Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly: 'This is about what we can do together'
Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly spoke to Scott Van Pelt on SportsCenter on Monday evening to give an update on his team.
The racial tension being felt across the country was the first topic addressed and Kelly said there already has been an open conversation about what is taking place.
"It started with getting everybody together and giving them the platform to speak about what had transpired," Kelly told Van Pelt. "There was certainly a lot of pain. There was a lot of confusion. At the outset, it's important to get those young men together and let them be heard."
Kelly admitted he could have done more and noted this is just the beginning of change.
"I feel we failed," stated Kelly. "I failed as a leader in my platform to make any kind of change that was necessary to not let something like this continue to happen. We've got to be there for these young men and we have to provide them the opportunity - we have to take it further.
"It can't just be talk. It has to be action on my part, our coaches and among our players."
Action is a trendy word being used in all avenues when talking about racial injustice, but Kelly knows for his team to be successful, it starts with respect in his locker room.
"What this is about is respecting each other and true love for each other," said Kelly. "This is no longer about what you can do for me. This is about what we can do together. That cuts through everything. You no longer are just a football player. You're a brother. What can we do to help see-through and have a conversation about racism?
"White men don't like talking about racism. It's a tough topic. If you can be honest, vulnerable and be somebody that can have those kinds of conversations, then respect is going to start to show itself all over your locker room. If you have respect - you don't have to hang in the same crowds, but if you can get respect in your locker room amongst your players, then you're going to get a team that plays together."