Who Will be the Next Football Coach at Notre Dame?
In December 2009, Brian Kelly was hired to replace Charlie Weis as the Notre Dame head football coach. The hiring was widely applauded following Kelly’s successful tenure at the University of Cincinnati, where he led the Bearcats to a 34-6 record including consecutive appearances in BCS bowls.
In his first six seasons with the Fighting Irish, Kelly posted a 55-23 record including an appearance in the 2013 National Championship Game. However, things have been very different in South Bend this season. With Notre Dame off to a 3-6 start, the Irish are in jeopardy of finishing with a losing record for the first time since 2007. In fact, they would need to win out (including two victories against ranked opponents) to avoid a losing season.
Before the start of the season, Kelly and the school agreed to a six-year contract extension that runs through the 2021 season. Despite that recent long-term commitment, many college football analysts have speculated that Kelly is on the hot seat. On Thursday evening, the market-setting Bookmaker.eu posted odds on the potential coaching vacancy at Notre Dame.
Former LSU head coach Les Miles opened as the favorite to be named the next head coach at Notre Dame, however, his odds quickly dropped from +155 to +175. Conversely, Kelly’s odds of retaining the job improved from +175 to +130.
The table below displays the current odds at Bookmaker. It will be updated as new information becomes available.
| Coach | Bookmaker (11/11) | Bookmaker (11/10) |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Kelly | +130 | +175 |
| Les Miles | +170 | +155 |
| Urban Meyer | +2500 | +2500 |
| Dan Mullen | +2600 | +2600 |
| David Shaw | +2700 | +2700 |
| Field | -145 | -145 |
Considering Kelly’s prior track record and his recent long-term extension, I don’t believe that he will be fired. For that reason, there’s probably some value on Kelly at plus money to keep his job.
While we wait for more information to arise, make sure to track the latest odds and public betting trends on our free college football odds page. Interested in following our winning picks? Sign up for a 4-day trial of our Pro subscription for just $49!
Who do you think Notre Dame will hire? Will the University actually fire Brian Kelly? Are there any major omissions from this list? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
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