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Notre Dame Football

Notre Dame's Brian Kelly Preparing for Challenges of Players Returning

June 9, 2020
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The Notre Dame football program will start to return to campus this week as voluntary workouts are expected to begin on June 22nd. 

Head football coach Brian Kelly told ESPN's Scott Van Pelt in March that teams needed to get going by July 1st if the season was to start on time and was encouraged by the latest timelines. 

"All of our decisions have been driven by the health and safety of our football team and all those surrounding it," Kelly told Van Pelt on Monday night. "We didn't have a particular day. I was hoping that July date meant we would be up and running and that would give us a shot at something in September. 

"We're right on track now because we're going to be coming in, but we think now the schedule sets up with the NCAA being involved with putting together a back-to-play schedule. We feel like we're in good position to begin the first week of September." 

Getting kids on campus is one thing, but getting players through the season without picking up the virus is another challenge. 

"There's going to be testing," explained Kelly. "Our football team is committed to testing. We will test weekly throughout the season. We're going to put a football team on the field that has been tested and cleared. Navy is going to put out a football team that has been cleared and tested.

"We're going to be in close proximity, but those kids have been tested prior to competition."

The student body returning to campus another challenge programs will face in a few months. Student-athletes will have to make smart decisions, but it's almost a given that teams will lose players due to positive testing. 

"The challenges will be they are college students during the week," stated Kelly. "Making good decisions are where you'll be challenged. Quite frankly, it's on Thursday or Friday when you test and your starting quarterback has Covid-19 and the backup quarterback got six reps, but we have to get on the bus and play Clemson. 

"Those will be the challenges that we have as we move forward." 

On the field, Kelly admitted his staff will be focused on making sure the players are fundamentally sound. The Fighting Irish practiced once during the spring and the playbook will be smaller due to the small body of work.

"Many times you talk about football teams not looking prepared in the opener," Kelly said. "This is going to be making sure the playbook is very, very small and the execution is good because you're going to have to spend a lot of time on the fundamentals."

And yes, coaches across the country will have to demonstrate more Patience than ever before, but Kelly is prepared for it.

"I have learned how to work that into my new vocabulary," laughed Kelly. "Patience is my middle name. Brian Patience Kelly." 

 
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