Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly. (Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports)
Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, after a year of turmoil for his players in the classroom, said the entire team is “at-risk” academically.
Kelly questioned how many players would be admitted into the school “by themselves,” adding the university will do its best going forward to provide the resources necessary for players to succeed in the classroom.
“I think we recognized that all of my football players are at-risk — all of them — really,” Kelly told the South Bend Tribune on Thursday. “Honestly, I don’t know that any of our players would get into the school by themselves right now with the academic standards the way they are. Maybe one or two of our players that are on scholarship.
“So making sure that with the rigors that we put them in — playing on the road, playing night games, getting home at 4 o’clock in the morning, all of the demands that we place on them relative to the academics and going into an incredibly competitive academic classroom every day — we recognize this is a different group. And we have to provide all the resources necessary for them to succeed and don’t force them into finding shortcuts.”
Notre Dame suspended five players — KeiVarae Russell, DaVaris Daniels, Eilar Hardy, Kendall Moore and Ishaq Williams — last season amid an investigation into academic fraud at the university.
Former Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson served an academic suspension for the entire 2013 season. Golson has since transferred to Florida State for his senior season.
According to Sports Illustrated, Kelly, university president John I. Jenkins and athletic director Jack Swarbrick met this offseason to discuss issues for student-athletes at Notre Dame.
“I think we’ve clearly identified that we need to do better,” Kelly told Notre Dame Insider. “And we’re not afraid to look at any shortcomings that we do have and fix them, and provide the resources necessary for our guys. Our university has looked at that, and we’re prepared to make sure that happens for our guys.”
