Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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UNDER THE DOME first-year Fighting Irish boss Charlie Weis inked a deal to be with Notre Dame through the 2015 season, but was ousted after the 2009 campaign. His reported $19 million buyout finally ended this past December. Kelly's track record has been more prom- ising than that of his three predecessors, and this was Kelly's third contract extension at Notre Dame. On Jan. 10, 2012, the university an- nounced it had extended Kelly's agreement for two seasons through 2016. Kelly received a second extension, this one through the 2017 season, following the 2013 season-opening victory over Temple. 226 CAREER WINS AND COUNTING With the retirement this past season of Vir- g i n i a Te c h ' s F r a n k B e a m e r a n d S o u t h Carolina's Steve Spur- rier, Kelly enters the 2016 season with the most career victories a m o n g a c t i v e F o o t - ball Bowl Subdivision coaches with 226. He was 118-35-2 at Grand Valley State (1991-2003), 19-16 at Central Michi- gan (2004-06), 34-6 at Cincinnati (2007-09), and 55-23 (.705 winning per- centage) at Notre Dame through six seasons. In a released statement from the school, Notre Dame director of athlet- ics and vice president Jack Swarbrick said: "In the classroom, in the community and on the playing field, Brian has built the foundation of a great Notre Dame foot- ball program — one that reflects this university's values and its unique re- lationship to the game of football. I could not be more excited about the future of our football program under Brian's leadership, and I am especially thankful that our student-athletes will continue to have the benefit of that leadership in the years to come." "I want to thank Fa- ther Jenkins [university president Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.] and the leadership of Notre Dame for their confi- dence in me," Kelly said. "I coach football because I believe there are few better avenues for impacting the lives of young men, and I am certain that there is no better place to do that than the University of Notre Dame. "During the next six years, I look forward to continuing to lead a championship-caliber program, but more im- portantly I look forward to continuing to help the student-athletes I coach to achieve greatness as football players, as stu- dents and as men who will make a difference in families, communities and organizations they will someday lead." On National Signing NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL TICKETS BUY 2016 FOOTBALL TICKETS NOW 1-800-925-2500 www.NotreDameTickets.com