Kelly met with the media on Tuesday to answer questions about this week’s upcoming game against Stanford.
Overall, Brian Kelly says he’s comfortable with special teams foundationally, but says it still needs to be coached up better.
— Irish Illustrated (@PeteSampson_) October 11, 2016
This seems like a common theme with Kelly in every Tuesday presser. Almost every week he saying they need to coach better. Maybe it’s the players who just aren’t getting it, but moreover maybe it is the actual coaching isn’t up to par. At the moment this is an all around poorly coached team.
It’d be one thing if Notre Dame was 2-4 and looked like a well coached team, but they aren’t. They are getting out-coached in almost every game. They are a bad 2-4. Stanford and Michigan State are both 2-3, but at least you can say that they are a well coached team. It’s hard to say that with the Irish.
Kelly on young guys: “When you expect them to know when you don’t drill it down deep enough, that’s me not doing good enough of a job.”
— Angelo Di Carlo (@angdicarlowndu) October 11, 2016
Again Kelly pointing to the coaching not being up to snuff. On one hand fans want Kelly and the coaching staff to shoulder the blame for Notre Dame’s poor play, but at the same time it is kind of disheartening to hear the seventh year head coach say they aren’t coaching well enough. The Irish program is an a very tough spot at the moment.
Brian Kelly, on his sideline demeanor: “I don’t feel like I’m crossing a line. I think I’m being who I am.”
— Mike Vorel (@mikevorel) October 11, 2016
A few weeks ago Kelly said that he would be a little more animated on the sidelines. When he said that we thought we would be seeing more of the purple-in-the-face Kelly, but we really haven’t. I’d have to agree that Kelly hasn’t crossed any lines lately. Of course he gets in the faces of his players at times, but what coach doesn’t do that from time to time?
Asked about finding a role for Malik Zaire, “it’s very difficult … he’s a quarterback, we’re not gonna change that.”
— Irish Illustrated (@PeteSampson_) October 11, 2016
I didn’t get to watch the press conference today like I usually do, so I didn’t see how this question came up. I wonder why this question was even asked. Where would they even move Zaire to? Defensive back? No, you’d rather have your younger guys get experience. Wide receiver? No, you’re already loaded at that position. Zaire got dealt an unfortunate hand last year, but he clearly does not have a spot on this football team at the moment.
Stanford’s 2-game losing streak just its 2nd since 2010. #NotreDame has had a 4-game losing streak, a 3 and five 2s in same time.
— Tim Prister (@timprister) October 11, 2016
This stat doesn’t bode well for a Notre Dame win on Saturday. It’s hard to think Stanford will drop a third straight game, I mean they haven’t done it in quite some time.
Other News and Notes
- Kelly said that he’s been working with the defensive backs more than any other position group. He loves the group eagerness and willingness to learn and be coached.
- Kelly said he’s doing everything to create a winning identity for this year’s team, as well as ‘17, ‘18 and ‘19.
- Kelly kept preaching that the offensive line will get better from week to week.
- Kelly denied that he had blamed players for losses in the past. He said the blame falls on everyone in the program.
- Stanford All-American running back, Christian McCaffrey, will most likely be a game time decision for Saturday’s game.