Notre Dame will play in its first-ever conference title game on Saturday in Charlotte, N.C., at 4 p.m. ET on ABC. The day prior to the game, Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly addressed the media.
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On How His Team Manages Its Energy Level Leading Up To A Game As Big As The ACC Championship
“You’re not playing today, we’re playing tomorrow. We remind them and they’ve got a pretty good sense. We’ve played a lot of big games at Notre Dame. These guys have been in big games before. This is another big game for them. But they’re on national TV all the time. They understand how they need to emotionally stay centered leading up to the big games.
“They’re not playing the game on Tuesday or Wednesday. They do a really good job. We do a really good job of making sure that we channel that. Today’s focus is Friday, so they’ll stay focused on what’s important now.”
On The Possibility Of The ACC Championship Being Canceled Or Delayed Due To COVID-19
“We’re playing. We tested yesterday at 8:45 a.m. We got our test this morning at 8:45. We had no positives. Same thing with Clemson. The game is on, folks. It's not being canceled. Both teams will be there in Charlotte, playing the game. No cancellations. You can mark that down. We tested six times since our last game.
“So we’re tired of testing. We know there's more testing ahead of us. But we're excited to be playing the game and be done with the testing for the opportunity to play in this game.”
On If Notre Dame Should Be In The Playoffs Even If They Lose To Clemson
“Whatever I say, really has no merit on what those people are going to do in their room. And I respect the question, I really do. But whatever I say is going to be a sound bite that's going to come out 18 different ways. Here's the only thing I'm going to say, okay.
“They've got to figure out how to make sure that whatever sites they play at, that the parents are going to be watching their sons play. That's what they got to figure out. So maybe they need to spend a little less time on who the top four teams are and figure out how to get parents into these games. Because it is an absolute shame and a sham if parents can't be watching their kids play.
“My kids have been on campus here since June. They haven't seen their families very much at all. They've had to fight through COVID, some of whom had COVID. They can't be around their families for Christmas. I'm going to have them here for Christmas. I'm going to bring in families that aren't theirs during Christmas. You're going to tell me we're going to have a playoff. And maybe one side can have families and the other can’t. Please.
“Somebody’s got to wake up in that room and figure this out. Or we might as well just call this the professional league because nothing speaks to this is just about having a playoff and we don't care about the student-athletes. So I know I went off on a tangent, but I am so sick and tired of this playoff committee talking about having sites where you can't have parents and their families. It's ridiculous. Sorry.”
On Who The Backup Quarterback Is For Notre Dame In The ACC Championship
“[Drew] Pyne will be No. 2. Brendon Clark could play if necessary, but his knee is such that he'd be an emergency situation for us.”
On If Defensive Coordinator Clark Lea Will Be With The Program Through Its Postseason Run
“I guess you guys haven't been paying attention. Clark will be with us throughout the entire run here. He's going to go down and do a press conference on Sunday. And that's it. As I said, assistant coaches that go for head coaching positions [when we] are in postseason play, they are going to be committed to Notre Dame and finishing off at Notre Dame, or they're not part of that process.
“He will be here throughout the run that we have, including the national championship.”
On If Notre Dame Would Opt Out Of The College Football Playoff If The Players’ Family Members Are Unable To Attend The Game In-Person
“I’m not sure we'll play in the playoffs if parents can be there, to be honest with you. Why would we play if you can't have the families at the game? So a bowl game? Yeah, we would opt-out. If you can't have families at bowl games? I mean, why would you go to a game where your families can't be part of it?
“What's the sense of playing the game in an area of the country where nobody can be part of it. Yeah. It doesn't surprise me at all. Look, there are so many sacrifices these kids have had to make. To go to a bowl game where there are no real opportunities for them to do anything. They're going to stay on campus to make the bowl game 24 or 48 hours prior.
“So there's no real reward. Go home and see your families. Go home for Christmas. That's the reward really more than anything else than playing in a bowl game. And it's just different. It's not the bowl game's fault. I get it. We're in a pandemic, and there are restrictions and things like that. But we got to think about the student-athletes in this situation, and not having a chance to share this with their families after being away and sacrificing so much. You can see why they wouldn't want to play.”
On What The Notre Dame Program Did For Past College Football Championship Saturdays
“I was kind of thinking about that the other day. Generally, we're practicing, and the next day the guys have off, or a couple of days off, because we're kind of getting close to the holidays. So generally, this is a practice day, and then we release the guys. Or we've just practiced on, like today's Friday, today this would be our last practice day. And then we've released the players, and we'll see him at the bowl site. So that's generally kind of been the deal.
“I’ve gotten a chance to see some of those games, the conference championship games, on Saturday, because we've been off. It's been a day off for the coaching staff.”
On How The Notre Dame Program Would Go About The Decision Of Whether Or Not To Opt Out Of The Bowl Game
“We’ll talk it over with our team. The players drive this. I don't drive it. I'm echoing their concerns, right? I'm not the guy out there making this up. Because it's not about my family, you know what I mean? It's about their families. So I'm a voice for our team and they're concerned.
“They’re focused on the ACC Championship. So that's where their focus is. They're not going to be speaking about these things. But if in fact, we’re selected to be part of it, this would then be number one on the radar. So then, Andrea, I'll have to address it with our leaders as to how they feel about this. Certainly, that will be the next topic that we'll address after the ACC Championship.”
On The Attributes Running Back Kyren Williams Brings To The Notre Dame Offense That May Not Show Up In The Box Score
“The one thing that he brings that is different is an edge. He brings an edginess to our offense, a confidence. He breeds that edge that goes throughout our entire offense. A confidence, a swagger and you can sense that when he's out there. With his size, he plays big, and it just rallies the group in that sense.
“I know, we all kind of use this, but he makes others around him play at a higher level because they see this smaller guy playing aggressively, playing with swag or playing with an edge, and it really feeds on the other guys on the offense.”
On How Assistant Head Coach Mike Elston Is Able To Develop The Notre Dame Defensive Line Into One Of The Best Units In The Country
“Mike's been with me for 17 years. He's been with me at Central Michigan, where he coached the linebackers, Cincinnati where he coached special teams and tight ends. He's coached a number of different positions. He's my assistant head coach. So he's been in a number of different roles.
“With the defensive line, we've seen the development of these players to the level now where they've dominated games. He's a great teacher. He's got great relationships with the players. He's got a great knowledge base being, obviously here 11 years. I think we've seen a great evolution of our defensive line in the time that he's been here with me at Notre Dame.”
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