SOUTH BEND, IN - OCTOBER 15: Head coach Brian Kelly of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish is seen during the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Notre Dame Stadium on October 15, 2016 in South Bend, Indiana. Stanford defeated Notre Dame 17-10. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

Brian Kelly responds to comments from Notre Dame athletic director

This could get ugly.

Notre Dame football is off to its worst start since 2007 and that predictably has people talking about coach Brian Kelly as a hot seat candidate. And if he isn't fired midseason then he might be at the end of it. However, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick came to Kelly's side and publicly assured everyone that Kelly would be coaching the team next year.

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RELATED: Notre Dame AD releases statement on Brian Kelly's job status

Most coaches would appreciate a vote of confidence from the school's AD, but Kelly is not most coaches.

"Well I was disappointed actually," the coach told Matt Fortuna of ESPN.com "But anytime that your athletic director has to come out and say that, as a head coach you're disappointed that any kind of comments like that have to be made. So I didn't ask him, that was his decision, but I clearly understand what he was doing. He was probably sick and tired of being sick and tired, too.

"But for me it's disappointing, certainly, that you have to make those comments."

He couldn't just take the compliment and vote of confidence and move on with this life. Instead, he had to say how disappointed he was in it and that he really doesn't like it. Maybe Kelly should stop focusing on public comments and get his team to play better than its 2-5 record.

[h/t College Football Talk]