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Notre Dame football: Potential replacements for Brian Kelly

By Daniel Morrison

CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 29: Head coach Luke Fickell of the Cincinnati Bearcats greets fans before the game against the UCLA Bruins at Nippert Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 29: Head coach Luke Fickell of the Cincinnati Bearcats greets fans before the game against the UCLA Bruins at Nippert Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – OCTOBER 30: Head coach Luke Fickell of the Cincinnati Bearcats reacts during the second half against the Tulane Green Wave at Yulman Stadium on October 30, 2021, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – OCTOBER 30: Head coach Luke Fickell of the Cincinnati Bearcats reacts during the second half against the Tulane Green Wave at Yulman Stadium on October 30, 2021, in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame football: Potential replacements for Brian Kelly

Luke Fickell

Cincinnati Head Coach

It has been widely reported that there are only two or three jobs that Luke Fickell would leave Cincinnati for. The first is his alma mater, where he coached most of his career, Ohio State. The second is Notre Dame. After that, it’s a bit of a guess.

Fickell is the biggest name in coaching right now, having turned the Cincinnati Bearcats from a 4-8 disaster to a potential Group of Five Playoff team. He’s done so by recruiting at a dominant level, bringing an attitude to the defensive side of the ball, and developing talent at an incredibly high rate. Given Notre Dame’s resources, he could thrive and potentially be better than Kelly was, particularly in the early years.

Luke Fickell is the top coaching candidate for a lot of schools for a reason. What he’s done at Cincinnati is shocking, in a good way. He has a 47-14 record in his time there. Of course, the Irish will have to fend off monster offers from schools like Oklahoma in the meantime to get him.

It’s also worth pointing out that Marcus Freeman has worked for Luke Fickell before, at Cincinnati and that the two are very close friends. Their families are incredibly close. If anyone can keep Freeman at Notre Dame as the defensive coordinator, it’ll be Fickell. That would help to keep the current recruiting class intact.

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