University of Cincinnati Bearcats
Kelly unfazed by rumors
By C. Trent Rosecrans, CNATI.com Posted November 24, 2009 2:27 PM ET
University of Cincinnati football coach Brian Kelly called this the "silly season" as his name has been most prominently mentioned as the next head coach at Notre Dame, but also at such former powerhouses as Michigan, Kansas and Georgia.
"We've been having this conversation for the last two years, this isn't new ground for our players," Kelly said at his Tuesday pres conference. "Mardy's heard it for the last three years. He knows the one thing is, I'm going to tell him the truth. The truth is, this happens every year, it will continue to happen here while I'm at the University of Cincinnati because nobody thinks Cincinnati is a destination job. That just happens this way."
Kelly interviewed for jobs at Washington and Tennessee last season and turned down the opportunity to coach the Huskies.
Kelly wouldn't go as far to say that UC is his destination job or to follow the lead of Florida's Urban Meyer who denied any interest in the job and said he'd be at UF as long as they'd have him, but he did say there was no news on his coaching future and he did set some ground rules for anyone looking to hire him in the future.
"The process is after the season, the process is after you're done. It's always looking at what's the best opportunities for you, your family and your program. Again, it comes back to the same thing, Cincinnati is a great place to be," Kelly said. "I don't know where there's Skyline. I don't know where there's Graeter's. Do you guys know, other than Cincinnati?"
When it was noted that there is a Skyline in Florida and both in Louisville, Kelly joked that he'd be interested in those jobs.
"So I've got a shot at the USF job, so write that down. I'm involved if that thing opens up, I'm pushing for the South Florida job," Kelly said with a laugh. "Then the Louisville job, too, throw that one in there too. They've got to have Skyline."
Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said Tuesday the Fighting Irish would announce the future of Weis next week and if Notre Dame is willing to pay Charlie Weis $16 million not to coach football, some booster could build Skyline and Graeter's franchises in South Bend, Ind. But at least one Bearcat isn't worried about his coach leaving. Senior wide receiver Mardy Gilyard said he's had the conversation with Kelly about other job openings every year since Kelly's been here, and the answer has always been the same.
Mardy Gilyard
"The bossman isn't going anywhere," Gilyard said. "He loves this city, the city loves him. He loves the school, he's put a foundation down and coach is the kind of guy I feel that's going to shoot it straight to you. He shot it straight to me when he didn't even know me. He didn't know anything about me and shot it straight to me. I'll hold him down to that. Bossman said he ain't going nowhere. He got his extension, he ain't going nowhere."
Gilyard said he feels in his gut that Kelly isn't going, even though former Bearcat coach Mark Dantonio told his players he wasn't leaving shortly before leaving to take the head coaching job at Michigan State.
"This is the second or third time this has come up. When it came up with Coach Dantonio, he took it. He looked at us in the face and lied to us," Gilyard said. "Coach Kelly, when it came up a couple of years ago, I went to him just like I went to Coach Dantonio and said, 'what's the deal.' He said, 'don't worry about nothing, I'm not going anywhere. I love the city, this is a good place.' What better place to be than Cincinnati now?"
Kelly said he knows there's nothing he can say to quiet the doubts that he'll leave. However, he said if he makes any move, he will tell his players before they hear about it somewhere else.
"I'll tell them and I'll continue to tell them that if I have anything to tell them, they'll hear it from me first. They trust me, if there's anything I need to talk to them about, we'll talk to them as a football team," Kelly said. "There's nothing to talk about, we move to the next practice, the next opportunity. I think our guys are great about that. Our guys know I'm going to be upfront and honest with them, and what I have to tell them is we're here to win championships - national championship, Big East championship."
As for the seniors on this team that have heard that before, Kelly flatly said, "I'm not Mark Dantonio."
In the end, Kelly's name will continue to pop up for every big-time, big-money coaching position because he's won at UC and has the Bearcats at 10-0 this season and No. 5 in the Bowl Championship Series standings.
"I don't spend that much time worrying about it or thinking about it," Kelly said. "It's better than being on the other side of that. They're talking about Charlie Weis, Mark Mangino, Les Miles - to give due respect to all the coaches that are supposedly on the hot seat, there's like 10 coaches, I don't want to be one of them."
