Brian Kelly won his 100th game at Notre Dame a week ago, nine more than his three predecessors did across 13 seasons. He has lost 37 games across 11 seasons with the Irish, 30 fewer than they stumbled to.
The last of those predecessors’ losses, immediately preceding Kelly’s first win at Notre Dame Stadium, underscored the stability Kelly would bring when he arrived in 2010. When Charlie Weis took the field against Connecticut to end the 2009 home slate, he did so with arms linked with the team’s captains, a player-driven move intended to convey confidence and unity.