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Football
Brian Kelly, a veteran of 19 seasons as a collegiate head coach -- and most recently the architect of two consecutive Bowl Championship Series appearances at the University of Cincinnati, including a perfect 12-0 regular season in 2009 that earned him national-coach-of-the-year honors - is in his initial season in 2010 as the 29th head football coach at the University of Notre Dame. Currently the sixth-winningest active coach in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in terms of winning percentage at .747 (he ranks seventh in victories at 171), Kelly signed a five-year contract to coach the Irish. He was announced as the Notre Dame head coach on Dec. 10, 2009.
Kelly's head coaching resume includes:
-- Three seasons at Central Michigan University from 2004-06, including a 19-16 overall record (.542) featuring a 9-4 mark and Mid-American Conference title in 2006. -- Thirteen seasons at Grand Valley State University from 1991-2003, including a 118-35-2 record (.767) highlighted by NCAA Division II national championships in 2002 (14-0) and 2003 (14-1). -- An overall record of 171-57-2 (.747) in those 19 seasons as a head coach. "I am very pleased that a thorough and extensive search led us to a new head coach in Brian Kelly, who I am confident will help us accomplish our Goal of competing for national championships," said Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick. "I am absolutely delighted to welcome Brian and his family to the Notre Dame family," said Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., Notre Dame's president. "He brings to us a long and successful career as a head coach, and I am confident that he will have even Greater success here. I'm also very pleased that he has put considerable emphasis on excellence in the classroom and that his student-athletes Graduate at a rate well above the norm." Kelly earned the ESPN/Home Depot National Coach of the Year Award in 2009, was the BIG EAST Conference Coach of the Year in 2007, 2008 and 2009 (the first time a BIG EAST football coach has won the award three straight years) -- and received the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coach of the Year Award in both 2002 and 2003. He also in '09 was a finalist for four other national awards - the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award (Football Writers Association of America), Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award (National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association), Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award and the George Munger Coach of the Year Award (Maxwell Football Club). He boasted a 2-1 record at Cincinnati in postseason bowl Games - including a 27-24 win over Western Michigan in the International Bowl after the 2006 season (he coached in that Game immediately after taking the job at Cincinnati), a 31-21 win over Southern Mississippi in the Papajohns.com Bowl after the '07 season and a 20-7 loss to Virginia Tech in the FedEx Orange Bowl after the '08 campaign. Kelly's '06 Central Michigan team finished 9-4 and qualified for the Motor City Bowl (Central Michigan defeated Middle Tennessee 31-14, though he did not coach after accepting the head coaching position at Cincinnati) - and his 12-0 team in '09 earned an Allstate Sugar Bowl assignment against once-beaten Florida. In six NCAA Division II playoff appearances at Grand Valley State, Kelly's teams combined for an 11-4 (.733) postseason record - including four straight victories in winning both the '02 and '03 NCAA titles. His '01 Grand Valley State team fell 17-14 to North Dakota in the Division II national title Game. Kelly's '09 team at Cincinnati finished third in the final BCS standings and fourth in both the final regular-season Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN polls. His '08 team ended up 11-3 and 17th in both polls - and his '07 Bearcat squad finished 10-3 and 17th (AP) and 20th (USA Today/ESPN) in the final polls. Through the end of the 2009 regular season, his Cincinnati team won all 12 of its Games, led the nation in passing efficiency (166.19), ranked second in kickoff returns (29.2 each) and sixth in total offense (464.25 yards per Game), passing yardage (320.33) and scoring (39.83 points). Meanwhile, Kelly's Bearcat defense rated third nationally in tackles for losses (8.42 per Game) and eighth in sacks (2.92). The '09 Cincinnati squad set Bearcat single-season records for points (495), passing yards (3,844), fewest fumbles (10), fewest fumbles lost (two) and fewest turnovers (10). Cincinnati concluded the '09 campaign with a record 18 straight regular-season victories. Among the standouts Kelly coached on the '09 Bearcat roster were first-team All-America receiver Mardy Gilyard (he ranked second nationally in all-purpose yards at 203.5 per Game at the end of the regular season) and quarterback Tony Pike (ninth in passing efficiency at 155.36). Eleven Cincinnati players merited all-BIG EAST