Kelly talks unique Fisher, Irish travel plans for FSU, more notes
The depth chart is set, the hours are ticking down and consensus preseason top-10 Notre Dame is mere days from seeking a return trip to the College Football Playoffs with its opener at Florida State.
New quarterback. New wideouts. Almost an entirely new offensive line.
Including left tackle Blake Fisher. The freshman wunderkind.
“Well, it's rare,” Brian Kelly said Thursday of Fisher getting to start in his first-ever game wearing the Irish uniform. “I think it's rare not only at Notre Dame, but anywhere in the country to be able to start as a true freshman, in part on the offensive line. Which requires more than just physical ability. You've got to be able to handle all things that happen quickly. Blitz, stunts, movements, recognition. For you to put all that together, especially at the left tackle position is, extraordinary.”
Kick-off Sunday at Doak Campbell Stadium is 7:30 p.m. (ABC).
NO MORE CASINOS
Asked about his experiences through the years of taking teams onto the road for season openers, Kelly recalled a particularly misguided adventure when he was head man at Grand Valley State – his very first head coaching position.
“I think one of the more interesting ones was, staying in Reno, Nevada, before we played the University of California at Davis when I was a young head coach at Grand Valley State,” Kelly recalled. “And it really wasn't a great move.
“We stayed at a casino and not everybody made bed-check and I wasn't too happy about it and sat some guys in the first half and we didn't play very well. So I learned my lessons. Don't stay at a casino and if you're going to do that, make sure you have a more veteran football team.”
It's worth noting, based on research, that game according to the Grand Valley State media guide was the 2003 season opener – a game that Kelly's team won, 9-6, en route to the NCAA Division II national championship and a significant moment on Kelly's path to coaching stardom.
RECRUITING ABOUNDS
With their game not until Sunday night and the team not flying to the Sunshine State until Saturday evening, the Fighting Irish coaches are going to be out recruiting Friday night – and also capitalizing on their exclusive Sunday night TV time-slot as well.
“We'll get out and recruit on Friday,” Kelly said. “You can only have a couple guys at the games. I'll go out with Marcus (Freeman) and I think Tommy (Rees) will go out with Jeff Quinn. We'll get out on the road and see some guys."
Kelly added that the Irish's strategic scheduling with a mix of ACC teams, traditional rivals and consistent presence of Big Ten foes is done with an eye on recruiting, as well as tradition. He said “we'll get a bump” from being the lone primetime, nationally televised contest against FSU.
TRAVEL PLANS
Notre Dame is flying out of South Bend International Airport's corporate area at 5:45 p.m. Saturday evening.
The Fighting Irish are taking 80 players – 10 to 15 more than a normal road-trip.
“We're taking 80 and you can imagine the reason for that is the environment that they're going to be going into,” Kelly said. “We want them to get that experience and get that feel of being on the road and the routine of being on the road.
"Most of these guys don't stick around for four years. They're getting their degree and going on to the NFL or moving to other opportunities. Let's get these guys an opportunity to see what it feels like in their true freshman year because they're probably going to be playing for us the next year."
