When Florida State fired head coach Willie Taggart back on November 3 we were quick to tell you to be on the lookout for rumors about whoever your favorite head coach is to be taking the job in Tallahassee, Brian Kelly included.
Fast-forward 17 days and we have found claims that Florida State is indeed interested in Notre Dame’s Kelly as their next head coach.
Bud Elliott and Ingram Smith of NoleCast cite independent sources that Florida State has interest in Brian Kelly and give reasons behind why it would at least a hair of sense.
“Two people have told us FSU has interest in Brian Kelly”
“There’s a little bit of question about the fit, but the proven track record of hiring assistant coaches and having them get promoted to other jobs and hiring new ones who are as good or better is really impressive.”
“He’s a really good recruiter with his staff. I think he knows what goes on in the south east, because we know he’s recruited some of these guys, and not always gotten them, but we know that’s due to some of the academic stuff”
-NoleCast Podcast on November 19, 2019
Elliott and Smith also discuss how Notre Dame’s academic standards and the difficulty winning big with them creates would make the Florida State job appealing to Kelly.
I get where they’re coming from and if you’re Florida State you should be looking anywhere and everywhere for a proven coach who is going to turn their recent sorry state of affairs around. As much as I’m not a Florida State fan, they’re a team that the game of college football, or at least the ACC, is just better when they’re good.
My only question though: Why would Kelly have any interest in going to a Florida State program where a massive rebuild is needed just to get in the same ballpark as Clemson, let alone pass them?
How likely is it to happen?
On a scale of “Beating Bowling Green to Lennay Kekua” I’d be somewhere near George O’Leary but short of Kekua.
