5 Reasons P.J. Fleck Should be the Next Notre Dame Head Coach

Buy Low, Sell High

Notre Dame has gone for the splashy hire before. After all, Charlie Weis was supposed to light the world ablaze with his Super Bowl rings. Even Brian Kelly himself dominated at a Cincinnati program that still had BCS status in those days before coming to Notre Dame. Both had a pedigree, as did Tyrone Willingham before that.

What has that earned the Fighting Irish? Kelly has at least returned the team to consistent bowl appearances after failing to reach the postseason five times under Weis, Willingham, and Bob Davie. Sure, Brian Kelly also took the team to the BCS championship game, where they were outgunned at every turn by Alabama. The school has lost its last seven appearances in New Year’s Six bowl games — and the fact that they’ve made only seven appearances in one of the big six bowls since the mid-1990s says all you need to know about how far the Irish have fallen.

P.J. Fleck is on the path to potentially take Western Michigan to a major bowl game. Only once did a MAC school qualify for a major bowl during the BCS era, and it has yet to happen under the new College Football Playoff system. The fact that he has proven capable of accomplishing more with less talent is ample reason for Notre Dame to consider him.