[teejers1]

Brian Kelly is one of the Top 3 College Football Head Coaches, IMO.

It will be interesting to see if he can actually get better talent at LSU than he could at Notre Dame. There is no guarantee he will, but Kelly's teams are always physical, and that wins at every level.

Per the rankings, LSU has better talent than ND . . . virtually every year (this according to the numbers-based poster from TOS).  The same guy thinks this is all about getting a championship - the one thing the Great Brian Kelly has yet to achieve as a college coach.  It may be easier for ND to make 4-team CFP at ND than at LSU, but he believes that actually winning it will be easier at LSU.  That may well be the case.  Also, if the CFP expands, as many expect, then a 1 or 2(?) loss LSU might readily make the CFP.

It wouldn't surprise me if Kelly had thoughts along lines of "If that chump Ed Orgeron can win a natty at LSU, then I ought to be able to do it with my eyes closed!"  And this much is certainly true:  SEC coaches are not happy with LSU's obvious upgrade at the coaching position.

That's all fine, but all you need to know is that LSU has won three national championships in the last 18 years (under three different head coaches no less) while Notre Dame's last national championship was 33 years ago.

The 12-team playoff is actually a major boon to Notre Dame which is why Swarbick is its chief proponent. They really should be in the playoff every year under that format.

Agreed.  If issue is making CFP, then stay at ND.
If goal is winning a natty . . . less clear.

BTW, I've made much of the fact that Shaw inherited a Ferrari when he took over at Stanford; the same will be true for the next coach at ND.  That roster is pretty loaded (thanks to Kelly and Freeman), and the next coach should do very well there for at least a couple seasons, at minimum.  And if Fickell gets the job, well, ND will be formidable for the foreseeable future.  Freeman might be the guy - by all accounts a good coach and recruiter.  Only ?? is can he run a program (as opposed to one side of the ball).  But he'll start with a good base (roster) in all events.

[teejers1]

Brian Kelly is one of the Top 3 College Football Head Coaches, IMO.

It will be interesting to see if he can actually get better talent at LSU than he could at Notre Dame. There is no guarantee he will, but Kelly's teams are always physical, and that wins at every level.

Per the rankings, LSU has better talent than ND . . . virtually every year (this according to the numbers-based poster from TOS).  The same guy thinks this is all about getting a championship - the one thing the Great Brian Kelly has yet to achieve as a college coach.  It may be easier for ND to make 4-team CFP at ND than at LSU, but he believes that actually winning it will be easier at LSU.  That may well be the case.  Also, if the CFP expands, as many expect, then a 1 or 2(?) loss LSU might readily make the CFP.

It wouldn't surprise me if Kelly had thoughts along lines of "If that chump Ed Orgeron can win a natty at LSU, then I ought to be able to do it with my eyes closed!"  And this much is certainly true:  SEC coaches are not happy with LSU's obvious upgrade at the coaching position.

That's all fine, but all you need to know is that LSU has won three national championships in the last 18 years (under three different head coaches no less) while Notre Dame's last national championship was 33 years ago.

The 12-team playoff is actually a major boon to Notre Dame which is why Swarbick is its chief proponent. They really should be in the playoff every year under that format.

Agreed.  If issue is making CFP, then stay at ND.
If goal is winning a natty . . . less clear.

BTW, I've made much of the fact that Shaw inherited a Ferrari when he took over at Stanford; the same will be true for the next coach at ND.  That roster is pretty loaded (thanks to Kelly and Freeman), and the next coach should do very well there for at least a couple seasons, at minimum.  And if Fickell gets the job, well, ND will be formidable for the foreseeable future.  Freeman might be the guy - by all accounts a good coach and recruiter.  Only ?? is can he run a program (as opposed to one side of the ball).  But he'll start with a good base (roster) in all events.