Speculation Station: Brian Kelly Interviewed by Dan Patrick

These days, the most mentioned name in the Notre Dame coaching search media circus is Brian Kelly.  Today Coach Kelly addressed the vacant Notre Dame job and the decisions that he will likely be making in the next few days in an interview on the Dan Patrick Show.  Here are some quotes from the Dan Patrick / Brian Kelly interview:

Dan Patrick: Do you guarantee you will coach in the Sugar Bowl?

Brian Kelly: No, there is no guarantees in anything that you do. I’ve never given a guarantee whether I was gonna make it home at the end of the day, so, umm, but I really have not sat down and had a chance to evaluate what it is that is in the future. I haven’t done that yet. I’m going to do that over the next few days because I have an opportunity to do that. Up til then Dan, it has been 100% focus on getting this team back to a BCS game, and that really has been my focus. I’ve said that, and I know people don’t like hearing that because people want you to tell them what they want to hear, and the fact of the matter is I’ll use the next few days to kind of decide where we go from here.
Dan Patrick: What if this scenario comes up here. I know its hypothetical, but I think it’s closer to being true than hypothetical. Let’s say Notre Dame says “You know what Brian, we want to talk to you.” How do you do that quietly, without offending people, but also being respectful to a job that you would love to perhaps have?
Brian Kelly: Well, there’s a lot of assumptions there. There is a lot of assumptions that I want another job. But to answer your question truthfully, its difficult. If somebody wants to talk to you, clearly you want to be able to do a couple things, #1, I’m still under contract here, there are some obligations that I have if they did in fact call me. It’s not as transparent as we would all like it to be and sometimes that puts me in a tough position to parse my words and the fact of the matter is I haven’t made the decision yet as to what is in our best interest, my family’s best interest, and I’ll do that over the next couple of days.
Dan Patrick: What do you mean, a decision to look at another job?
Brian Kelly: Yeah, I may come out in 48 hours and say “listen I’m staying here in Cincinnati no matter if the New England Patriots call.”
Dan Patrick: Have you been offered a contract extension by Cincinnati?
Brian Kelly: We are working on one right now.
Dan Patrick: So there is a chance you could sign the contract extension and put an end to the ND rumors?
Brian Kelly: Absolutely. There is absolutely a chance to that and I think there’s a chance that I could look at another job. I haven’t made that decision yet and I’ll do that after today. Today is our team meeting with our players. And I’ve got a couple of days until our banquet. And I want to be able and sit down and figure out what the best course of action is.
Dan Patrick: Just to let you know, Jimmy Clausen is going pro, in case that factors into your decision.
Brian Kelly: Nice try Dan.
Dan Patrick: But Golden Tate! Maybe you can keep him at Notre Dame!
Brian Kelly: Yeah, Ok, I’ll bite on that one, that was an easier one (laughter).
Dan Patrick: So as long as you can get Golden Tate, it’s fine, you’ve got Crist there as a quarterback…
Brian Kelly: That should be the front page of the blogs today. “Coach Kelly said if Golden Tate stays, he’s taking the job”. Oh man, you know how this goes.
Dan Patrick: By next Saturday, will I know what your future is?
Brian Kelly: Oh yeah.
Dan Patrick: This next weekend, I’ll know?
Brian Kelly: Yes you will.

Well, we know one thing, Brian Kelly is taking a long look at the ND vacancy.  I think Kelly is an honest guy and he seems to have his priorities straight.  When he does hold his press conference to inform us of his future plans, I hope he is wearing an ND on his shirt pocket.


UPDATE:
In addition to the Dan patrick interview, ESPN is reporting that Brian Kelly will interview with Notre Dame in NYC tomorrow.  He also stated on his twitter account ""Just informed our team that Notre Dame has contacted me and I will listen to what they have to say"

Speculation Station: Brian Kelly Interviewed by Dan Patrick