Brian Kelly Transcript: Notre Dame coach talks win, BC game
Barely 36 hours after his team used a last-minute touchdown and two overtime sessions to knock off top-ranked Clemson, Brian Kelly on Monday met with media via Zoom.
Read his question-and-answer session below:
Brian Kelly Opening Statement on Boston College
“Obviously, a great challenge this week with Boston College. Coach Hafley has done a great job and you can tell watching this team. They play hard, very gritty, tough team, well-coached. It’s going to be a great challenge for us.
“I know in talking with Coach Swinney in pregame, he even commented about the way this team played them for four quarters and that they’re going to be a great challenge. Getting our team prepared this week, apply our process the way we have will be very, very important and then competing at a high level on the road.
“They’ve done a really good job of balancing out their offense run to pass the last few weeks. Defensively, again, very good scheme, very sound, very fundamental, tackle well. Again, they’ve gotten off to a nice start this season and are playing good football. They’re 5-3 and looking to obviously get a great victory against us, so we’ll have to be prepared.
Kelly on Injury Concerns and Concerns About Fans Rushing Field For COVID Reasons
BK: Injuries, none that we believe will hold anybody out from playing this weekend against Boston College. It certainly was a physical game, we’ve got some guys who have some bumps and bruises and some healing that will have to take place, but nothing that we feel will keep anybody out from action this weekend.
“As it relates to the COVID, we tested yesterday. We should have all of our testing numbers in here within the next hour, so I’ll have a better feel for that.
“My concerns are not great in terms of the postgame students on the field. Those students were tested during the week and our players were aware that they needed to get off the field in a timely fashion. We don’t believe that that’s going to be a situation that is going to affect our football team, but we’ll have plans in place in case it becomes an issue.”
Kelly on Kyren Williams’ Efforts as a Pass Blocker & on WRs Getting More Involved
BK: The focus was for our backs to be more active in protections. Clemson ran a lot of twist games and stunt games that knocks off your offensive linemen. Even though we were in a six-man protection, the back didn’t get out a lot. They limited us a little bit in terms of our check-down opportunities. We gave up some potential check-down opportunities that Ian could have had that we did not have because we left the back in to pick up some of those games that inevitably knock off a lineman because they’re so aggressive in picking off linemen in their twist stunts. We felt we needed to give something up and that was the back not getting out.
“In terms of getting that production to be seen more in the games, you can talk about it all you want, but you’ve got to actually lean on it during the week of practice.
“I added more practice time to our skelly periods, committed more time for work with our wide receivers and our quarterbacks. I think that helped us quite a bit. Then, just knowing that if we were going to take that next step, the ball needed to be pushed out there. Plays needed to be called, so Tommy and I being on the same page, we felt the same way and ultimately you’ve got to call those plays.”
Kelly on Continuing To Try To Get Team To Raise Level
BK: I think the first thing is the constant application of our process, so stay consistent with what we’ve been doing. That constant application of our process has been something we’ve done now for close to four years, so continue on that front, which isn’t replaced by anything but smart work. Working with a purpose and having good practice habits and certainly productive practices. It’s one thing to go out there and run around, but not having productive practices.
“The constant application of our practice starts with the ability to understand how important each day is and in our preparation. In the weight room today, the ability to be in the training room yesterday to get guys back. We have a lot of work to clean up. We’ve got to be a better football team. There are a number of areas that have to get cleaned up technically and tactically in all three phases.”
Kelly on Michael Mayer Handling Early Setbacks Against Clemson
BK: For players in their freshman year to continue to ascend, there has to be a mental performance component that is different than most freshmen. And he has that.
“Case in point, when he came over after the red zone situation that he was in, he handled himself incredibly well. He didn’t throw a helmet, didn’t throw a tantrum. He just started breathing, talking to himself in the manner that, ‘I’m going to make that play next time when I’m given that opportunity again.’ He just handles himself like somebody who has been in our program for more than one year.
“It’s very unique. He’s had very little mental performance training. The little bit of mental performance training he’s had, he’s taken to it and built upon it and that’s why he’s had the kind of success he’s had.”
