Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME BRIAN KELLY SITTING ON A 'COLD' SEAT With Michigan's Brady Hoke, Florida's Will Muschamp and Nebraska's Bo Pelini all fired from their head coaching positions in 2014, some perception grew that a four‑game losing streak to end the 2014 regular season might make Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly the most high‑profile, hot‑seat coach in 2015 when he enters his sixth season with the Fighting Irish. According to Notre Dame vice president and director of athletics Jack Swarbrick in his annual year‑end interview with Notre Dame's student newspaper The Observer, such speculation is nonsense. CHARTING THE IRISH THE MYTH OF MOMENTUM During the month between the end of the regular season and a team's bowl game, coaches, players, fans and the media discuss the importance of a season-ending bowl victory for offseason momentum heading into the next year. Generally speaking, that is a myth. That is certainly the case at Notre Dame. There might, however, be some added importance attached to this year's Music City Bowl, considering the trajectory of the program heading into year six of Brian Kelly's regime and the difference perception-wise of 8-5 vs. 7-6. Overall, though, a bowl win has not necessarily foreshadowed success the next season, while a post- season loss has not necessarily spelled doom. After losing the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl, the 2012 Irish went undefeated in the regular season and reached the BCS National Championship Game. Notre Dame ended the 2010 season on a four-game win- ning streak, including a 33-17 victory over Miami in the Sun Bowl, but replicated its 8-5 season in 2011. The Irish lost the Cotton Bowl following the 1987 season, but won out in 1988 and captured their most recent national championship. In fact, of the three seasons in which Notre Dame played in a bowl game the year before winning a national title, it lost twice. On the flip side, Notre Dame routed Hawaii in the 2008 Hawaii Bowl to provide optimism for many heading into Charlie Weis' fifth season. The Irish proceeded to finish 6-6, and Weis was axed. WINNING PERCENTAGE FOLLOWING BOWL WINS AND LOSSES Notre Dame's Record The Year Following A Bowl Win: 136-48-3 (.739) Notre Dame's Record The Year Following A Bowl Loss: 137-65-0 (.678)