Photo by Ian Gavlick and graphic by Andrea Archer page 2 The Observer N IN FOCUS Saturday, December 12, 2009 THE OBSERVER Brian Kelly ‘the right man’ for ND P.O. Box 779, Notre Dame, IN 46556 024 South Dining Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jenn Metz MANAGING EDITOR BUSINESS MANAGER Bill Brink Stacey Gill ASST. MANAGING EDITOR: Kara King ASST. MANAGING EDITOR: Aaron Steiner NEWS EDITOR: Madeline Buckley VIEWPOINT EDITOR: Michelle Maitz SPORTS EDITOR: Matt Gamber SCENE EDITOR: Jess Shaffer SAINT MARY’S EDITOR: Ashley Charnley PHOTO EDITOR: Ian Gavlick GRAPHICS EDITOR: Andrea Archer ADVERTISING MANAGERS: Theresa Bea Mary Clare Rodriguez AD DESIGN MANAGER: Jaclyn Espinoza CONTROLLER: Patrick Sala SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR: Steve Lagree OFFICE MANAGER & GENERAL INFO (574) 631-7471 FAX (574) 631-6927 ADVERTISING (574) 631-6900 [email protected] EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (574) 631-4542 [email protected] MANAGING EDITOR (574) 631-4541 [email protected] ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITORS (574) 631-4324 [email protected], [email protected] BUSINESS OFFICE (574) 631-5313 NEWS DESK (574) 631-5323 [email protected] VIEWPOINT DESK (574) 631-5303 [email protected] IAN GAVLICK/The Observer SPORTS DESK Brian Kelly addresses the media Friday at the Guglielmino Athletics Complex as Director of Athletics Jack (574) 631-4543 [email protected] Swarbrick looks on. Kelly was announced as the new Irish head coach Thursday night. SCENE DESK (574) 631-4540 [email protected] conclusion that Brian Kelly was the want to win football games, and they SAINT MARY’S DESK By MICHAEL BRYAN [email protected] right person to lead this program,” want to be led. They want to be Associate Sports Editor PHOTO DESK Swarbrick said. “He was the first developed. I could tell that immedi- (574) 631-8767 [email protected] person I talked to. He was the only ately. SYSTEMS & WEB ADMINISTRATORS After weeks of rumors and specula- person I offered this opportunity to. “You do not come to the University (574) 631-8839 tion, Brian Kelly was officially intro- And it was a compelling case of Notre Dame because you want to THE duced as Notre Dame’s 29th head throughout.” be average. You want to be the best o bserver Online coach Friday. The news of Kelly’s hiring broke of the best. And that’s why I’m here. www.ndsmcobserver.com Kelly has signed a five-year deal to Thursday afternoon and was official- It inspires me to be around young POLICIES coach the Irish after leading ly announced through a university men like I had in front of me today.” Cincinnati to consecutive BCS release that night. Swarbrick said that throughout the The Observer is the independent, daily newspaper appearances. The 47-year old Kelly “Growing up as an Irish Catholic in process he sought the advice of sev- published in print and online by the students of the University of Notre Dame du Lac and Saint Mary’s went 34-6 in three years with the Boston, Massachusetts, I’d come eral members of the team, who College. Editorial content, including advertisements, is Bearcats, and was named Big East home from church after driving my helped the director of athletics with not governed by policies of the administration of either Coach of the Year all three seasons. parents crazy and listen to the reruns the search. institution. The Observer reserves the right to refuse Kelly also won the national Home or the replays of Notre Dame foot- “I read a lot of things about people advertisements based on content. Depot Coach of the Year award ball, and indelibly etched in my mind, saying that this was a less attractive The news is reported as accurately and objectively as Thursday night. in my vision was the job than it used to be, possible. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of “Nobody does it like Notre Dame,” great Lindsey Nelson or the interest was not the majority of the Editor in Chief, Managing Editor, Kelly said. “There’s a chapel in every talking about as we “They want to win what it used to be. You Assistant Managing Editors and department editors. dorm, and there’s a leader around move further into the weren’t in my shoes,” Commentaries, letters and columns present the views football games, and every corner, and we will cultivate of the authors and not necessarily those of The third quarter, the they want to be led.” Swarbrick said. “The Observer. that leadership here at Notre Dame, action, and Notre interest in being the Viewpoint space is available to all readers. The free and we will continue to move Dame playing that leader of this program expression