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Notre Dame football: The curious timeline of Brian Kelly’s departure

By Andrew Hall

Nov 27, 2021; Stanford, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly walks off the field after the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2021; Stanford, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly walks off the field after the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports /
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Notre Dame football
CHESTNUT HILL, MASSACHUSETTS – NOVEMBER 14: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame football looks on from the sideline during the first half against the Boston College Eagles at Alumni Stadium on November 14, 2020, in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Brian Kelly left a Notre Dame football team on the precipice of the college football playoff to become the head coach of the LSU Tigers.

Brian Kelly shocked the college football world and departed the Notre Dame football program as the all-time winningest coach to become the new head football coach at LSU. As with Cincinnati’s departure, Kelly left behind a very murky timeline and several burned bridges. Here is the best attempt at piecing together the wild timeline.

Notre Dame football: The curious timeline of Brian Kelly’s departure

Approximately 2 weeks ago – Kelly flirts with other programs

Reporters asked Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick whether he was surprised by Brian Kelly’s departure.

“There was a Freudian slip or two along the way that grabbed my attention. Whether that was intentional or not, you felt like it was somebody who might be open to a different opportunity,” Swarbrick said in his response.

Quiet rumors persisted during this period about possibly becoming the head coach at Southern California. It is uncertain but likely that Kelly or his agent Trace Armstrong had discussions with USC and LSU before Notre Dame’s regular-season finale with Stanford.

Approximately 7:45 pm – Brian Kelly leaves the house of WR recruit Tobias Merriweather

Kelly and several other coaches met with recruit Tobias Merriweather from Washington on the evening of November 29th. Minutes after the group departed, news broke that Brian Kelly would become the next LSU head coach.

This was a theme for Irish coaches during the evening.

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