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Coach Profile

Brian Kelly

2004-2025 • Central Michigan, Cincinnati, LSU, Notre Dame

4 schools coached, anchored by Notre Dame.

Brian Kelly coached 23 seasons, won 72.8%, and posted an average SRS of 10.3. Best season: 2017 Notre Dame. The profile was balanced with a highly volatile profile. 4 stints shaped the career arc.

Compare this coachAll coach recordsRanked opponent recordJump to seasons
Career record
195-73
Career win rate
72.8%
Average SRS
10.3
Peak SRS
22.0

Career Dossier

One glance at the full arc.

The profile below keeps the headline numbers visible, then moves into tenure shape, school impact, and full season detail.

Seasons coached
23
Career span
22 years
Best finish
#4
Consistency
16.0

Primary school anchor

Notre Dame

Balanced profile with 4 program stops and a peak score of 88.5.

Career Arc

Track how the coach's season-to-season performance changed over time, where the peak landed, and where each school stint appears.

Focus on where peaks separate, where floors hold, and how the shape of each career changed over time.

Brian Kelly
EliteStrongAverageLean
Brian Kelly: 2006 CincinnatiBrian Kelly: 2010 Notre DameBrian Kelly: 2022 LSU
2004Actual season year • SRS range -22.8 to 22.02025

Active comparison point

Brian Kelly • 2017

Selected

2017 Notre Dame

Best season

10-3 • SRS 22.0 • SP Overall 20.8

Win %

76.9%

YoY SRS

+15.6

SP Off / Def

37.4 / 16.9

Finish

#11

Comparison context

Focus a point to inspect how it stacks up against the rest of the field.

Ranked opponent record

Track career record against ranked opponents with switchable poll source and ranking timing.

Using AP Top 25 rankings at the time of each game; week-one games use the week-one ranking release when available.

