else to say here. A fresh face could breath new life into this aspect of the team.
Bernie Parmalee has coached a couple of great tight ends. He has worked with some greats that are now NFLers and now is mentoring Kyle Rudolph. It will be interesting to see if his name pops up for a coordinator job somewhere else.
Line coach Frank Verducci came in and made a difference in his first season with the offensive line. Coaching a much maligned but talented group, we started to see potential out of the line we had always wanted and needed to see. Verducci is well respected in the game and this may be his only year at ND. The NFl could lure him back and he may even follow Weis. Kelly would be wise to hire Verducci has he has proven his worth not only at ND but everywhere he has been. With the loss of 3 starters on the offensive line, and the recruiting of all-world Seantrel Henderson at tackle, Verducci could and should be a holdover from the old regime. Cincinnati’s offensive line coach is Jeff Quinn who is highly touted as Kelly successor at UC.
Running back coach Tony Alford has made the ND running backs shine. Armando Allen, Robert Hughes, and Theo Riddick all stepped up their game this year. These players ran with a renewed passion and a second level of burst. Numerous many times before Alford got to South Bend were the runners hit once and spilled. Alford provided the coaching they needed and the running backs improvement was evident. Kelly would be wise to keep Alford around.
Ron Powlus is Ron Powlus. My formative years were spent watching Rick Mirer and then Powlus. Man that guy looked good in a number 3 jersey. Powlus has come into his coaching roll and has done a decent job. As much as Charlie groomed the qb’s, Powlus has been there to help. Not known for his recruiting prowess, Powlus has stepped upped and help mentor the current QB’s. Still getting his feet wet, Powlus can teach fundamentals of not only football, but also what it is to be a highly touted star and Notre Dame quarterback. This could prove invaluable as new qb Dayne Crist will be taking over the reigns and current recruit Andrew Hendrix has already expressed interest in Powlus staying on at ND. Powlus’ counter part at Cincinnati Greg Forest has been with Kelly for 19 years. The difference with Forest is that he has helped coach many positions in his tenure. Forest prepped as a defensive back and has coached running back, wide receivers, and tight ends. Forest has mentored some great quarterbacks but his talent seems to lie in coaching receivers. Forest coached the top 5 WR in school history at GVSU. This brings us back to Ianello who left the WR coach vacant at ND. Forest would be a great addition to the ND staff as a WR coach and helping Powlus with Crist and Hendrix. Forest could thrive with his coaching of Floyd, Goodman, Kamara, Shaq and Walker.
With all this being said, Kelly has some work to do. Getting a staff in place will start to sure up the current recruits and paint a picture of how Kelly will run his team. Lots of work to be done in the bend, but it seems like the excitement is palpable and Kelly can make a difference.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Our Name Sake
So we have a coach. Brian Kelly has been named the 29th football coach of the University of Notre Dame after a 12-day search. Brian Kelly comes by way of Cincinnati where he turned a lowly Big East team into a powerhouse. Irish Catholic from Massachusetts with a defensive background and a proven winner, he is what Notre Dame needs. Some think that ND missed the boat without a huge name like Stoops or Meyer, but Kelly fits the bill. There is a reason that Kelly's name was circulated from day one. Jack had a recipe for what he was looking for and I think he found it.
What Kelly did with his team this year was most impressive. After graduating 10 of his defensive starters he ran the table. Without a loss in the Big East or any other conference for that matter is impressive. Kelly beat the teams he was supposed to beat every week and that type of coach is exactly what ND needs. The great Dr. Lou Holtz said "You only need to be the best team on the field that day." That's what Kelly's Bearcats were for 11 straight weeks. To many times the Irish played down to their competitors level and to many times did they wound up in the losing column to an inferior opponent.
Before even being introduced as the new coach, he had made the switch on his Twitter page. Lets just hope his offensive schemes are as truly advanced as his technology skills.
Welcome
We just wanted to welcome everyone to the newest Notre Dame blog out there. As lifetime Notre Dame fans and avid ND blog readers, we have been quiet for some time. With the latest addition of Brian Kelly into the ND family, we figured it was time to jump in. Plus the Kelly Green blog name was available so we figured it was time.
Kelly Green recognizes those who came before us. Great ND blogs like BGS, UHND, Subway Domer, Her Loyal Sons, Subway Alumni Show, IRT and the many more, all have their place. We respect and value other blogs and will continue to read them. Kelly Green is here to provide insight and rumblings on Notre Dame football from one fan to another. Clips, videos, blurbs, research and a little more, we hope you enjoy our ND rants.
Kelly Green recognizes those who came before us. Great ND blogs like BGS, UHND, Subway Domer, Her Loyal Sons, Subway Alumni Show, IRT and the many more, all have their place. We respect and value other blogs and will continue to read them. Kelly Green is here to provide insight and rumblings on Notre Dame football from one fan to another. Clips, videos, blurbs, research and a little more, we hope you enjoy our ND rants.
Daniel: By way of Provo Utah, I was saved by each Saturday that featured Notre Dame football. As a Catholic, I had to rebel somehow with this being the worst way possible. Drinking beer and smoking are trivial sins in Utah compared to donning the Blue and Gold on Saturdays. From there the rest was history and I will be a fan for life. I wanted to go to Notre Dame as much as anyone, unfortunately ND didn’t want me. That’s when I decided to go to the University of San Diego, the ND of the West. I try my best to convert every USC fan there is here in So Cal and I believe that ND will return to glory in this lifetime or the next.
Ben: The prodigal grandson of South Bend. Both my parents were born and raised in the hallowed town of South Bend, Indiana. I however did not share their good fortune, I was born in Florida but raised in Southern California since the age of 2. I spent my summers as a child flying back to South Bend to spend time with family, it was here that my admiration for Notre Dame began. I was mystified by the sheer magic of the Golden Dome, and the Grotto. The love for football followed naturally, fostered by a trip to Tempe with my parents to watch the Irish in the Fiesta Bowl. I met up with Daniel in college and the rest is Notre Dame loving history. Though we have our differences (I think the half and half navy socks look best, he thinks all navy) we still agree that the Fighting Irish are the best damn... best holy team in the nation. We are ND...fans!
Ben: The prodigal grandson of South Bend. Both my parents were born and raised in the hallowed town of South Bend, Indiana. I however did not share their good fortune, I was born in Florida but raised in Southern California since the age of 2. I spent my summers as a child flying back to South Bend to spend time with family, it was here that my admiration for Notre Dame began. I was mystified by the sheer magic of the Golden Dome, and the Grotto. The love for football followed naturally, fostered by a trip to Tempe with my parents to watch the Irish in the Fiesta Bowl. I met up with Daniel in college and the rest is Notre Dame loving history. Though we have our differences (I think the half and half navy socks look best, he thinks all navy) we still agree that the Fighting Irish are the best damn... best holy team in the nation. We are ND...fans!
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