LOS ANGELES — It would have been easier for Jack Swarbrick to just fire Brian Kelly. In a world as often concerned about the press conferences as about actual results, a change in head coaches could have given Swarbrick a chance to “win” two press conferences, not to mention the built-in excuse for a few more years of Notre Dame football mediocrity.
Instead, Swarbrick stood by Kelly following 2016’s debacle of a 4-8 finish, capped by a 45-27 defeat at USC. He doubled down needing immediate success to count as a payoff. To this day, two years and 22 wins later, Swarbrick has insisted he never considered a coaching change.