Brian Kelly Past Teams Coached Till 2023

Brian Kelly record at Notre Dame is 113-40, but the official books read 92-40. His actual winning record is 73.9%.

In 2012, the Fighting Irish finished the campaign 12-1; the next year, they were 9-4. NCAA ordered to vacate all the wins from both seasons due to academic violation.

One thing to know is that the school made the 2012 report about the violation. The 2013 decision was made due to an academic violation by Everett Golson.

But we must consider the total games led by Kelly and tally all the wins under his resume.

During his twelve-year tenure, Brian helped the team win the Hyundai Sun Bowl in 2010, the Pinstripe Bowl in 2013 (which was vacated), the Music City Bowl in 2014, the Citrus Bowl in 2018, and the Camping World Bowl in 2019.

Likewise, here is the breakdown of wins and losses from every year he was with Notre Dame.

Brian Kelly salary at Notre Dame was $3,317,436 for the 2020 campaign, marking his last year with the football program.

The figure was more than what the university’s men’s basketball team head coach Mike Brey earned. Mike’s salary was $2,500,587.

Kelly’s earnings can be broken down as follows:

• Base pay: $1,366,793
• Bonus and incentives: $608,500
• Disclosed compensation: $227,173
• Deferred retirement benefits: $1,028,500
• Benefits: $86,740 (not subjected to taxation)

Brian Kelly Notre Dame Contract

Kelly joined the football program in 2010. He guided them to an 8-5 season in the first year with a Hyundai Sun Bowl win over Miami Hurricanes.

His initial contract saw him make $2.5 million a year.

Brian’s first contract extension occurred in September 2013. The five-year agreement extended his stay till 2017.

With one after another brilliant performance, Notre Dame managed a 10-3 season in 2015. Following that, Brian was handed a six-year contract extension, which would last till 2021.

When the contract was nearing its expiry, he shocked college football by announcing his departure from the program. LSU Tigers quickly acquired his service for a $95 million fee for ten years.

Brian Kelly left Notre Dame on November 29, 2021, following an 11-1 season. Kelly took the head coach job at LSU Tigers.

The coach left after spending twelve seasons with the Fighting Irish. He was officially announced as the Tigers coach on December 1, 2021.

One of the foremost causes is being dissatisfied with the university’s athletic department.

The coach tried to increase the institution’s attention and resources towards the football team for improvement in several sectors.

He said, “And I was pushing for more for the student-athlete. And I wanted to see that piece. And we didn’t seem to be on the same path as to how that was going to get accomplished.”

The lucrative deal of $95 million for ten years from LSU can be another reason. Likewise, the chance to lead one of the top teams in the country and compete with powerhouses in the SEC might be another reason.

At last, the 61-year-old said, “I felt like I did everything that I could at Notre Dame and they felt like they did everything they could for me.”

Kelly’s Replacement

Marcus Freeman was named Brian’s replacement on December 3, 2021. He was hired by Kelly as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in January of the same year.

Freeman served in the same position at Cincinnati Bearcats from 2017 to 2020. His coaching resume reads these other names:

• Ohio State Buckeyes: Graduate assistant (2010)
• Kent State Golden Flashes: Linebackers coach (2011-12)
• Purdue
  • Linebackers coach (2013-15)
  • Co-defensive coordinator & linebackers coach (2016)

His first match as the head coach was at the 2021 Fiesta Bowl. They lost 37-35 to the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Marcus bounced back in 2022 and recorded a 9-4 win-loss record. The team won the 2022 Gator Bowl 45-38 against the South Carolina Gamecocks.

When Kelly took the exit, some coaching staff members jumped ships while many didn’t. Offensive Coordinator Tommy Rees stayed with the new leading man.

Likewise, defensive analyst and graduate assistant Chris O’Leary returned for the 2022 campaign.

Freeman made new hires in the form of Brian Mason, Mike Mickens, James Laurinaitis, Al Washington, Gerard Parker, Harry Hiestand, Chasni Stuckey, and Deland McCullough. 

Past Notre Dame football coaches include HG Hadden, James McWeeney, Red Salmon, Henry J. McGlew, Victor M. Place, and Charlie Weis.

Many coaches lasted only a few years with the team. Weiss spent his time from 2005 to 2009, while Hadden was present during the 1895 season.

The Fighting Irish team played its first-ever football match on November 23, 1887, against Michigan Wolverines. They lost the contest 8-0.

They played the initial five years, 1887 to 1889 and 1892 to 1893, without a coach. Their first football victory was over Harvard Prep School of Chicago by 20-0 in 1888.

Having played a dozen games in five seasons with a record of 7-4-1, they finally hired a coach in 1894.

James L. Morrison was the first head coach of the Fighting Irish. He trained them for a single season and won three, lost one, and tied one.

After Morrison, 29 more coaches have been given the opportunity to work as the Notre Dame football head coach for 128 seasons.

Here is a list of all the coaches and the years they managed the team:

• James L. Morrison: 1894
• H.G. Hadden: 1895
• Frank E. Hering: 1896-98
• James McWeeney: 1899
• Pat O’Dea: 1900-01
• James F. Faragher: 1902-03
• Red Salmon: 1904
• Henry J. McGlew: 1905
• Thomas A. Barry: 1906-07
• Victor M. Place: 1908
• Frank Longman: 1909-10
• John L. Marks: 1911-12
• Jesse Harper: 1913-17
• Knute Rockne: 1918-30
• Hunk Anderson: 1931-33
• Elma Layden: 1934-40
• Frank Leahy: 1941-43, 46-53
• Edward McKeever: 1944
• Hugh Devore: 1945, 63
• Terry Brennan: 1954-58
• Joe Kuharich: 1959-62
• Ara Parseghian: 1964-74
• Dan Devine: 1975-80
• Gerry Faust: 1981-85
• Lou Holtz: 1986-96
• Bob Davie: 1997-2001
• Tyrone Willingham:2002-04
• Charlie Weis: 2005-09
• Brian Kelly: 2010-21
• Marcus Freeman: 2021-now

Two names, George O’Leary and Kent Baer, are excluded from the list. O’Leary was brought in 2001 but did not manage the team for a single game.

He resigned after five days of being named the head coach.

Likewise, Baer was the Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator from 2002 to 2004. After Tyrone Willingham was let go, Baer was named the interim head coach.

The 72-year-old coached for one match at the 2004 Insight Bowl opposite the Oregon State Beavers. They lost the contest 38-21.

Knute Rockne Is The Longest Serving Fighting Irish Coach

Rockne first came to Notre Dame as an assistant in 1914. He served till 1917 before heading to take the head coach duty at South Bend.

He returned to the Fighting Irish, his alma mater, in 1918 as a head coach and handled the team for thirteen seasons till 1930.

Knute won 105 matches, lost 12, and drew five during this span. He won three consensus National Championships in 1924, 1929, and 1930.

Regarded as one of the greatest college football coaches, he pulled five undefeated seasons in 1919 (9-0), 1920 (9-0), 1924 (10-0), 1929 (9-0), and 1930 (10-0). He never had a losing season with the team.