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Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly disappointed in AD's vote of confidence

Graham Watson

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said Tuesday he was disappointed that athletic director Jack Swarbrick had to give him a vote of confidence last Friday.

Notre Dame started the season ranked in the top 10, but are now 2-5 coming off a bye week and the groans about the coaching situation have been persistent. But Swarbrick didn’t flinch. He said in no uncertain terms that he was sticking by Kelly.

“Brian will lead this team out of the tunnel opening day next year,” Swarbrick said. “I can tell you I continue to have complete confidence in Brian. I think you really see what you’ve got in a coach with how they manage times like this, and I think he has done a great job of it.”

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly didn't want his athletic director to have to give him a vote of confidence. (Getty Images)
Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly didn’t want his athletic director to have to give him a vote of confidence. (Getty Images)

While Kelly was appreciative of his athletic director’s words, he was unhappy they had to be said in the first place.

“Anytime that your athletic director has to come out and say that, as a head coach you’re disappointed that any kind of comments like that have to be made,” Kelly said during his Tuesday news conference. “I didn’t ask him. That was his decision. But, you know, I clearly understand what he was doing. He was probably sick and tired of being sick and tired, too. But for me, it’s disappointing, certainly, that you have to make those comments.”

Kelly also said he could empathize with how fans were feeling. He said the Irish’s issues were complex, but stopped short of calling them frustrating.

“When I say ‘complex,’ I don’t mean things that can’t be accomplished, but that take time,” Kelly said. “We don’t have time. Nobody has time in our society. Nobody has time, if you’re an annoyed fan, to wait for us. I get that. I’m not here to be in front of anybody to ask for time.”

Kelly is 57-28 with Notre Dame. His best season came in 2012 when the Irish went 12-1 after losing to Alabama in the national championship game.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter!