There is a football game Notre Dame will play in the Camping World Bowl versus Iowa State on Dec. 28, but it took a back seat in conversation when head coach Brian Kelly met with the media following the first practice for it on Saturday.
The feature topic was on third-year Fighting Irish offensive coordinator Chip Long departing the staff earlier this month and how the operation would move forward.
“I made a change on the staff on the offensive side of the ball, which I felt was in the best interest of our program,” Kelly began. “Subsequently, we've organized as a staff to reflect those changes. “
Kelly would not get into the specifics of the change and said it will be a “collaborative” effort for the bowl game, including running backs coach Lance Taylor handling the run-game coordinator role and quarterbacks coach Tom Rees leading the pass coordination.
What he has not made a decision on yet is who will be the ultimate play-caller — although Kelly said it won't be him.
“That’s not my role,” said Kelly of calling plays, which he did not do during the three-year Long era. “I’ve moved past that role. I will certainly be much more involved in the organization of the offense and clearly making sure that our room is where I want it to be, and I think it is.
"I will assist, I will be there to lean on and consult with, but this will be a collaborative approach, with the lead coming from Lance and Tom. Somebody will be eventually the primary play-caller. I just haven’t made that decision yet.”
Because Long was also the tight ends coach, instructing that position for the bowl game will be offensive analyst Pat Kramer and graduate assistant David “Chief” Kekuewa.
He also is leaving it open as to who will be brought in on offense in the absence of Long to round out the staff, but there is no rush there before the bowl game.
“I could hire an offensive line coach, I could hire a tight end coach, I could hire a quarterback coach,” Kelly said. “I’m going to hire the best coach that I believe fits what we have currently. That’s not to say I want to move any of the coaches that I have on the staff.”
He emphasized that contrary to popular opinion, no decision has been made on who will be the coordinator, especially because there will be vast interest in the position.
“We're going to do a thorough evaluation and search and find what I would consider the best coach that fits Notre Dame,” Kelly said. “… That doesn't mean default back to hiring just to hire somebody …I’m not going to do what’s in my best interests.”
Also stressed was there was no player input on the departure of Long. Plus, three years ago after a 4-8 season he had to make similar tough choices, which have worked out with a 32-6 mark since then, fifth best among the 65 Power 5 Conference teams.
“I’ve had to make other tough decisions,” Kelly said. “I made them a few years ago. I had to let go of guys that stood up in my wedding. I’m not afraid to make tough choices.
“I’m going to make decisions that are in best interests of Notre Dame’s football program and gives us the best chance to win a national championship. I can’t articulate it any better.”
PERSONNEL NEWS
• Kelly indicated that everyone for the Irish who started in the regular season finale practiced today, is available for the bowl game and no one has indicated he would sit out the contest.
• Among young players in the first practice who received most of the work, Kelly singled out sophomore wideout Joe Wilkins and freshman safety Litchfield Ajavon as standouts.
• Senior long-snapper John Shannon has decided not to apply for a fifth season in 2020 and has received placement in law enforcement in Evanston, Ill.
• Because next week is final exams, the practice schedule will be limited to Sunday, Tuesday (when more of the veterans will be integrated) and Thursday, with the fourth one including a scrimmage.
"What's most important now is that as they navigate through a kind of a truncated schedule relative to practices, that when they come over to this building, they have to leave all of that academics behind and really focus on football, and then pick it back up when they leave,” Kelly said.
• Kelly said he has talked to all the fifth- and sixth-year prospects for 2020 but will allow the players to announce their own decisions when they see fit.
“We have our [2020] roster set based on who’s coming back and who’s not coming back,” Kelly said.
• Because the roster for next season is set, Kelly does not anticipate reaching into the transfer portal this winter.
"We’re at the salary cap,” Kelly said. “We don’t have the luxury to bring in three or four guys, so we would have to be really blown over the top to dip into that pool.”
----
• Talk about it inside Rockne’s Roundtable
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue & Gold Illustrated.
• Follow us on Twitter: @BGINews, @BGI_LouSomogyi, @BGI_MikeSinger, @CoachDeDario and @AndrewMentock.
• Like us on Facebook.
