Irish trying to host game at Soldier Field

The Fighting Irish have found a home away from home. Notre Dame may be coming to Chicago as soon as 2012. Athletic director Jack Swarbrick confirmed on Monday what has long been in the works: Soldier Field is the target venue for an off-site home game slot yet to be filled two seasons down the line. “We were solely focused on getting (2011) closed out, but having now achieved that we will turn in earnest to nailing down the off-site game for ‘12,” Swarbrick said. “Our starting point for that effort is to see if we can find the right opponent and date for a game in Chicago.” – Chicago Tribune

Lou Holtz a fraud? You decide.

By Peter Tannenbaum - Special to Football Rumor Mill

It’s interesting to see Lou Holtz out taking credit for his son Skip’s success. He plays the role of proud papa on ESPN and gives interview after interview.

Before the Skipper landed at USF, he told the Orlando Sentinel, “It would be great. We’d have the whole I-4 corridor covered,” said Holtz who lives in Orlando and whose son Kevin is a public defender in Daytona Beach. “I think Skip feels the same way I do.”

How do you think Skip really feels? The younger Holtz has been outstanding in two of his last three jobs. He won at Connecticut as a head coach. He won big at East Carolina.

Does anyone remember where he was a miserable failure? Let us refresh your memory. The elder Holtz demoted his son as offensive coordinator at South Carolina. He caved to the pressure. What did Skip do? He kept his mouth shut and eventually landed the head job at East Carolina – no thanks to Daddy Holtz.

It’s also interesting to note that the younger Holtz has yet to land a program on probation. His record was clean at both UConn and at East Carolina. What about Daddy? Well, that’s another story.

Much has been made of Lou Holtz leading six different programs to bowl games. Not as much, however, is made of him leaving four programs on probation.

Holtz was dismissed at Arkansas following a 6–5 campaign in 1983. What most forget is that he was shown the door due to looming NCAA sanctions and a commercial he did for right wing Senator Jesse Helms, who was leading the charge against the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Next up was Minnesota. Holtz left for Notre Dame after only two seasons but, the NCAA placed Minnesota on two years probation for 17 rule violations, two of which were committed by Holtz during his tenure.

The trend continued at Notre Dame. Following an investigation in 1999, the NCAA placed Notre Dame on two years probation for extra benefits provided by a representative of the university to football players and one incident of academic fraud. The NCAA found that Holtz and members of his staff learned of the violations but failed to make appropriate inquiry or to take prompt action, finding Holtz’s efforts “inadequate.”

After unceremoniously demoting his son at South Carolina, it seems Holtz had his mind on things other than NCAA rules. The NCAA imposed three years probation and reductions in two scholarships on South Carolina for ten admitted violations under Holtz, five of which were found to be major. The violations involved improper tutoring and off-season workouts (including supervised practices in summer), as well as a lack of institutional control.

So, there you have it… the real Lou Holtz.

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

Kevin Sumlin Declines Cincinnati Interview

Houston coach Kevin Sumlin has declined an interview request for the vacant Cincinnati job. “After speaking with representatives with the University of Cincinnati yesterday and today, I declined an interview,” he said in a statement. “I am looking forward to our first bowl practice later this afternoon and later honoring our seniors at the football banquet tonight.” The Bearcats are in the midst of leadership change after former coach Brian Kelly left the program for Notre Dame on Thursday. Kelly posted a 34-6 record in three years at the school and has guided Cincinnati to consecutive BCS bowl appearances in the past two seasons. – ESPN.com

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

Jim Harbaugh met with Notre Dame reps

Multiple sources told the Sun-Times that Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh met Monday in Chicago with reps from the Atlanta-based Parker group to discuss the Notre Dame job. Harbaugh was in Green Bay, Wis., on Monday night to watch brother John coach the Baltimore Ravens in a loss to the Packers. Harbaugh refuted a report in the New York Times that he was scheduled to meet with Irish athletic director Jack Swarbrick, who was in New York at the time. – Chicago Sun Times

Randy Edsall is Notre Dame’s backup plan

Despite Connecticut coach Randy Edsall’s name floating into the conversation again Wednesday, Brian Kelly remains the front-runner for the job. That said, Notre Dame is protecting itself against unforeseen problems in negotiations with Kelly by having Edsall as a backup plan, two sources familiar with the situation told the Tribune. According to the sources, Edsall is that fall-back, a solid choice full of integrity in case of a late snag in talks with Kelly. – Philadelphia Inquirer

Why not Tommy Tuberville at Notre Dame?

Sources close to the Notre Dame search process and some powerful alumni with heavy checkbooks have tried to introduce former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville into the core of the search, but so far he sits on the periphery. Tuberville, when reached at his home in Auburn, Ala. on Wednesday afternoon, acknowledged as much, but would welcome the process taking an 11th-hour, wide left turn in his direction. “I don’t think there’s any doubt Notre Dame can win and win big again,” said Tuberville, whose last trip to South Bend came last spring when he spoke at a Notre Dame coaches clinic at Weis’ request. “I just think they need to find the right guy with the right philosophy.” … “I think Notre Dame needs to get back to being more physical. They need more and better defensive linemen. They need quarterbacks who can beat you with their arm and their legs. They’re not that far away from where they want to be.” – South Bend Tribune

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

UConn’s Randy Edsall could meet with Notre Dame today

UConn football coach Randy Edsall may not be the front-runner, but it’s fairly clear he is a candidate for the vacant head coaching position at Notre Dame. Edsall could meet with Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick as early as today, a source close to the situation said Monday. “I’m not going talk about anything,” Edsall said when asked about the Notre Dame job. “I’m coaching at UConn. I’m here at UConn.” Edsall’s agent, Gary O’Hagan of IMG, would not confirm that his client had interview scheduled with Swarbrick when contacted Monday. “Randy’s out recruiting. That’s it,” O’Hagan said. Edsall, 51, is in his 11th season with the Huskies. – Connecticut Post

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