No doubt Brian Kelly is a good coach. His offense is lights out. Night and day between Weis and Kelly.. Weis couldn't develop players worth crap. In 2007 his center couldn't snap a freakin football. He was used to X's and O'sing with experienced, elite players, not training 18-year-olds to be experienced, elite players.
Brian Kelly, on the other hand, is a good head coach at college.
The question is: Is he elite? Elite coaches put defense #1... Will Kelly? Who knows. Nobody thought of Meyer as a defense first coach, but defense has won 2 championships for him at Florida.
Nobody thought of RR as a defense first coach either, and we know how that's turning out.
So... It's anyone's guess what Kelly will become. I think there are better candidates, with no character issues. Patterson is one possibility.. Fitzgerald.. There are others.
edit-Woo, 1000 posts! Never noticed