honors for '09 (five first-team selections), including Gilyard, the league's Special Teams Player of the Year for the second straight season. In three years at the helm of the program, Kelly put together a 34-6 record and led the Bearcats to their first two BIG EAST championships in 2008 and '09. Cincinnati achieved a then-school-record 11 victories in 2008, followed that up with a dozen wins in '09, and had back-to-back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in school history. Kelly's Bearcats in '08 won the school's first outright conference championship since 1964 and earned the school's first berth in a BCS Game, playing against Virginia Tech in the 75th FedEx Orange Bowl. In '08 Cincinnati achieved its then-highest ranking to close the regular season - 12th in the AP and USA Today/ESPN polls and the BCS standings entering the Orange Bowl. The Bearcats held down a postseason ranking of 17th in both polls, tying the top postseason ranking in school history. Following the close of the '08 regular season, Kelly was named the BIG EAST Coach of the Year for the second straight season. He also was named the American Football Monthly Schutt Sports FBS Coach of the Year, earned AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year honors and was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year by Sporting News. Cincinnati placed 10 players on the 2008 all-BIG EAST teams (including first-team selection Connor Barwin) - with kick returner Gilyard named the BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year and punter Kevin Huber earning the first AFCA All-America nod in program history. Huber became the first two-time AP first-team All-America selection in Bearcat football history. The Bearcats' 27-24 bowl victory over Western Michigan in 2006 came just 34 days after Kelly was hired. Then, in his first full season at the helm in '07, he put Cincinnati on the national radar by jumping out to a 6-0 start and earning the Bearcats their first appearance in the polls in more than 30 years. By winning 10 Games for the first time since 1951, Cincinnati earned its 10th bowl appearance in program history and sixth bowl appearance in eight years. The Bearcats finished 17th in the AP poll and 20th in the USA Today/ESPN rankings, earning their first appearances in the final polls. Along the way to the 2007 Papajohns.com Bowl victory, the Bearcats' third straight bowl win, Kelly earned BIG EAST Coach of the Year honors. Cincinnati listed seven individuals on the all-BIG EAST teams, including BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year and consensus All-America punter Huber. The national leader in punting, Huber was one of three Bearcats to be named to an All-America team. Cincinnati ranked second in the BIG EAST and 24th nationally in passing offense (254.1), and was also second in the league and 27th nationally in passing efficiency (139.4). At the same time, the Bearcat defense led the BIG EAST in sacks (2.9) and tackles for a loss (6.5). Kelly's Bearcats led the FBS in net punting (41.5 yards per punt), and Cincinnati also paced the BIG EAST in kickoff returns (24.2). During his three years at Central Michigan, he transformed a Chippewa program that had won more than three Games only once in the past four seasons into a conference champion. Central Michigan posted a 9-4 regular-season record in 2006 en route to winning the MAC title and qualifying for its first bowl Game in 12 years. Kelly inherited a program that had produced a mere 12 wins over its previous four seasons when he took the helm at Central Michigan in 2004. He Guided the Chippewas to a 4-7 record in 2004 and a 6-5 slate -- the school's first winning season in seven years -- in 2005. The Chippewas in 2005 defeated both defending MAC divisional champions, Miami and Toledo, and also knocked off eventual '05 league champ Akron. Central Michigan ranked first nationally in fewest turnovers (10) and fewest fumbles lost (four), while the team's rushing defense ranked 20th and led the MAC at 113.7 yards per Game (compared to 245.8 in '03 -- the year before Kelly arrived). In 2006 Central Michigan rolled up a 7-1 record in conference play to win the MAC West, then dominated Ohio 31-10 in the league championship Game. Central Michigan boasted the 19th-most prolific passing attack in the nation, averaging 252.4 yards per Game, set a Chippewa season mark with 28 TD passes and led the MAC in total offense (375.3 yards per Game) and scoring (29.7 points). MAC Freshman of the Year Dan LeFevour passed for 2,869 yards and 25 TDs to rank 20th nationally in passing efficiency and 14th in total offense. Kelly had 12 of his players achieve first-team all-conference honors over his three years at Central Michigan (including '05 MAC Defensive Player of the Year Daniel Bazuin) -- and three advanced to the NFL (including 2005 draftees Eric Ghiacuic and Adam Kieft and free agent Tory Humphrey). Bazuin, who led the nation in '05 in tackles for losses, also was a '06 first-team Academic All-American.
