Every day brings questions and situations head coach Brian Kelly had not considered until March, or perhaps even until now.
There are unforeseen outcomes of some necessary changes to practice and new hurdles to clear that he hadn’t encountered before. Most of all, there is general understanding that this season he and his players earned the chance to play after spending this summer staving off COVID-19 could all come crashing down with some decision made far from South Bend.
A limited amount of headspace exists for the actual matter of coaching a college football team or playing football. Kelly feels a big part of his task this preseason is making clear to his players it’s OK to focus on football and the goals Notre Dame set, even when commotion and worry are atwitter. The outside circumstances may be different, but the football is the same. The goals are still in front. With this year’s ACC membership, there’s even a new goal.
“It’s getting them focused squarely on that without the distractions of everything going on,” Kelly said. “That’s why it’s so nice to get back to practice with our normal process and routine. That’s going to take a little time.
“We’ve only had one practice. I’m anxious to build on a number of practices and getting to the heart of this so we can get to our process. We really haven’t been in that for a very long time.”
With Notre Dame’s seniors, the focus is clear and football conversations are easy. If the season is played, this is their last chance at the goals they set when they arrived on campus three or four years ago.
“Our mission is clear: to see them graduate and win a national championship,” Kelly said. “I don’t think that one takes very long. They’re not here for any other reason.”
The senior class occupies some of Notre Dame’s most important positions. Ian Book is the first three-year starting quarterback of Kelly’s Irish tenure. Book shook off a bumpy first seven games to lead Notre Dame to six straight wins, capped with a 33-9 victory over Iowa State in the Camping World Bowl.
Book had the bowl game and one spring practice until Wednesday to work with offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who was elevated from quarterbacks coach in December. Any concern over the lack of on-field time in their new partnership, in Kelly’s mind, is dwarfed by the strides Kelly has observed since the season.
Comfort in his role. Ownership of it.
“He has developed a single-minded focus of what he wants this team to accomplish and what he wants for him,” Kelly said. “It’s a championship or bust. Everything he does is so intentional on a day-to-day basis.
“He’s not distracted by the noise of the position in which he’s a leader and quarterback at Notre Dame. … He’s stronger, he’s fitter. He’s going to have a great year. There’s no doubt in my mind we’re going to see the best version of Ian Book this fall.”
Once again, Book should receive strong pass protection. Notre Dame’s offensive line has 114 career starts and three seniors entering at least their third year as a starter. Bookend tackles and offseason Spring/Summer Workout Accountability Team (SWAT) leaders Liam Eichenberg and Robert Hainsey look like safely draftable prospects.
“They set a standard for how to do things on a day-to-day basis,” Kelly said. “We have a mentoring program for the young men who are on their team, and it revolves around our traits and who we are as a program. Every day, they’re espousing their traits by their own actions and what they do as role models.
“If you have two tackles that can protect the quarterback, it lets the head coach get some sleep sometimes.”
Elsewhere, guard Tommy Kraemer is in his fourth year as a starter and has realistic NFL hopes. Fifth-year senior defensive ends Daelin Hayes and Ade Ogundeji will finally get their cracks at full-time starting duties.
Ogundeji’s name has already floated into NFL circles, while Hayes had perhaps his best season before suffering an injury in late September. He would like nothing more than to be known for his on-field play and continue his football career as much as he’s lauded for his leadership and community activity.
All told, Notre Dame has nine surefire starters or major role players in their final year of eligibility, plus two graduate transfers that have paths to starting jobs in cornerback Nick McCloud and wide receiver Bennett Skowronek (the latter’s opportunity opened with Kevin Austin’s early August foot surgery).
They’re all here to accomplish two things that are still possible. Same time, though, it’s hard not to wonder about their careers with the season on cracking ice.
“Some of them have some questions about if we play and we stop, what’s the eligibility?” Kelly said. “Is my scholarship going to be honored? Typical questions they should have. We don’t have all the answers for them right now.”
Nothing is final, but the NCAA recommended preserving a year of eligibility for anyone who plays in up to 50 percent of the maximum number of games allowed, which in college football is 12. That includes anyone who starts a season and opts out, or starts a season that eventually gets canceled.
“I told those guys we’re going to get them all the information we can once we get it,” Kelly said. “There are some things we don’t have answers for. Unfortunately, that’s life, and we have to move on until we get those answers, put them behind us and focus on what we do know.
“And that is we have a football season to get ready for, and let’s get going on that.”
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