Brian Kelly: Kyle Hamilton ‘has every intention of playing’ for Notre Dame
Another week, another Notre Dame game without Kyle Hamilton.
Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly said the All-American junior safety is not ready to come back from the knee injury he sustained in the first quarter against USC on Oct. 23. Saturday's 7:30 ET (ABC) game against Virginia (6-3) will be the third in a row Hamilton has missed.
Kelly set the record straight about Hamilton's absences.
"Let me be really clear on this because I think there are a bunch of narratives out there about Kyle," Kelly said in his Thursday press conference. "Kyle is not cleared medically to play. Once he's cleared medically to play, he has every intention of playing. He just hasn't been cleared yet."
Kelly's most recent statement on Hamilton came a week and a half after he told reporters he'd leave a decision about whether to return to play this season or not to Hamilton and his family.
"Kyle will make the right decision, what’s right for him," Kelly said on Nov. 1. "We’re assuming everything goes right with his knee. If that’s the case, he will have all the information in front of him. We’ll support him 100 percent, whatever it is.”
All the while, Kelly has been optimistic Hamilton's knee will heal in time to play again this season. The severity and exact diagnosis of Hamilton's knee injury has not been disclosed. Kelly said Hamilton has been ardent in his rehabilitation effort.
"He's done everything that we've asked him to do," Kelly said. "I just want to make sure it's clear that this isn't a young man who doesn't want to play, that he's protecting himself for the NFL Draft or a bunch of that stuff.
"Here's a guy who's in the weight room. He's doing all the things that an engaged captain of our football team would do. But he's just not cleared right now. He's dealing with an injury that takes time. And it's taken more time. When our medical people clear him, he'll be back. That just hasn't been the case."
If there was a game left on Notre Dame's schedule in which Kelly and company would love to have Hamilton patrolling the secondary, it'd be this one. The Irish (8-1) are up against the nation's No. 1 offense and the No. 2 passer in the country in terms of yards per game (395.2), junior quarterback Brennan Armstrong.
Armstrong, though, is recovering from an injury of his own. He hurt his ribs in a 66-49 loss to BYU on Oct. 30. The Cavaliers had a bye week for Armstrong to rest, but his status has remained a mystery in the days leading up to Saturday's kickoff.
Nov. 20 might be Hamilton's last chance to play in front of home fans at Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish host Georgia Tech. Hamilton in all likelihood will leave school early and prepare for the 2022 NFL Draft. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has him rated as the No. 2 overall prospect.
After this week, there are only a maximum of four games remaining in Hamilton's career if he chooses to turn professional. And with Notre Dame still ranked at No. 9 in the College Football Playoff rankings, it might only be three.
Still, Kelly seems adamant that no matter what situation the team finds itself in from here through early January, Hamilton will step onto the field in a gold helmet again when his knee allows him to. He'll be looking to add to his career totals of eigth interceptions and 16 passes defended.
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