Cincinnati Hires Butch Jones

Butch Jones will likely follow in the footsteps of Brian Kelly. According to several reports, Jones will leave Central Michigan University, as Kelly did in 2006, and take the job at Cincinnati. The Morning Sun of Mt. Pleasant , MI reports that Jones and Cincinnati were negotiating a contract Tuesday night. Cincinnati offensive coordinator Jeff Quinn, the man charged with leading the Bearcats until a new coach is named, was also hoping to get the job. It would stand to reason that if Jones was hired this week, he would be with the Bearcats in New Orleans New Years day for the Sugar Bowl matchup against Florida. It remains to be seen what the future for the remaining staff at Cincinnati will be, but the Chicago Tribune reports that some of Kelly’s staff could join him at Notre Dame, after the Sugar Bowl. The paper also reports that Quinn interviewed for the head coaching job at the University of Buffalo. – DSI

Temple’s Al Golden, East Carolina’s Skip Holtz candidates for Cincinnati job

With Brian Kelly now at Notre Dame, and the University of Cincinnati head-coaching job vacant, the search for Kelly’s replacement has officially begun. Possible candidates already working in the system include associate head coach and defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs, and offensive coordinator and offensive Line coach Jeff Quinn.East Carolina University’s Skip Holtz, and Temples Al Golden are two other possible replacements. Holtz is the son of the famous Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz, and is known for rebuilding the East Carolinas football program from scratch. Holtz inherited a program with just three wins in 25 games, however in the last three years he led the Pirates to three winning seasons, three bowl appearances and two consecutive conference USA championships. Like Holtz, Golden is known for rebuilding a program from scratch. Golden is in his fourth year at Temple and inherited a 3-31 program that had not seen a bowl game in 30 years. Golden slowly rebuilt the program and in 2009 he led the Owls to the Eagle Bank Bowl and their first winning record since 1990. – The News Record

Brian Kelly’s home vandalized

There’s another reason Brian Kelly is excited to return to Notre Dame for his first official day on the job Monday: Apparently the people of Cincinnati can’t wait until he leaves. A post on Kelly’s Twitter page Sunday morning indicated he received quite the cool welcome as he spent the weekend wrapping up loose ends in Cincinnati. “Spent most of the morning on the phone with recruits,” Kelly wrote. “House got egged last night and the sign on the lawn wasn’t a FOR SALE sign.” – Chicago Tribune

Brian Kelly upsets Cincinnati players

Brian Kelly held a meeting with Cincinnati players and told them he had accepted the Notre Dame job. Receiver Mardy Gilyard, who walked out of that meeting, said some players were upset about the situation. “He went for that money, that wasn’t no time for me to be in there,” Gilyard said. “I don’t want to hear it. I’m thoroughly disgusted with this situation, that it lasted this long. I heard everything I needed to hear, and that was, ‘I accepted the Notre Dame job.’” Gilyard said he said he got the news about Kelly from a friend who texted him before the banquet. “I feel like there was a little lying in this thing, I feel like he’s known the whole time. I kind of had a gut feeling that he was going to stay because he told me he was going to be here. But it is what it is. He made a business decision,” Gilyard said. – Cincinnati Enquirer

Brian Kelly and Notre Dame close on deal

Brian Kelly didn’t interview Tuesday in New York to become Notre Dame’s next football coach. But then, Kelly already may have known enough about the job to take it. Kelly had a meeting last week about the opening with representatives of Notre Dame before Cincinnati’s Big East championship game against Pittsburgh, the Tribune has learned. Talks progressed well enough that the official announcement Kelly will be Charlie Weis’ replacement could come as early as Friday — any time after Cincinnati’s football banquet Thursday night. The informational session with Kelly was facilitated by the Parker Executive Search firm of Atlanta. Notre Dame used it to gauge the interest of potential candidates, a source said. The interest from both sides was mutual, but Kelly didn’t want his involvement to distract his Bearcats before the biggest game of the season. Cincinnati beat Pitt 45-44 to earn the school’s second straight BCS bowl berth. – Chicago Tribune

Why Notre Dame may pass on Brian Kelly

Notre Dame fans want the best coach possible, yet they keep scratching all the top candidates off their list. Mike Leach is a Mormon. Jim Harbaugh is divorced. Jon Gruden had a DUI. Randy Edsall hasn’t won enough, Pat Fitzgerald isn’t old enough and Skip Holtz doesn’t recruit well enough. Then there’s the latest controversy that’s lighting up the message boards of what might be the most plugged-in fan base in the nation: Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly is said to be pro-choice. Where precisely Kelly stands on what should be a private issue is uncertain, and frankly nobody’s business, but if true it could be a deal-breaker for many on the Catholic university’s campus. – Chicago Sun Times

Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly still in play at Notre Dame

On the coaching front, one prominent name that remains in play, University of Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly, told Bill Koch of the Cincinnati Enquirer on Tuesday that he has not been contacted by anyone from Notre Dame and will not deal with anything Notre Dame-related until after the Pitt game. The fifth-ranked Bearcats (11-0) visit 15th-ranked Pittsburgh (9-2) on Saturday, with the winner receiving the Big East’s automatic berth into the BCS. Kelly also told Koch that he has begun preliminary discussions with UC athletic director Mike Thomas about a new contract, which would be his third in three years. Kelly has a $1 million buyout in his current contract. – South Bend Tribune

Brian Kelly won’t say he’s staying at Cincinnati

Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly was given a chance to give the Urban Meyer “I’m here as long as they’ll have me” answer at his press conference Tuesday. He didn’t. But he downplayed talk about his future, i.e, the Notre Dame job. “I can only be honest with (the players). This is the silly season. We’ve been having this conversation the last two years. The truth is this happens every year. It will continue to happen while I’m at the University of Cincinnati because nobody thinks Cincinnati is a destination job. It just happens that way.” Kelly has talked with schools about openings in the past. “The process is after the season. . . after you’re done, looking at what are the best opportunities for you, your family and your program. It comes back to the same thing: Cincinnati is a great place to be. – Cincinnati Enquirer

Brian Kelly should replace Charlie Weis at Notre Dame

Brian Kelly should replace Charlie  Weis as Notre Dame coach. That is the only conclusion I can reach after Weis once again failed to defeat USC, his fifth such loss to them… Yesterday it was poor play-calling and a porous defence in the third quarter that cost Notre Dame. Weis has had enough chances - let’s get Brian Kelly… Weis is done. His team is 4-2 headed for a minor bowl game. Notre Dame will never be a national power under him because, simply put, his teams cannot play defense… Weis has to go and Kelly should replace him. – Irish Central

Brian Kelly Could Bolt Cincinnati

Brian Kelly has a provision in his contract about facilities upgrades at Cincy, and his buyout is significantly lower if those upgrades aren’t complete by specific deadlines. Meanwhile, his Bearcats teams continue to emerge on the national scene. They win big games, they play on national television, they’ve done things never accomplished before at Cincinnati. The reality is, this joyride in Cincy won’t be around much longer if the university doesn’t improve facilities. True story: The Bearcats have no practice fields; they practice at aging Nippert Stadium. Kelly will be the hottest coach in the country by the end of the season. His staying or leaving for a better job is up to the Cincy administration. – Sporting News

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