Poll source
Ranking timing

Top 25

35-46

Games
81
Win rate
43.2%

Top 10

9-25

Games
34
Win rate
26.5%

Top 5

2-15

Games
17
Win rate
11.8%
View ranked game results81
2025 Regular Week 14LSUOklahoma#8L13-17
2025 Regular Week 11LSUAlabama#4L9-20
2025 Regular Week 9LSUTexas A&M#3L25-49
2025 Regular Week 8LSUVanderbilt#17L24-31
2025 Regular Week 5LSUOle Miss#13L19-24
2025 Regular Week 1LSUClemson#4W17-10
2025 Postseason Week 1LSUHouston#22L35-38
2024 Regular Week 11LSUAlabama#11L13-42
2024 Regular Week 9LSUTexas A&M#14L23-38
2024 Regular Week 7LSUOle Miss#9W29-26
2024 Regular Week 1LSUUSC#23L20-27
2023 Regular Week 10LSUAlabama#8L28-42
2023 Regular Week 6LSUMissouri#21W49-39
2023 Regular Week 5LSUOle Miss#20L49-55
2022 Regular Week 14LSUGeorgia#1L30-50
2022 Regular Week 10LSUAlabama#6W32-31
2022 Regular Week 8LSUOle Miss#7W45-20
2022 Regular Week 6LSUTennessee#8L13-40
2021 Regular Week 5Notre DameCincinnati#7L13-24
2021 Regular Week 4Notre DameWisconsin#18W41-13
2021 Postseason Week 1Notre DameOklahoma State#7L35-37
2020 Regular Week 16Notre DameClemson#4L10-34
2020 Regular Week 13Notre DameNorth Carolina#25W31-17
2020 Regular Week 10Notre DameClemson#1W47-40
2020 Postseason Week 1Notre DameAlabama#1L14-31
2019 Regular Week 12Notre DameNavy#21W52-20
2019 Regular Week 9Notre DameMichigan#19L14-45
2019 Regular Week 5Notre DameVirginia#18W35-20
2019 Regular Week 4Notre DameGeorgia#3L17-23
2018 Regular Week 12Notre DameSyracuse#12W36-3
2018 Regular Week 6Notre DameVirginia Tech#24W45-23
2018 Regular Week 5Notre DameStanford#7W38-17
2018 Postseason Week 1Notre DameClemson#1L3-30
2017 Regular Week 13Notre DameStanford#20L20-38
2017 Regular Week 11Notre DameMiami#7L8-41
2017 Regular Week 9Notre DameNC State#14W35-14
2017 Regular Week 8Notre DameUSC#11W49-14
2017 Regular Week 2Notre DameGeorgia#15L19-20
2017 Postseason Week 1Notre DameLSU#18W21-17
2016 Regular Week 13Notre DameUSC#12L27-45
2016 Regular Week 3Notre DameMichigan State#12L28-36
2015 Regular Week 13Notre DameStanford#13L36-38
2015 Regular Week 9Notre DameTemple#21W24-20
2015 Regular Week 5Notre DameClemson#12L22-24
2015 Regular Week 3Notre DameGeorgia Tech#14W30-22
2015 Postseason Week 1Notre DameOhio State#4L28-44
2014 Regular Week 11Notre DameArizona State#11L31-55
2014 Regular Week 8Notre DameFlorida State#2L27-31
2014 Regular Week 6Notre DameStanford#14W17-14
2013 Regular Week 14Notre DameStanford#8L20-27
2013 Regular Week 6Notre DameArizona State#22W37-34
2013 Regular Week 5Notre DameOklahoma#14L21-35
2013 Regular Week 2Notre DameMichigan#17L30-41
2012 Regular Week 9Notre DameOklahoma#8W30-13
2012 Regular Week 7Notre DameStanford#17W20-13
2012 Regular Week 4Notre DameMichigan#18W13-6
2012 Regular Week 3Notre DameMichigan State#10W20-3
2012 Postseason Week 1Notre DameAlabama#1L14-42
2011 Regular Week 13Notre DameStanford#4L14-28
2011 Regular Week 3Notre DameMichigan State#15W31-13
2011 Postseason Week 1Notre DameFlorida State#23L14-18
2010 Regular Week 11Notre DameUtah#15W28-3
2010 Regular Week 4Notre DameStanford#16L14-37
2009 Regular Week 14CincinnatiPittsburgh#14W45-44
2009 Regular Week 7CincinnatiSouth Florida#21W34-17
2009 Postseason Week 1CincinnatiFlorida#3L24-51
2008 Regular Week 13CincinnatiPittsburgh#20W28-21
2008 Regular Week 11CincinnatiWest Virginia#20W26-23
2008 Regular Week 10CincinnatiSouth Florida#24W24-10
2008 Regular Week 2CincinnatiOklahoma#4L26-52
2008 Postseason Week 1CincinnatiVirginia Tech#15L7-20
2007 Regular Week 12CincinnatiWest Virginia#5L23-28
2007 Regular Week 11CincinnatiUConn#16W27-3
2007 Regular Week 10CincinnatiSouth Florida#20W38-33
2007 Regular Week 6CincinnatiRutgers#21W28-23
2006 Regular Week 12CincinnatiRutgers#7W30-11
2006 Regular Week 11CincinnatiWest Virginia#10L24-42
2006 Regular Week 7CincinnatiLouisville#7L17-23
2006 Regular Week 4CincinnatiVirginia Tech#11L13-29
2006 Regular Week 3CincinnatiOhio State#1L7-37
2006 Regular Week 2Central MichiganMichigan#10L17-41

Tenure map

Each stint expands by seasons coached. Deeper color signals a stronger average SRS over that stretch.

Length = seasons coachedDeeper color = stronger stint

LSU

2022-2025 • 4 seasons

Avg SRS 13.3 • Win % 72.5%

Notre Dame

2010-2021 • 12 seasons

Avg SRS 14.4 • Win % 73.9%

Cincinnati

2006-2009 • 4 seasons

Avg SRS 9.7 • Win % 85.0%

Central Michigan

2004-2006 • 3 seasons

Avg SRS -7.8 • Win % 54.3%

Longest tenure
Notre Dame • 12 seasons
Best tenure
Notre Dame • 14.4 SRS
Best tenure win rate
Cincinnati • 85.0%

Style and Strength Profile

Compare strength, identity, steadiness, and ceiling through normalized bars with raw SP and SRS context underneath.

These bars are normalized against the full coach dataset. Raw SP and SRS values stay visible so the profile reads as evidence, not decoration.

Overall Strength

Start with total quality before splitting style and variance.

Brian Kelly sets the reference point in overall strength.

Overall Strength

Decisive edge

Brian Kelly sets the reference point in overall strength.

Normalized score; raw SP overall stays underneath for reference.

