Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly knows what Irish football fans want to hear, and he isn't afraid to say it.

Speaking at the Krause Memorial 36th annual Scholar-Athlete Dinner on Wednesday, Kelly let the audience know what he thought about Notre Dame remaining independent in football.

"From my standpoint, being the head football coach at Notre Dame, there's nothing better than being an independent football school," Kelly said, according to the South Bend Tribune.

"I know you're hearing all these rumors about the Big Ten and all these other things, but let me tell you one thing, the history...the tradition of Notre Dame football is steeped in that independence."

The chance that Notre Dame could give up its independent status in football became a hot topic after a radio station in Kansas City, Mo., cited anonymous sources saying the Big Ten had invited Notre Dame, Missouri, Nebraska and Rutgers to the conference.

The report was quickly denied by Big Ten officials and school officials, but with a possible expansion of the Big Ten looming, this story will not be going away.