Kelly Comparing The 2020 Team To The 2012 Team
BK: Physically stronger, faster across the board defensively. We had individual players in ’12 who were certainly as good as any player on this team, but overall, on all three levels, it’s a more physical, faster football team across the board.
“From an offensive standpoint, the physicality on the offensive line coupled with size on the outside that can win one-on-one matchups. We really didn’t have – TJ Jones was an outstanding player, (Davaris) Daniels was coming into his own.
“We have a veteran quarterback in Ian Book, Everett (Golson) was a young quarterback.
“There were some really good pieces about that team, but this team obviously has a lot more experience, depth, athleticism and speed. In many areas, it’s quite different from ’12.”
Kelly On Facing Former Notre Dame QB Phil Jurkovec & The Relationship Between Book & Jurkovec
BK: When he was here, he was fairly bright in terms of understanding what we were doing. There were times when we were trying to get him to get the ball out of his hand a little faster, but the normal progress that most young players were making in the program, he was making. I think that was normal.
The quarterback meeting room is a very supportive one. I know Phil and Ian were supportive of each other. I don’t know what their relationship was off the field. I don’t know that they ran in the same crowd, but quarterbacks are going to be very supportive of each other.”
On the team’s ability to have success on the field on third down
BK: You make it sounds so simple. We just dial it up. Yeah, there's a lot to that, obviously. I think tendencies, personnel groupings, there's a lot of work. If I could tell you how much time that we spend on third down, you'd be amazed. First and second down, those meetings go pretty fast. Third down goes for a couple of days. So, there's a lot of intense study, there's a lot of intense situational substitution. You're looking at matchups. You're looking at how you can put yourself and leverage yourself defensively for the best situation. We could be here a long time. Here's what I would tell you. At the end of the day, you're trying to keep the offense in longer third down situations for the most part. When they have that third and short, the national average is jumping up there into the 75 percentile. I don't care how many days you spend on third and short. You're coming out on the short end. You need to be five-plus, six-plus and we've done really well in those areas and keeping it at third and long. Once you get the third and long, now the numbers start to tilt towards you. That's where we've been really effective."
On the play of linebacker Shayne Simon and his breakout performance
BK: He's still emerging. He's not there yet. Marist didn't play much. He had the targeting, so that opened the door for Shayne. We're really pleased with his progression. He's progressing. Shayne is progressing. There's still some things out there that we need him to work on. Shedding blocks, getting off blocks, a couple of instinctual things that I think he can get better at, but he's attacking the line of scrimmage, he is finishing off tackles, he's got really good awareness and space in the pass game. We're really seeing somebody that is elevating his game. There's still more out there for him. I wouldn't say that this thing is, 'Hey, this is a done deal. Shayne Simon, he's got the position.' There's still some competition out there and we like it. We like to keep the competition lively out there. But really pleased with where he's going and he's got some room to continue to grow, which is a great thing."
On Phil Jurkovec and his growth at Boston College from his time at Notre Dame
BK: Phil's in a different type of offense than the one we were asking him to be part of last year, so it's hard. We're not comparing it. Remember in high school, he was in a spread offense, truly a spread offense, catch and throw. He was in an RPO offense last year. He is in a play action, six man, seven man protection offense this year. So, it's really hard to compare where he is compared to where he was last year, because they are so dissimilar from an offensive perspective. What he's doing this year on film is he's making plays outside the realm of the offense, which he was very accustomed to doing in high school and when he was here as well. Outside the pocket, he's a great scrambler. He can throw on the run. He's got a strong arm. Great size and he's a tough kid. But I would say that the offenses are so dissimilar it's hard to really compare where that progression is, but the one constant is he can make plays outside that the pocket"
On the field corner competition between TaRiq Bracy and Clarence Lewis
BK: That battle is constant, that cornerback position. Clark and Mike felt like Clarence was the best call for us and we're going to do what we think is best for Notre Dame's defense, so we went with Clarence. That is a competitive situation. TaRiq could be the starter this weekend. We'll see how it plays out during the week."
