Your first line is perhaps the most relevant.

Mike Brey has had similar ups and downs. Now it's a different scale and a different climate to compare on court/field success between football and basketball at Notre Dame, however there is a difference in attitude and culture. In a sense Brey gets Notre Dame in ways that Kelly never will. The fans/players are much more inclined to give Mike a pass for a lower expectation season/recruiting class that Brian and it's not just because of the perceived value of the MBB vs FB.

Brian has some of the same bad character traits as the previous failed coaches: hubris, quick to deflect blame, and often as quick to take the credit, inability to ID and retain a complete staff along with an unwillingness to accept challenges/change of thinking from said staff. All of these rub fans, assistants, and players the wrong way. Combined with an inability to properly sell ND to top recruits