Brian Kelly turned 60 on Oct. 25, a month after he became the winningest coach in Notre Dame history.
Kelly seemed to be in the legacy-building stage of his Hall of Fame career. He had stabilized and upgraded Notre Dame's program, rebounding from a 4-8 season in 2016 to string together campaigns of double-digit wins. Notre Dame made the College Football Playoff in 2018 and 2020 and seemed positioned to contend for the top four on a somewhat regular basis.
Kelly, who flirted with the NFL early in his career, didn't seem like a coach ready to depart for another college job. Just last week, he joked that unless a fairy godmother came along with a $250 million check, he would retire at Notre Dame as one of the program's greatest coaches.
LSU athletic director Scott Woodward must own a cloak and a magic wand.
In an absolutely stunning move, Kelly is leaving Notre Dame to become the next LSU coach. He won 113 games with the Fighting Irish in 12 years (including 21 from 2012 and 2013 that were vacated by the NCAA) and won 10 or more in each of the past five seasons.
Kelly's departure frees up yet another A-list job in a historic coaching carousel. Notre Dame hasn't won a national title since 1988, but many coaches still view it as one of the best jobs in the sport. The Fighting Irish recruit nationally, boast a national fan following and play games around the country.
Kelly undoubtedly leaves his successor a better program than he inherited from Charlie Weis. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick has been in place since 2008, and the university has made some important recent upgrades, including an indoor practice field just for football.
Swarbrick will have no shortage of interested candidates. I'd be a bit surprised if he goes beyond No. 3 or 4 on this list.
Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell: He normally would be the favorite for the Notre Dame job, and he still could end up being the choice. But things are complicated. Fickell has Cincinnati positioned for a historic CFP berth, which the Bearcats likely would earn if they beat Houston in the upcoming AAC title game. If Cincinnati makes the playoff, Fickell wouldn't be available until early January, at the earliest. Notre Dame likely couldn't wait that long. Fickell, 48, is entrenched at Cincinnati, but Notre Dame is believed to be one of two jobs (Ohio State is the other) that he would take in a heartbeat. He and his wife, Amy, are devout Catholics who would fit in perfectly with the Notre Dame community. Fickell is 47-14 at Cincinnati and 43-6 since the start of the 2018 season.
Iowa State coach Matt Campbell: He and Fickell have similar profiles and aspirations. Both are native Ohioans who are in high demand for other jobs but would only leave for a select few. Notre Dame is right at the top of the list for Campbell, who is 42-33 at Iowa State with a No. 9 finish and a Fiesta Bowl championship last year. Campbell, 42, spent his early career in his home state before landing the Iowa State job. He has dramatically upgraded the Cyclones program, and he could be considered for Oklahoma's coaching vacancy, as well. Campbell is a sharp offensive mind and a strong recruiter whose personality and approach would suit Notre Dame well.
Notre Dame defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman: He is only 35 and has been at Notre Dame for less than a year, but the former Ohio State linebacker has made a strong impression in South Bend, Indiana. Kelly even remarked this summer about Freeman's potential as a head coach, an opportunity that should be coming soon. Freeman has boosted Notre Dame's recruiting efforts and built an improved defense during the season. He would need to be surrounded by veteran coaches who have overseen programs before. Freeman grew up near Dayton, Ohio, and he has spent his entire career in Ohio and Indiana. He will be a Power 5 head coach soon, and Notre Dame could hire him before another program gets the chance.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi: He is a veteran coach who knows the Midwest, the Big Ten and now the ACC quite well. Narduzzi, 55, led Pitt to a 10-2 record and an ACC Coastal Division title this year, and the Panthers will play for a conference championship on Saturday. He previously served as defensive coordinator at Michigan State and Cincinnati, and he has recruited the same areas -- and many of the same players -- as Notre Dame over the years. Narduzzi has a strong background on defense but also has produced strong offenses at Pitt, particularly this season and in 2016.
Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule: His name recently has started to bubble up more for college jobs, especially with the Panthers struggling for the second consecutive season. Although Rhule had long been targeted for the NFL, he might ultimately be best suited in the college game, where he had success at both Temple and Baylor, before leaving for Carolina. Rhule, 46, is a New York native who played at Penn State and has spent much of his career in the Northeast, although he also has strong ties to Texas after his time at Baylor. Rhule's personality would fit Notre Dame very well, and his overall profile of experience could be intriguing for Swarbrick.
Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald: He is another long shot but worth including because of his career accomplishments and proximity to Notre Dame. Fitzgerald, 46, grew up in the Chicago suburbs, and he has recruited the Midwest for most of his coaching career. He is the winningest coach in Northwestern history and has guided the Wildcats to two division titles since 2018, 10 bowl games and five AP Top 25 finishes. Fitzgerald has turned down overtures from Michigan and the NFL as well as other notable jobs, and he agreed to a new 10-year contract earlier this year. But he is at somewhat of a low point after Northwestern went 3-9 for the second time in three seasons.
Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien: He wants to be a head coach again and can handle high-profile environments, after leading Penn State and the Houston Texans and also working under Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots. O'Brien, 52, is a seasoned offensive playcaller who can develop quarterbacks, most recently Heisman Trophy contender Bryce Young at Alabama. He spent much of his early career coaching ball in the ACC, where Notre Dame plays about half of its games. O'Brien also is familiar with some areas where Notre Dame recruits from his time at Penn State.
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops: He grew up in a Catholic home in Youngstown, Ohio, and knew all about Notre Dame football from an early age. Stoops has spent most of his coaching career away from his roots, but he still recruits Ohio and the Midwest extensively at Kentucky, where he is completing his ninth season as coach. The 54-year-old coach is just 58-53, but he will lead the Wildcats into their sixth consecutive bowl game with a chance for 10 wins. This fall, Kentucky started 6-0 for the first time since Bear Bryant coached the team in 1950. Stoops is ready to jump to a bigger program and would bring a strong background of recruiting and player development to Notre Dame.
Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea: A year ago, Lea undoubtedly would have been a top candidate to replace Kelly, his boss at Notre Dame from 2017 to 2020. Like Freeman, Lea was held in extremely high regard by Notre Dame administrators and others around the program. His intelligence and steady demeanor make him a perfect fit for a job such as Notre Dame's. But Lea, 40, is working at his alma mater and living in his hometown. He also finished 2-10 (0-8 in the SEC) in his first season. It's hard to see him leaving Vanderbilt so soon, and Notre Dame has some other appealing candidates. The timing just feels a bit off here.
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Notre Dame football coaching search - Top candidates to replace Brian Kelly - ESPN
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