Take Two: Is Brian Kelly a legit candidate for Florida State?
Bill Panzica
Take Two returns with a daily offering tackling an issue in the college football landscape. Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney lays out the situation and then receives takes from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and an expert from the Rivals.com network of team sites or a regional analyst.
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THE STORYLINE
The Florida State coaching search continues and there have been a lot of interesting names tossed around in the last few weeks.
Early on, the target looked like it was going to be former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops and while there are still some reports that both sides are talking, that looks like a dream at best.
There are reports that Lane Kiffin has been “vetted” for the job. There is a lot of steam around Memphis coach Mike Norvell, especially because of his offensive prowess and what he could possibly do with the Seminoles.
One other name that has been tossed around in recent days is Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly. Over the years, Kelly’s name has been mentioned in numerous college and NFL jobs.
With the Irish, Kelly has taken his team to the College Football Playoff and played for the national title.
Would Florida State make sense for Kelly or is he sticking with Notre Dame for the long haul?
FIRST TAKE: LOU SOMOGYI, BLUEANDGOLD.COM
“I do not believe it. His name always seems to be out there, especially it seems in Florida, where his agent, Trace Armstrong, played for the Gators.
“Kelly told me this summer that he and director of athletics Jack Swarbrick are working on an extension to his contract to add at least another couple of years to his current one that expires in 2021. He also is building a home about two doors down from where Knute Rockne had once lived. His daughter attends the university and his son, the youngest child of three, is completing his senior year of high school this spring. Kelly said he wants to see his college coaching career through until all three have graduated from college.
“Coaches at prominent universities for more than 10 years don’t leave for another college job. Nick Saban left LSU to go to the NFL. Steve Spurrier also left to go to the NFL. Both returned to college only after their NFL careers went south, much like Chip Kelly. I don’t even pay attention to that FSU rumor because I don’t see it happening. He’s ensconced here for however long he wants.”
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MIKE FARRELL, RIVALS.COM
“I can’t see him leaving Notre Dame for Florida State. It’s just too much of a repair job. There are advantages to the ACC, there are advantages to fewer academic restrictions and he could recruit a little better there, but he seems to come up in all these jobs whether it’s in the pros or in college. It could be posturing. Agents love to throw their client’s name out there and try to get a raise.
“I remember Alex Anzalone de-committed from Notre Dame because Kelly was supposed to take the Philadelphia Eagles job. I’m sure they’d be interested in him but he’s got it pretty good at Notre Dame and I don’t see him leaving.”