On how it feels to see Javon McKinley and Avery Davis succeed after being so patient
BK: There's a lot of work that goes into those relationships and developing trust and sticking with the program, but also letting them know that we still believe in you. Even though it's taken some time, your opportunity will show itself and when it does, we believe that you're gonna make plays. There's a great amount of satisfaction when you see those guys have the kind of success against top level talent. Avery Davis was running away from everybody the other night. Javon McKinley was taking the ball and making plays. He ran away from the corner that he was going against, who was one of the finer corners in the country. We probably needed to get him the ball a couple more times. So yeah, great satisfaction to see the development. That's what you want in your program. You want to see guys later in their careers continuing to see their development and that to me, people so many times talk about hallmark moments, I look at it from a different perspective. To me, program development is when your older players are still developing and when they get a chance to play, can play championship level football. So yeah, it's satisfying."
Q: Did you take any moment to reflect on the magnitude of this win?
BK: My normal routine is to go back home and be with my family. And we really don't talk much football. We kind of relax. I'll hear from my kids who are in our college; they'll tell me they need more money.
I generally have to listen to my wife and what she had to do to entertain everybody in the box. I get a long list of laundry items that I have to take care of on Sunday. So I promptly usually want to go to bed. I didn't get much time to think about No. 1, because they weren't thinking about being No. 1.
And then the next morning we come back in. So, pretty glamorous life, right? Everybody wants to be the head football coach at Notre Dame. That's what you get.
You get a moment, and I think what you think about more than anything else is the players; how they've sacrificed so much during COVID. To give up so much. To not have a real senior day and not really have the kind of things that other seniors have had. It's been so odd.
The fans rush the field and our players are like this is crazy but they also knew it was the seniors last home game. There was just so many emotions and I think most of it was centered around our veteran players and all of our players that have worked so hard to get to that moment.
Q: Any changes going back out on the road?
BK: They've got a pretty good routine. I like our routine. We do all of our work here on Friday, eat downtown at the City Center. Do our meetings. Then get on a fairly short flight. Usually under two hours, get our snack and go to bed. Then it's gameday.
It's been pretty good from that standpoint. 3:30 game, which is great for us. It really stays in our wheelhouse in terms of the routine.
Our guys are well-accustomed to it now that we've been on the road a few times. This will be really comfortable for our guys to go ahead and do it again.
Q: Did you get an explanation for the pass interference penalty against Clemson late in the game that got picked up?
BK: Whoever threw the flag was overruled by somebody else who felt like he had a better view of the play. Seemed to happen on a couple of occasions. Look, we have a process. We send in clips that we feel like we would like the supervisor of officials to look at. They'll look at them, they'll send back the report from there and it is what it is. But that's kind of my perspective of what the situation was.
Q: Going back to 2012, you talked about the need to elevate your program. What was that roadmap like for you?
BK: My comments are probably archived from that game. I said that the physicality of Alabama was such that we needed to duplicate that in our program.
And here we are in where I feel like our physicality was a separator in terms of the ability to control the line of scrimmage. We rushed for over 200 yards; we kept them to under 50 yards. So controlling the line of scrimmage was what my vision was in terms of what a championship team looked like. And then those other pieces come together in different forms.
That physicality was certainly at the heart of it.
Q: What have you seen from the ongoing development of Daelin Hayes, especially as a leader?
BK: He's an integral part, not only his leadership which has continued to grow as a captain. Daelin was always vocal but he now is extremely pointed when he talks now. Pointed in the sense that the guys are really listening to what he has to say. It's clear that he has their ear. You do that when you are a man of your word and you're trusted. And they see how he's performing as well. Your best players, by and large, gain a lot of credibility as well. So you're seeing all that happen with Daelin Hayes this year. So he'll be extremely important this week and in the weeks to come.
Q: Any update on Braden Lenzy?
BK: Yes, Braden was running full speed ahead straight-line on Friday. We will begin change of direction today and see how he responds. If he looks good today, we'll put him in practice tomorrow. And then it will be how he handles portions of practice as to whether he would be ready to play this week. And if he's not, certainly we'll have the bye week and he'll be ready for North Carolina.
