Kelly

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Oh, yeah. Brian Kelly has given it some thought. Who wouldn't? He's glanced toward a stadium circled by tributes to former coaches at Notre Dame and wondered how it will feel when he charges onto the field for his first game.

On Saturday, his ears will ring from a roar he's likely not experienced in his other successful stops in college football. It'll be his team with those familiar golden helmets — even if most of the players are not his recruits — his program and his system that will take the field Saturday when the Irish host Purdue.

"I found myself a couple of times peeking at that first run through the tunnel and how special it will be," Kelly said. "Special if we win the game. That's about it."

Expectations for the Irish could not be higher and Kelly has not ducked them. His plan is to win immediately.

After 21 losses over the last three seasons of the Charlie Weis regime, Notre Dame's players are ready for a change like the one Kelly has brought to South Bend. He took the job in December following a successful run at Cincinnati.

"His track record and he's been a winner everywhere he's been," safety Harrison Smith said when asked how easy it has been for returning players to buy into Kelly's plan. "Interacting with him, everybody gets a good feeling."

Kelly is demanding during practices, which are generally 2 hours and 15 minutes in duration. He doesn't want football to be like a job for his players, so he makes practice time concentrated but manageable.

What he wants is nonstop motion from his players and total attention to details — with helmets on. His spread offense is being entrusted to quarterback Dayne Crist, whose only experience was as a backup for four games to Jimmy Clausen last season before suffering a torn knee ligament.

Crist, who made a speedy recovery in time to play spring football, has attempted only 20 passes in his career. He might throw that many in the first quarter of the opener.

Running back Armando Allen Jr., who has led the Irish in rushing the last two years, is back for his senior season. The spread will often feature three wide receivers and a tight end. With Clausen and star wideout Golden Tate gone to the NFL, Michael Floyd (92 career receptions) will step up as the go-to receiver along with one of the nation's top tight ends in Kyle Rudolph.

The Irish have what appears to be a favorable schedule. There are seven home games — three in the first month against the Boilermakers, Michigan and Stanford — and a designated eighth at Yankee Stadium against Army.

Some of the players have been around for consecutive seasons of 3-9, 7-6 and 6-6 under Weis. Asked how he changed their thinking, Kelly said it was being done behind closed doors.

"We took this job over with the idea that we're not going anywhere. I'm staying here for the rest of my life and I'm going to coach Notre Dame," he said.