Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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erywhere promote once they hear it. The tiny seed of that T BY LOU SOMOGYI he growth and deve lopment of the Chinese bamboo tree is a story coaches ev- tree is planted, and day after day, week after week and even year af- ter year, it has to be nur- tured, watered and fer- tilized. The problem is no appreciable or visible growth results occur for about four or five years. Then suddenly, over a span of about six weeks, it sprouts about 90 feet to become a majestic sight. Some might contend it the long haul of its life. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly might not know much about horticulture, but he has the green thumb when it comes to cultivating championship football. Unlike the Chinese bam- boo tree, the growth of Kelly's programs has usually taken only about three years — while con- sistently, day by day, watering and fertilizing with the same message. "Consistency and con- is akin to the 2012 Notre Dame football team. For years, progress seemed at a standstill … and then all of a sudden the amazing growth spurt exploded onto the scene. Only now is it becoming visible to the rest of col- lege football. The moral of its story is that while tangible growth might not be evident despite daily dedication, a powerful root system takes place within that enables it to sustain brilliantly over tinuity," replied Kelly prior to his second year when asked by Blue & Gold Illustrated what he believes has to be the most important element toward building a pre- mier football program. "A consistent ap- proach, a clear message in what is expected of these young men on a day-to-day basis. No surprises, no changes, here's what we ask you to do." After building Grand nine seasons, including 3-9 the year prior to his arrival. By year three, the Chippewas had re- corded a nine-win regu- lar season under Kelly and were the Mid-Amer- ican champions. Next was Cincinnati, which had never placed in the Associated Press final rankings, had 10 straight losing seasons from 1983-92 and didn't win more than eight games in one year in the 13 seasons thereafter. After guiding double- digit-victory campaigns and No. 17 AP finishes in each of his first two seasons, Kelly hit the mother lode in year three (2009) with a 12-0 regular-season mark, nearly missing playing for the national title. Now in year three at Valley State into a Divi- sion II superpower with back-to-back national titles in 2002 and 2003, Kelly began his Foot- ball Bowl Subdivision (FBS) journey at Central Michigan in 2004, which was 33-68 the previous Notre Dame, after dis- appointing and not tan- gibly visible progress during back-to-back 8-5 campaigns, "The Pro- cess" has taken root with an 11-0 start in what on the outside was pro- jected as another 7-5 or 8-4 type of year. Kelly seems to be "right on schedule" in year three — just like the five other Notre Dame