of all opinions through letters is encouraged. towards excellence both in the class- day,” Kelly said. “That Brian Kelly was extraordinary, and Letters to the Editor must be signed and must include room and on the football field.” was all that was on the Irish coach I was so buoyed by the contact information. A veteran with 19 years of head TV in the Kelly house.” level of that interest coaching experience, Kelly will not Kelly said the Notre and the way many of Questions regarding Observer policies should be coach Cincinnati’s Sugar Bowl game Dame job has been a dream of his for the best coaches in the country were directed to Editor-in-Chief Jenn Metz. against Florida. He informed the years. really interested in being part of our Bearcats team of his decision “The story is like this: You come program.” POST OFFICE INFORMATION Thursday afternoon before the team’s home as a parent and you’re going to One trait that stood out to Swarbrick The Observer (USPS 599 2-4000) is published Monday through Friday except during banquet. tell your kids that they’re moving and was Kelly’s appreciation for the tradi- exam and vacation periods. A subscription to The Observer is $120 for one academic year; $65 for one semester. “I’m forever grateful to the players they love the friends and they love tions of Notre Dame, and he honored The Observer is published at: POSTMASTER at the University of Cincinnati for the community, and as we started to the new coach with a unique gift. 024 South Dining Hall Send address corrections to: Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 The Observer what they gave me. They gave me tell them, tears began to well up in “There’s a tradition that we didn’t Periodical postage paid at Notre Dame P.O. Box 779 and additional mailing offices. 024 South Dining Hall this opportunity here at Notre Dame. their eyes, and Gracie came up to discuss that you may or may not be Notre Dame, IN 46556-0779 Their work on the field gave me a me, grabbed me, hugged me and familiar with. The last element of that great opportunity for my family, and said, ‘Dad, I’m so happy for you. I team Mass frequently as celebrated by for that I’m forever grateful,” Kelly know this has been your dream. And Fr. Doyle, who’s with us today, is to The Observer is a member of the Associated Press. All reproduction rights are reserved. said. “But transition is difficult. I’m sad for me just for a little bit. Is identify a saint that we’re honoring Emotion gets involved, and I only that okay?’ And I kissed her, and I that day, and every player as they wish all of them the very, very best.” said, ‘You know what, that’s what is leave the mass and head across the Director of Athletics Jack so magical about this is that my kids walk or get on the bus for an away TODAY’S STAFF Swarbrick said he had a timeline know that this was a dream for me,’” game, gets a medal to take with them. Sports Graphics with the goal of hiring a new coach Kelly said. Many of our players figure out a way Matt Gamber Andrea Archer by this weekend, and was excited to Kelly also met with the Notre Dame to affix that to their uniforms or other- Sam Werner Photos finalize the agreement with Kelly team before his press conference wise have it with them. And yes, we do Thursday. Friday, and had a strong initial keep of the saints’ won loss records. Ian Gavlick “We followed our criteria, we stuck impression. We’re careful about that,” Swarbrick to it, and at every step along the way, “They want to win,” Kelly said. said. it kept taking me back to the same “They’re like any other football pro- place. It kept taking me back to the gram that I’ve been around; they Contact Michael Bryan at [email protected] Saturday, December 12, 2009 The Observer N IN FOCUS page 3 THE CINCINNATI STAFF Kelly has ‘plan in place’ for coaching staff Kerry Coombs Mike Elston Bob Diaco Jeff Quinn Greg Forest Lorenzo Guess Tim Hinton William Inge Charley Molnar Associate HC, Special Teams, Defensive Off. Coordinator, Recruiting, Passing Game, Quarterbacks Tight Ends Linebackers Def. Backs Defensive Line Coordinator Offensive Line Running Backs Receivers Interim head coach Rob Ianello Kelly. He was a sports manage- success of Notre Dame’s running three seasons. By BILL BRINK has taken the head coaching job at ment intern in 1991 at Grand backs coach, Tony Alford, in Coombs would replace Corwin Sports Writer Akron, leaving the positions of Valley State, Kelly’s first year. improving the run game and the Brown, the associate head coach receivers coach and recruiting Forest has had great success this fact that Hinton was the only and defensive backs coach.