Kelly arrived at Central Michigan after winning the back-to-back NCAA Division II national titles at Grand Valley State in Allendale, Mich. The all-time winningest program in NCAA Division II history, the Lakers were 41-2 in Kelly's final three seasons, at one point winning 32 consecutive Games. Grand Valley State went 14-0 in 2002 en route to its first national title and was 14-1 in 2003 when it claimed its second crown. Kelly was named the AFCA Division II Coach of the Year after both seasons. Kelly led the Lakers to five conference titles (1992-97-98-2001-02) and six Division II playoff appearances in his 13 seasons at Grand Valley. The Lakers never finished lower than third in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference. Kelly mentored a pair of finalists for the Harlon Hill Award, presented annually to the top player in Division II. Quarterback Curt Anes won the award in 2002 after finishing as runner-up in 2001. He threw for 10,581 career yards and 114 TD passes - 48 in '01 and 47 in '02 (12 Games with at least five TD passes). Anes still holds the NCAA Division II single-season passing efficiency record for '01 at 221.6 (189 for 271 for 3,086 yards, with 21 TDs, three interceptions). Quarterback Jeff Fox was third in the balloting in 1998, as he became the first Laker quarterback to throw for more than 2,000 in multiple seasons. Kelly's Grand Valley State players earned 77 All-America awards (11 in 2002 alone). Four players moved on to the NFL and another three to the Canadian Football League. His 2001 national runner-up squad set 77 NCAA, GLIAC and school records, including the all-time Division II scoring record by averaging 58.4 points per Game (and an average victory margin of 48.0 points). The 2001 team also became the first Division II unit in 53 years to average more than 600 yards per Game in total offense (600.8), leading the nation in that category. Grand Valley State followed up its record-shattering 2001 season by averaging 497.5 yards and a nation-leading 46.7 points during its undefeated 2002 national championship run in which Kelly's squad went wire to wire as the top-rated Division II squad. That '02 campaign ended with a 31-24 championship Game win over second-ranked and unbeaten Valdosta State - as All-America receiver David Kircus caught passes for 270 yards and three TDs. Kircus holds the NCAA Division II season record for TD receptions with 35 in '02, catching at least one TD pass in 24 straight Games in 2001-02. He ended his career with 4,142 receiving yards and 76 TD catches and led the nation (Division II) in scoring in both '01 and '02. The 2003 team, meanwhile, became more noted for its defense, leading the country in rushing defense at 62.0 yards per Game. The Lakers defeated North Dakota 10-3 in the 2003 national title Game (played annually in Florence, Ala.). In 10 of his 13 seasons at Grand Valley State, Kelly's teams won eight or more Games - and he finished with a 103-22-2 mark in GLIAC contests. The seniors on his final team in '03 won 47 of their final 49 Games (and finished 34-4 in four seasons of GLIAC play) and won 20 straight Games in 2002-03. Kicker David Hendrix led the nation in '03 with 25 field Goals. Born Oct. 25, 1961, in Everett, Mass., and raised in Chelsea, Mass., Kelly attended St. John's Prep School in Danvers, Mass. He was a four-year letter-winner at Assumption College (Worcester, Mass.) as a linebacker, captaining the squad in both '81 and '82 under coach Paul Cantiani on teams that finished 8-3 and 7-1-1. After Graduating from Assumption in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in political science, he served as linebacker coach and defensive coordinator (as well as softball coach) from 1983-86 at Assumption under head football coach Bernie Gaughan. Kelly joined the Grand Valley State staff in 1987 as a Graduate assistant and defensive backs coach. He became the defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator in 1989 and took over (at age 28) as head coach in 1991 (replacing Tom Beck, who left to become running backs coach at Notre Dame under Lou Holtz). His very first team Laker team finished 9-3 and qualified for the NCAA playoffs. In 2009 Kelly was inducted into the Grand Valley State Athletics Hall of Fame. Kelly has served on the AFCA Ethics Committee - and he's currently one of 59 FBS head coaches who vote in the USA Today poll. Kelly and his wife Francisca (Paqui) are parents of three children - Patrick, Grace and Kenzel.
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updated 1/12/10
Year by Year with Brian Kelly
Brian Kelly's Postseason Record (13-5)
* home Games played in Allendale, Mich. # NCAA Division II championship Games
Winningest Active NCAA FBS Coaches (By Percentage)
Winningest Active NCAA FBS Coaches (By Victories)
Records are through end of 2009 season
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