Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/638727
2016 RECRUITING ISSUE Lack Of Contract Extension Didn't Hurt Irish On Trail Notre Dame announced a six-year contract extension with head coach Brian Kelly the week before National Signing Day Feb. 3. Kelly offered that such stability helps while recruiting some of the nation's top athletes, but that the lack of an extension and rumors about him pursuing NFL jobs did not negatively affect Notre Dame's ef- forts. "You get questions about it once in a while," he said. "It wasn't pervasive. It wasn't something that we felt like we had to recruit around because those questions come up virtually to all coaches that are having some success. "It wasn't big, but certainly any time that you can make that announce- ment that there's continuity within your program for six more years, it certainly serves you well in the re- cruiting process. "But I don't believe at any time it be- came a hindrance and something that, 'Oh, we've got to announce this to hold on to five or six kids in our class.' "It was certainly timely, there's no question about it. It helps, but we didn't think we needed to make an an- nouncement because we had a great amount of uncertainty about me be- ing here at Notre Dame." — Andrew Owens Kelly noted that an emphasis on finding the right fits for Notre Dame and building relationships with the recruits and their families led to a drama-free National Signing Day. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND