GoldRing: "Surprise, Surprise, Surprise...Who could have guessed that the AP sports writers would chose the Notre Dame head coach?"
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The Bowl Collector
The SEC isn't just amassing crystal footballs. It's also dominating its bowl slate. Edward Aschoff »Big 12 or Pac-12? No. 2 decided on field » More to prove: Big Ten or ACC? » Bowls home »
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Brian Kelly wins AP coach of year
Updated: December 19, 2012, 5:48 PM ET
Associated PressAlabama Defending Its Title
Tom Rinaldi reports from Tuscaloosa on Alabama's preparations for the Discover BCS National Championship game.Tags: National Championship, BCS National Championship Game, Notre Dame-Alabama, Tom Rinaldi, College Football Live
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Les Miles Popular On TwitterSOUTH BEND, Ind. -- For leading the Fighting Irish to the BCS championship for the first time, Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly on Wednesday was voted Associated Press college football coach of the year.
AP Coach of the Year Voting
Brian Kelly became the first Notre Dame coach to win the Associated
Press' coach of the year award after leading the unbeaten Fighting Irish
to a berth in the Discover BCS National Championship against Alabama.
| Coach | Team | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Kelly | Notre Dame | 25 |
| Bill O'Brien | Penn State | 14 |
| David Shaw | Stanford | 4 |
| Kevin Sumlin | Texas A&M | 3 |
| Bill Snyder | Kansas State | 2 |
| Nick Saban | Alabama | 1 |
Kelly received 25 votes from the AP college football poll panel. Penn State's Bill O'Brien was second with 14 votes. Stanford's David Shaw (four), Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin (three), Kansas State's Bill Snyder (two) and Alabama's Nick Saban (one) also received votes.
Kelly is the first Notre Dame coach to win the AP award, which started in 1998.
Of course, the Irish haven't played for a national championship since 1988 and spent much of the past two decades trying to find a coach who could restore a program that was becoming a relic of its proud past.
After two seasons with Notre Dame, Kelly decided he wasn't spending enough time doing the best part of his job: coaching players. Kelly changed that in 2012, and he shuffled his staff. Then, with Kelly more in tune to his team and the assistants in sync with the head coach, Notre Dame went from unranked to top-ranked.
"When you're talking about the coach of the year, there's so many things that go into it," Kelly said. "I know it's an individual award and it goes to one guy, but the feelings that I get from it is you're building the right staff, that you've got the right players and to me that is a validation of the program. That you put together the right business plan."
He arrived in 2010 after two decades spent climbing the coaching ladder and winning big everywhere he worked. But in the world of college football, Notre Dame is a long way from Grand Valley State -- where Kelly won Division II national titles -- and Cincinnati, his previous stop, for that matter.
"I think the job tends to distract you," Kelly said earlier this week. "There are a lot of things that pull you away from the primary reason why you want to be head coach of Notre Dame, and that is graduate your players and play for a national championship.
AP Coach of the Year Winners
| Year | Coach | School | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Brian Kelly | Notre Dame | ||
| 2011 | Les Miles | LSU | ||
| 2010 | Chip Kelly | Oregon | ||
| 2009 | Gary Patterson | TCU | ||
| 2008 | Nick Saban | Alabama | ||
| 2007 | Mark Mangino | Kansas | ||
| 2006 | Jim Grobe | Wake | ||
| 2005 | Joe Paterno | Penn State | ||
| 2004 | Tommy Tuberville | Auburn | ||
| 2003 | Nick Saban | LSU | ||
| 2002 | Kirk Ferentz | Iowa | ||
| 2001 | Ralph Friedgen | Maryland | ||
| 2000 | Bob Stoops | Oklahoma | ||
| 1999 | Frank Beamer | Va. Tech | ||
| 1998 | Bill Snyder | Kansas St. |
"Now, to do that you have to have the pulse of your football team and you've got to have relationships with your players. If you're already going around the country doing other things other than working with your football team, it's hard to have the pulse of your team."
Kelly said he made a point of spending more time with the team this year.
"That's why I got into this. I want to develop 18 to 21 year olds. My development as the head coach at Notre Dame this year has been about getting back to why you would want to coach college players. You want to learn about them; you want to know their strengths and weaknesses; you want to help them with leadership skills; you want to help them when they're not feeling confident in their ability.
"For me, that is why it's been the most enjoyable year as the head coach at Notre Dame, is that I got a chance to spend more time with my team."
The first step, though, toward a successful 2012 season for Notre Dame can be traced to Feb. 10. On that day Kelly announced his coaching staff. The most notable change was moving Chuck Martin from defensive backs coach to offensive coordinator to fill the hole left when Charley Molnar became the coach of Massachusetts.
Martin was defensive coordinator for Kelly at Grand Valley State, then replaced his boss as head coach of the Division II power when Kelly was hired by Central Michigan after the 2003 season.
The move might have seemed odd to some, but Kelly, who built his reputation on offensive acumen, wanted a right-hand man who understood exactly what he wanted.
To replace Martin on the defensive side, Bob Elliot was hired from Iowa State to coach safeties. Harry Hiestand was hired away from Tennessee to replace offensive line coach Ed Warinner, and co-defensive coordinator Bob Diaco, who had been with Kelly at Central Michigan and Cincinnati, was promoted to assistant head coach.
"The voice of your coordinators has got to be in lock step with the head coach," Kelly said. "Now both of these guys have been with me a long time.
"Chuck Martin on offense, I wanted a voice that went back with me to Grand Valley State. And with Bob Diaco someone that goes back to Central Michigan with me. So yeah, it was important to get that voice right."
The last change Kelly needed to make involved Xs and Os. Kelly wanted to win now, but with a first-year starter and redshirt freshmen at quarterback. He had to adjust his style.
More on Notre Dame football
Everything Notre Dame football, from recruiting to news to game
coverage, is available from ESPN.com's Matt Fortuna in his Notre Dame
football blog.• More: ESPN Chicago's college blog
"We conduct the game differently," Martin said. "We set out how we thought this team could win with the personnel we had and with the young quarterback. Most people say 'OK, you're going to play the young guy, you're playing for the future.' We just went 12-0 with the young guy and he got yanked four times.
"The rest of the world wants 12-0 with no warts. We have plenty of warts. Somehow we're 12-0. Just goes to show the job (Kelly) did that we made it work week in and week out with what we have."
Kelly's ability and willingness to adapt have been his greatest strengths.
"He made some of his biggest changes ever in the last year. Going away from some things that really were his bread and butter, and 12-0 later, the guy did it again," Martin said.
"He saw what Notre Dame football needed in 2012 and he got to know this university."
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press
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ESPN NFL
Trent Richardson talks Nick Saban
Updated: December 19, 2012, 8:13 PM ET
Associated Press
Nick Saban Interested In NFL?
Colin Cowherd discusses the chances Nick Saban returns to the NFL.Tags: Colin Cowherd, The Herd, Nick Saban
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Saban, who will lead the Crimson Tide against Notre Dame in the Discover BCS National Championship Game in Miami on Jan. 7, has been mentioned as returning to the NFL, perhaps with the Browns if second-year coach Pat Shurmur is fired at season's end.
AFC North blog
ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley writes about all things AFC North in his division blog.
• Blog network: NFL Nation
And Richardson knows the coach quite well. After all, he was a standout running back for Saban at Alabama before being selected in the first round by Cleveland in April. Richardson ran for 1,679 yards last season for the Crimson Tide.
"How can you get tired of winning?" Richardson asked. "He's got so much going there. He has no reason to leave. He gets what he needs and he treats his program like the NFL (anyway). He makes sure his players are prepared for the game and prepared for the next level when the time comes."
Any exit to the NFL wouldn't be foreign to Saban, who led Alabama to national titles in 2009 and 2011. He left his post at LSU, in fact, to become coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2005. After going 15-17 in two seasons there, he went back to the SEC, this time in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
"I can see him staying at Alabama," Richardson said, "and retiring at Alabama." Read more...http://espn.go.com/nfl/
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Oregon's attempt to obtain a summary disposition from the NCAA for the investigation of its use of scout Willie Lyles has failed, which means the school will appear in front of the NCAA committee on infractions, a source confirmed to ESPN.com on Wednesday.
Pac-12 blog
ESPN.com's Ted Miller and Kevin Gemmell write about all things Pac-12 in the conference blog.
• Blog network: College Football Nation
Oregon was hoping to avoid a hearing before the committee on infractions, which would occur this spring, according to the report.
Oregon's relationship with Lyles was first reported in March 2011. Oregon paid Lyles' "Complete Scouting Services" $25,000 for what was called a national recruiting package. The materials Lyles provided Oregon turned out to be essentially worthless, and that raised questions about the Ducks' signing of touted running back Lache Seastrunk, who was mentored by Lyles.
Because Oregon and the NCAA could not reach accord on the summary judgment, a hearing in front of the infractions committee means all involved parties could be called to appear and answer questions, including Lyles and Oregon coach Chip Kelly.
"The integrity of the process and our continued full cooperation with the NCAA prohibits us from publicly discussing the specifics of this matter," Oregon said in a statement Wednesday night.
The NCAA does not comment on investigations.
Seastrunk redshirted at Oregon in 2011 and transferred to Baylor, where he scored seven touchdowns this season.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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ESPN Recruiting Nation Football
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Junior quarterback Will Grier,
who threw for a national-record 837 yards and had 10 touchdown passes
in a 104-80 North Carolina state playoff win last month, will be a
Florida Gator.
The
6-foot-3, 185-pound Will Grier is the son of a coach and has all of the
intangibles a team could want from a quarterback. He is a strong-armed,
accurate and athletic QB, writes Derek Tyson. Blog 
Chad Grier, Will's father and Davidson Day football coach, said
Wednesday his son "feels so strong about it that he is ready to commit
now so he can focus on his schoolwork, improving his game and helping
his team prepare for a third consecutive state championship."
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound quarterback trimmed his choices to five schools before choosing the Gators over North Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina State and Oregon.
Grier completed 324 of 414 pass attempts for 5,785 yards and 69 touchdowns with just six interceptions this year. He also ran for 813 yards and eight touchdowns on 95 carries. He was named the Gatorade player of the year in North Carolina. Grier expressed his excitement about his choice through his social media accounts.
"I'm a gator!!" he said via Facebook. "My future is in Gainesville and I couldn't be happier. I can't thank my family and true friends enough for their support. I love all of you!! Go Gators!!!"
On Twitter, he said: "I am committed to the university of Florida!! If you ain't a gator your gator bait!!"
Everything Florida, from recruiting to news to game coverage, is available at ESPN.com's GatorNation.
More:
• ESPN.com Recruiting coverage
• ESPN.com's SEC blog
Grier's commitment is the third for the Gators' 2014 class.
Florida seemed to be the leader for weeks. Grier visited Gainesville a handful of times and showed strong interest in the school. Both Griers spoke glowingly about Florida coach Will Muschamp and offensive coordinator Brent Pease.
"Will is a fierce competitor, and he is excited about the opportunity to help Florida win national championships," said Chad Grier, who is also the offensive coordinator for Davidson Day. "Will is extremely comfortable with Coach Muschamp and Coach Pease, both of whom made him feel as if he will be a big part of the Gators' future."
Will Grier is set to enroll at Florida in January 2014.
Information from ESPN RecruitingNation's Dave Hooker and The Associated Press was used in this report.
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Ranking the coaching hires
Will Grier chooses Florida
Updated: December 20, 2012, 12:52 AM ET
ESPN.com news services
Record-setting prep QB Will Grier chooses Florida.Tags: College Football, Florida Gators, Will Grier
Tyson: Grier Brings Intangibles to Florida
The
6-foot-3, 185-pound Will Grier is the son of a coach and has all of the
intangibles a team could want from a quarterback. He is a strong-armed,
accurate and athletic QB, writes Derek Tyson. Blog
The 6-foot-3, 185-pound quarterback trimmed his choices to five schools before choosing the Gators over North Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina State and Oregon.
Grier completed 324 of 414 pass attempts for 5,785 yards and 69 touchdowns with just six interceptions this year. He also ran for 813 yards and eight touchdowns on 95 carries. He was named the Gatorade player of the year in North Carolina. Grier expressed his excitement about his choice through his social media accounts.
"I'm a gator!!" he said via Facebook. "My future is in Gainesville and I couldn't be happier. I can't thank my family and true friends enough for their support. I love all of you!! Go Gators!!!"
On Twitter, he said: "I am committed to the university of Florida!! If you ain't a gator your gator bait!!"
More on Florida
Everything Florida, from recruiting to news to game coverage, is available at ESPN.com's GatorNation.
More:• ESPN.com Recruiting coverage
• ESPN.com's SEC blog
Florida seemed to be the leader for weeks. Grier visited Gainesville a handful of times and showed strong interest in the school. Both Griers spoke glowingly about Florida coach Will Muschamp and offensive coordinator Brent Pease.
"Will is a fierce competitor, and he is excited about the opportunity to help Florida win national championships," said Chad Grier, who is also the offensive coordinator for Davidson Day. "Will is extremely comfortable with Coach Muschamp and Coach Pease, both of whom made him feel as if he will be a big part of the Gators' future."
Will Grier is set to enroll at Florida in January 2014.
Information from ESPN RecruitingNation's Dave Hooker and The Associated Press was used in this report.
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Travis Haney Blog
Ranking the coaching hires 
December, 19, 2012
AM ET
We've ranked the top 15 new hires and provided some footnotes to sum up this round of the carousel.
1. Arkansas Razorbacks
Bret Bielema (previously: Wisconsin head coach) A couple of days before Bielema made his move, the most surprising of the past month, one coach told me to consider that not everyone is happy in their current situation, even if they're seemingly in a good one. Maybe it wasn't that Bielema was unhappy so much as he wanted a greater challenge -- or a different challenge, anyway. At least that's what he has indicated when asked why he left Wisconsin, where he was 68-24 in seven seasons.
To read Travis Haney's full ranking of the offseason's top 15 coaching hires, you must be an ESPN Insider.---------------------
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SEC Blog
Florida lands top 2014 QB target
December, 19, 2012
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
Christmas has come early for Will Muschamp and his Florida Gators.
On Wednesday, Florida's 2014 class got a little better when junior quarterback Will Grier from Davidson (N.C.) Day committed to the Gators via Twitter.
The commitment of Grier, who is an ESPN Watch List prospect, gives
Florida three verbals in its 2014 class. As a junior, Grier, who is a
dual-threat QB, threw for 5,785 yards and 69 touchdowns with just six
interceptions, completing 78 percent of his passes along the way. He
also rushed for 813 yards and scored eight rushing touchdowns.
This is a pretty big get for Muschamp. Once Grier gets to Gainesville, starting quarterback Jeff Driskel will be a senior. Backups Jacoby Brissett and Tyler Murphy will also be seniors. Skyler Mornhinweg is currently a freshman, while Max Starver is currently a part of the Gators' 2013 class.
With such a gap between Driskel and Grier, there's a chance that Grier could compete right away for the starting job. Immediately, he'll give the Gators good depth at the quarterback spot when he arrives.
On Wednesday, Florida's 2014 class got a little better when junior quarterback Will Grier from Davidson (N.C.) Day committed to the Gators via Twitter.
I am committed to the university of Florida!! If you ain't a gator your gator bait!! #Gators #chompchomp #SWAMPLIFE
Will G
@willg7533
This is a pretty big get for Muschamp. Once Grier gets to Gainesville, starting quarterback Jeff Driskel will be a senior. Backups Jacoby Brissett and Tyler Murphy will also be seniors. Skyler Mornhinweg is currently a freshman, while Max Starver is currently a part of the Gators' 2013 class.
With such a gap between Driskel and Grier, there's a chance that Grier could compete right away for the starting job. Immediately, he'll give the Gators good depth at the quarterback spot when he arrives.
Alabama
head college football coach Nick Saban better start looking over the
NFL coaching jobs a lot harder. Because the Florida head football coach
Will Muschamp is going to be crawling up his lose pants very soon now.
Trying to become the next best SEC football program. Is Les Miles, Nick
Saban becoming just some more gator bait soon?
"QB Will Grier, chooses Florida"
"QB Will Grier, chooses Florida"
So
you guys are gonna criticize a 16/17 year old's spelling? Really? Also
most of you and a whole bunch of people make that same mistake. But the
big story here is the Coach BOOOOM got another good player & the
future looks brighter and brighter.
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