Cincy’s Brian Kelly Favorite to Replace Charlie Weis at Notre Dame in 2010: The Notre Dame Fighting Irish has a short fuse when it comes to Head Football Coaches and winning and it’s widely accepted that Charlie Weis is out at the end of the season.  My only question is whether he will coach the team if they accept an invitation to a bowl game. Heading the short list to replace Weis is Cincinnati Bearcats Head Coach Brian Kelly whose undefeated team is No. 5 in the Polls and trying to break into the BCS Championship game. The college football experts at online sportsbook Bodog.com have Brian Kelly as 3/2 odds to become the next head football coach at ND.

Kelly’s record is outstanding as Bearcat coach 31-6 and overall 168-57-2 throughout his career as a head coach. He is 2-1 in bowl games and has led the Grand Valley State Lakers to the Division II national championships in 2002 and 2003. Coach Kelly has a wife (Paqui) and 3 children (Patrick, Grace, and Kenzel).

A name that will always be brought back into the conversation is the Florida Gators Urban Meyer who was courted by the Irish prior to taking the Florida job.  Then later on said “He really wanted to be at Notre Dame" and that will continue to haunt him no matter how much he loves it in Gainesville.  Realistically it would be perfect for him as Tim Tebow is graduating and with maybe another BCS National Championship this year at Florida it would be a good time to make a move. Meyer is at 3/2 odds and my personal favorite to take the job.

Others on the list include:

Jim Harbaugh: 3/1
Chip Kelly: 5/1
Kirk Ferentz: 10/1
Bob Stoops: 20/1
Jon Gruden: 30/1

All would be good and have outstanding resumes but Jim Harbaugh is really hot as he has won a Superbowl as a player and done a terrific job turning around the Stanford Cardinals.  The Cardinals pounded USC last week; something Weis could not get done.  John Gruden aka chuckie is an interesting longshot as he just signed an extention with ESPN.  Stay Tuned!

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