Brian Kelly

Elite

Raw avg SP Overall
12.2
Percentile
90th pct

Elite

Normalized against the full tracked coach pool.

Impact by school

See how each stint compared with what that program usually looked like outside that same span.

LSU

2022-2025 • 29-11

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS 13.3Win % 72.5%

Avg wins

Higher is better

7.3 during vs 8.4 baseline

-1.1

Avg SRS

Higher is better

13.3 during vs 14.8 baseline

-1.6

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

15.4 during vs 17.7 baseline

-2.3

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

50.0% during vs 40.0% baseline

+10.0%

Notre Dame

2010-2021 • 113-40

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS 14.4Win % 73.9%

Avg wins

Higher is better

9.4 during vs 7.0 baseline

+2.4

Avg SRS

Higher is better

14.4 during vs 6.8 baseline

+7.6

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

17.4 during vs 8.3 baseline

+9.1

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

58.3% during vs 40.0% baseline

+18.3%

Cincinnati

2006-2009 • 34-6

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS 9.7Win % 85.0%

Avg wins

Higher is better

8.5 during vs 6.0 baseline

+2.5

Avg SRS

Higher is better

9.7 during vs -2.1 baseline

+11.8

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

13.1 during vs 0.3 baseline

+12.8

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

75.0% during vs 0.0% baseline

+75.0%

Central Michigan

2004-2006 • 19-16

Compared with this school's baseline outside that stint over the prior 5 seasons (5 baseline seasons found).

Avg SRS -7.8Win % 54.3%

Avg wins

Higher is better

6.3 during vs 3.2 baseline

+3.1

Avg SRS

Higher is better

-7.8 during vs -18.9 baseline

+11.1

Avg SP Overall

Higher is better

-12.1 during vs -19.7 baseline

+7.6

Ranked finish rate

Higher is better

0.0% during vs 0.0% baseline

+0.0%

Career highs and lows

High Points

Best Season

Notre Dame 2017

10-3 • SRS 22.0

Biggest Improvement

Central Michigan 2005

6-5 • 21.0 SRS

Best Offensive Season

LSU 2023

10-3 • SP Off 44.6

Best Defensive Season

Notre Dame 2012

12-1 • SP Def 13.8

Setbacks

Worst Season

Central Michigan 2004

4-7 • SRS -22.8

Biggest Drop

Cincinnati 2008

11-3 • -11.9 SRS

Season-by-season results

Full transparency into every season in the coaching record. Positive YoY values indicate improvement from the prior season.

LSU20250000———8.210.325.816.1-4.7—
LSU20241394069.2%#13—12.915.936.821.7-4.2-7.7%
LSU202313103076.9%#5#1217.119.144.625.0+2.3+5.5%
LSU202214104071.4%—#1614.816.234.217.6-1.6-20.2%
Notre Dame202112111091.7%#9#816.417.436.218.9—+8.3%
Notre Dame202012102083.3%#10#5—————-1.3%
Notre Dame201913112084.6%#9#1218.817.735.818.5+1.1-7.7%
Notre Dame201813121092.3%#12—17.720.734.614.5-4.3+15.4%
Notre Dame201713103076.9%—#1122.020.837.416.9+15.6+43.6%
Notre Dame20161248033.3%#10—6.415.739.423.2-11.1-43.6%
Notre Dame201513103076.9%#11#1117.522.444.121.2+9.1+15.4%
Notre Dame20141385061.5%#17—8.410.837.526.0-0.7-7.7%
Notre Dame20131394069.2%#14#209.113.235.221.9-9.5-23.1%
Notre Dame201213121092.3%—#418.619.233.413.8+5.8+30.8%
Notre Dame20111385061.5%#16—12.817.234.617.0+2.10.0%
Notre Dame20101385061.5%——10.716.532.216.7-3.3-38.5%
Cincinnati2009121200100.0%—#814.018.240.823.4+9.6+21.4%
Cincinnati200814113078.6%—#174.48.625.919.7-11.9+1.7%
Cincinnati200713103076.9%—#1716.317.537.219.9+12.2-23.1%
Central Michigan20061394069.2%——1.2-6.123.528.8+3.0+14.7%
Cincinnati20061100100.0%——4.17.923.616.7+2.9+30.8%
Central Michigan20051165054.5%——-1.8-8.122.130.1+21.0+18.2%
Central Michigan20041147036.4%——-22.8-22.225.442.6——

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