Last night Univ. of Cincinnati receiver Mardy Gilyard accused his former coach Brian Kelly of not being completely truthful with the team in the past about how much interest the coach had in the Notre Dame job.
(Video)
You may have seen clips or read additional excerpts of Gilyard’s incendiary comments from outside the UC football banquet hall last night. Last night Gilyard also went on Fox Sports Radio where he eviscerated his former coach, eventually hanging up on the interview.
Zach Krantz at SportsRadioInterviews.com has audio and a handy transcription of Gilyard’s heated comments to FSR’s Tony Bruno last night. I excerpted some below.
On Kelly:
He just kind of left those young guys out to starve, left them out there naked.
We can’t let what happened with BK mess up what we are doing right now.
I hope he don’t even show up for the Sugar Bowl. I hope he makes sure all his attention is on South Bend, because that’s all he has been doing. All he has been doing is focusing his attention on South Bend.
He has a job now so in my opinion he needs to hurry up and get out of here ASAP, get up out of Cincinnati ASAP and just keep it moving. So I can get my troops back together and the coaches that are here for us, the ones that are here because those are the ones for us.
On the bizarre decision by Kelly to have two security guards flanking him at the UC football banquet last night:
He never had any security like that before. I mean he already won Coach of the Year before, so all that security wasn’t necessary. I think he was worried about what was going to go on with the city and the fans if anything.
On if he (Gilyard) will face any repercussions for his comments:
“No, I don’t care man. The whole BK situation is over. I am a senior so its not really affecting me, I am just more upset about the young guys. (Hangs up phone)”
You can listen to the audio here.
If you want to know how the Cincinnati administration really feels about Kelly, consider that the UC sports information dept. was probably responsible for booking Gilyard for that interview - and it’s safe to assume that UC officials had an inkling that Gilyard was going to criticize Kelly on a national radio show. And none of us blame Gilyard one bit.
The NCAA absolutely needs to enact a rule where players can transfer when a coach does something like this. Also, open recruiting periods need to begin after all the bowl games are over. It’s unbelievable how poorly thought-out the NCAA rules are as they pertain to coach movement.
UC has a chance to complete one of the most remarkable seasons in college football history, but because of Kelly being allowed to exit before the bowl game, not to mention the BCS fouling up the Bearcats’ justifiable chance to play for a national title, the NCAA has ruined the college football experience for everyone associated with UC football - except Kelly.
7:17 pm on December 11th, 2009
Gilyard is a great player, but not real smart. He was kicked off the team by Mark Dantonio, before earning his way back on, under Kelly. Kelly handled this situation as best as possible, considering the NCAA’s ridiculous rules. He’s certainly no Nick Saban.
7:45 pm on December 11th, 2009
“The NCAA absolutely needs to enact a rule where players can transfer when a coach does something like this”…..
I can see the players are emotional about this and I understand that but when they grow up and look back upon the situation they will relaize Kelly made the right decision and thank him for the opportunity he gave them. Hell Guliyard is going to be a first round pick and Kelly helped him get there.
I dont know if thats such a good idea sitting out a year upon transfer especially in this case is a good idea. If not the coach can take all of his good players from his old team to his new team and leave the old team really decimated.
7:57 pm on December 11th, 2009
Josh nails it…
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/12648724/kelly-closes-one-chapter-of-life-kick-starts-a-new-one
11:49 pm on December 11th, 2009
If the NCAA did enact a rule allowing players to transfer when a coach does something like this, where would you suggest all the Notre Dame players go?
8:22 am on December 12th, 2009
Back to high school to learn some fundamentals…
8:37 am on December 12th, 2009
Oh quit crying.. Its a business, I guess players should be allowed to transfer when they find out their star teammates are jumping early to the nfl too. There needs to be a playoff system and a title game. No coach should be able to leave before this point to another school or the nfl. You push back signing day a few more weeks and your fine.
11:58 am on December 12th, 2009
The academic standards are very low at Cincinnati. We now see it at work.
5:36 pm on December 12th, 2009
As much as Kelly helped those players become the players they are and to a undefeated season he owes it to the players to coach the final game. Those are the players that helped him get his position at notre dame. One more month at UC and then he can have the rest of his life at ND. don’t think this is too much to ask.
1:31 am on December 14th, 2009
if its in his contract to go to ND or any other sure, then by all means he should be allowed to leave. the kids know the rules, they commit to the school not the coach.
not fair by any stretch, but by all means legit
4:28 am on February 1st, 2010
Aaron, we see the mental standards are very low at your residence. What a POS.