Categories: College, Featured Stories, Football, News, University of Cincinnati Bearcats
Tags: Brian Kelly, Charlie Weis, Jack Swarbrick, Mardy Gilyard, Notre Dame, UC Bearcats, UC football
Comments (10)
there is only 1 way to stop rumors about your future and thats the way Urban Meyer did it. Enjoy your last 2 maybe 3 games of the BK era. Only way he stays is if UC stays unbeaten then he'll coach the bowl if not, hes gone after Pitt. So make sure you wear black on this senior to salute the seniors and morn the loss of BK. I can only hope they dont promote Kerry Combs to be his replacement...
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I don't think we have to worry about Notre Dame. Before they hired Charlie they had several rejections. I think it will be about the same this year since there is so much pressure for a national title at Notre Dame. Too much pressure for a new coach. I think he will wait to see what happens at Michigan. Give that coach one more year and by this time next year Kelly will be hired at Michigan. Don't forget where he came from. Plus Ann Harbor is a better place to raise a family. Kerry Combs is waiting in the wings. UC will be run the option like they did at Colerain!
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urban meyer isn't stopping any speculation because of what he said -- he's stopped the speculation because notre dame isn't a better job than florida
and there's no reason for kelly to kill any power he has by saying that. it just doesn't make sense to do that
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Hope you're right Guru. There are a lot of things he needs to do to build the foundation of a national team (i.e. practice field, expand The Nip, etc) Maybe he is using the talk of leaving as leverage to get some of those things done.
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i'm not saying he isn't leaving. if notre dame offers, i think he's gone. although, he may or may not be their first choice. it takes two.
i just don't think it's as easy as saying 'i'm not going anywhere' -- that's just talk. talk mark dantonio made, talk thad matta made.
in the end, uc's a decent job and bk's made it even better. but it's not notre dame or michigan and will never be
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Why is everyone taking Urban Meyer at his word? The man has said he isn't interested in other jobs at every stop he's been at. He said that at Bowling Green and Utah only to leave 2 weeks later. It amazes me how everyone has just said well Meyer won't take it if he's offered.
I would have to say that if Notre Dame is open this year, they are going to go after a superstar. They may miss, but I think Brian Kelley is going to be down their pecking order a bit. I'm not saying he's not a good coach, I'm just saying he won't be their first choice because people in South Bend aren't going to be happy with anything short of a "savior" If they pay 16 million to buy out Weis, Don't you think they're going to try to land some of the biggest fish in the football pond?
I could easily see Brian Kelley going to Michigan after next year and excelling. Rich Rodriguez just won't get it done up there. They have zero defense, and they will lose Graham and maybe their best corner too. They may score points, but they will give up the same 30 points a game next year.
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For every Thadd Matta or Mark Dantonio, there is a Mark Phew or Greg Schiano. If BK wants to be here, state it, if not move on to the next town. Its more annoying and making things less enjoyible consitnantly wondering if the coach is buying into his own propaganda.
And to say this doesnt affect recruiting, whose intellegence are you trying to insult? A player not only commits to an instituion but to a coach. Do players goto Penn State for the university or JoePa? Did players come to Cincinnati for Bob Huggins or UC? If i am a player i'm not signing on the dotted line to play for Kerry Combs or some other suit case coach. Tell Louisville that coaches taking other jobs doesnt affect recruiting!
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signing day isn't until february, the carousel has stopped by then.
people sign with the coaches, that's without a doubt, but it's a short-term decision. it hurts 'commitments' but not signings
saying doesn't mean anything, staying does. and you can't do that until you do it.
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You know, Brian Kelley stayed in part because UC was willing to upgrade their facilities. Now, I know that the economy has been terrible, but they have to hold up their end of the bargain or he's gone. If they want to be serious about keeping him, they must get the ball rolling on the facilities.
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Trent you are right, talk is talk. It really means nothing, and a coach isn't going to say, yeah I'm leaving with 2 games left in the season.
I think it's foolish that people can't enjoy the season because of the talk. Any time you are have a good run at a school that's not one of the top 5 or 10 jobs in America, you're always going to be speculated as leaving for something better. I think Brian Kelley staying after last year is evidence that he's pretty happy here.
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