I wish i could turn back the hand of time to revisit the unfinished business and see us win again, Brian Kelly stated in

In the world of college football, few names resonate as strongly as Brian Kelly, the head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. As a coach with over three decades of experience, Kelly has etched his name into the annals of college football history through his successes, struggles, and unwavering commitment to his teams. Yet, for all of his accomplishments, Kelly’s tenure at Notre Dame is also defined by a sense of unfinished business. This feeling of something left undone has been a driving force behind Kelly’s efforts to bring a national championship back to South Bend, Indiana—a feat that has eluded the Fighting Irish for decades.

In a rare moment of reflection, Kelly once said, “I wish I could turn back the hands of time to revisit the unfinished business and see us win again.” Those words capture not just the aspirations of a coach who has led Notre Dame to heights both celebrated and frustrating, but they also speak to the broader legacy of a program that has been synonymous with college football greatness yet has not won a national title since 1988. Kelly’s desire to “turn back time” is not merely about looking to a specific moment or regret in his coaching career—it reflects a larger longing to rewrite the narrative of his tenure at one of the most storied programs in the sport’s history.

The Rise of Brian Kelly at Notre Dame

Brian Kelly arrived at Notre Dame in 2010, following a successful stint at Cincinnati where he turned the Bearcats into a national contender. Notre Dame, a program rich in tradition but struggling to regain its former glory, was in need of a coach who could bring stability and success back to the program. Kelly, with his reputation as a proven winner, was seen as the perfect man for the job.

From the beginning, Kelly made it clear that his goal was to restore Notre Dame to its rightful place among the elite in college football. He quickly became known for his emphasis on discipline, preparation, and a no-nonsense approach to coaching. Under his leadership, the Fighting Irish began to climb back into the national conversation, and by the 2012 season, Kelly had Notre Dame playing for a national championship.

In that 2012 season, Notre Dame went undefeated in the regular season and earned a spot in the BCS National Championship Game against Alabama. Unfortunately, the game ended in disappointment, with Notre Dame being thoroughly outplayed in a 42-14 loss to the Crimson Tide. This defeat was a bitter pill for Kelly and the Notre Dame faithful to swallow. It was a moment that left the feeling of unfinished business lingering in the air. Notre Dame had returned to the pinnacle of college football, but it was clear that they were not yet ready to claim the ultimate prize.

The Struggles and Setbacks

In the years following that 2012 national championship appearance, Notre Dame experienced a series of ups and downs under Kelly’s leadership. There were seasons of promise followed by seasons of frustration, and the team struggled to regain the consistency necessary to challenge for a national title. Kelly’s leadership was often questioned in the aftermath of some of these seasons, especially when the team failed to meet expectations or fell short in critical games.

One of the most painful aspects of Kelly’s tenure at Notre Dame was the recurring pattern of getting close but falling short. The 2015 season saw the Irish make it to the College Football Playoff (CFP) but fall short of advancing to the national championship game. The 2017 season saw Notre Dame bounce back from a disastrous 4-8 record the previous year to finish with a 10-3 record, but they still couldn’t overcome the top teams on the national stage. The 2018 season, when Notre Dame once again made the CFP, ended in a humbling 30-3 defeat at the hands of Clemson in the semifinals.

Each of these seasons was a reminder of the challenge of coaching at a place like Notre Dame—where the expectations are sky-high and the weight of history is ever-present. While Kelly built a program that was consistently competitive and regularly ranked among the nation’s best, the national title remained elusive. It’s no wonder that Kelly’s statement about wishing to “turn back the hands of time” reflects a sense of longing for another chance to seize that elusive championship.

The 2020 Season: A Glimmer of Hope

The 2020 season was one of the more encouraging seasons in Brian Kelly’s tenure at Notre Dame. After the 2020 college football season was drastically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Fighting Irish found themselves facing unusual circumstances. Despite the pandemic, Kelly’s team finished the regular season with an 10-0 record and made a return to the College Football Playoff, marking the program’s first appearance in the four-team playoff since its inception in 2014.

The Irish earned a spot in the semifinals but found themselves facing off against Alabama once again, a team that had dominated the college football landscape under head coach Nick Saban. In a game that echoed the 2012 national championship experience, Notre Dame fought hard but ultimately came up short, losing 31-14 to Alabama. The loss marked another chapter in Kelly’s career at Notre Dame—a chapter that continued the theme of coming close but falling short.

Despite the defeat, Kelly’s team had shown resilience throughout the season, and the Irish’s return to the College Football Playoff offered a renewed sense of hope for the future. The 2020 season provided evidence that Notre Dame was on the right path, but it also reminded everyone that the journey to a national championship is never easy, especially when competing against the behemoths of college football like Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio State.

The Unfinished Business: A National Title Eludes Kelly

As much as Brian Kelly has accomplished at Notre Dame, it’s impossible to overlook the elephant in the room: the national title that remains just out of reach. Kelly has consistently delivered 10-win seasons and made the Fighting Irish a relevant and respected team in college football. He has done what few coaches have been able to do at Notre Dame, keeping the program competitive year in and year out despite the unique challenges of the school’s academic requirements, independent scheduling, and high expectations.

However, despite all the success, the absence of a national championship is a shadow that looms over Kelly’s tenure. In many ways, it’s the one thing that has kept him from being fully embraced as one of the all-time greats in college football coaching. For Notre Dame fans, a national title is the ultimate measure of success, and it’s a standard that the Fighting Irish have not reached since 1988.

Kelly’s statement about wishing to “turn back the hands of time” is not just about personal regret but is emblematic of the desire to overcome that final hurdle. It speaks to his acknowledgment of the high stakes at Notre Dame, a program whose proud history includes multiple national championships but has been largely absent from the top of the college football world for decades. Kelly has come so close, and yet the elusive championship has remained just out of reach.

The Future: Could Notre Dame Finally Break Through?

As Brian Kelly continues to lead Notre Dame, the question remains: Can he finally deliver the national championship that has so long eluded him and the Fighting Irish? With a continued commitment to recruiting top-tier talent, especially on both sides of the ball, Kelly has positioned the program to compete at the highest level. His ability to develop quarterbacks, build strong defenses, and keep his teams disciplined has made Notre Dame a perennial contender, but the ultimate test will always come down to how the team performs when it matters most in the postseason.

For Kelly, the future holds promise. His experience and track record make him a coach who knows what it takes to win at Notre Dame. But, as his words suggest, there’s a sense of unfinished business that remains, and he will continue to strive for that elusive championship. The hope for Kelly and Notre Dame is that, sooner rather than later, they will have the opportunity to revisit that unfinished business and finally see the Fighting Irish hoist another national title trophy.

Until that moment comes, Brian Kelly’s journey with Notre Dame will continue to be defined by a combination of frustration, hope, and perseverance. The story of Notre Dame football under Kelly is still being written, and there remains the possibility that the final chapter will be one of triumph, redemption, and the fulfillment of that long-held dream of winning again. Whether or not he can turn back the hands of time remains to be seen, but what’s clear is that Brian Kelly will leave everything on the field as he chases the ultimate goal: a national championship for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.