1VaBlue1

April 7th, 2018 at 9:07 AM ^

BK, when asked why he wasn't at practice: "academics".

Umm, I know Kelly is an asshat of the first order, but this goes beyond.  Seriously, how does he still have any players?  I mean, I get why people keep playing for Mick Dantony - they can get away with littering, if nothing else.  But Kelly just told the world that one of his players couldn't hack things academically.  What a complete asshole.

East German Judge

April 7th, 2018 at 10:10 AM ^

....but the coaching staff does get away with putting a 20-year student assistant in a 50 foot scissors lift on a windy day when winds were greater than 50 mph and having them fall to their death.  Practice continued after the student fell to their death.

https://deadspin.com/5675694/prelude-to-a-tragedy-how-a-notre-dame-stud…

bacon

April 7th, 2018 at 9:48 AM ^

Not to defend BK, but deciding to transfer is under the umbrella of academics. I’m not sure what you’d want him to say. It’s probably not appropriate to say anything else, he’s not hurt, he shouldn’t mention that he’s considering a transfer, and “I don’t know” or other options would just draw more attention. As the article said, “Academics” is a non-issue for most people as it’s common to miss practice for classes.

Hail Harbo

April 7th, 2018 at 11:30 AM ^

Academics could mean that the graduate program he'd like to pursue isn't offered by ND or there isn't room for him.  Shame on all of you for first assuming Kelly was calling him out for grades.  First, you simply don't know and second, he can't grad transfer without first having graduated.  

M-Dog

April 7th, 2018 at 12:23 PM ^

If that's what "academics" really meant, then Kelly should have said that.  Or nothing.

He knows that saying a player left for "academics" will be understood as the player was failing classes or not going to classes.

That's how you call a kid out for grades.

Which may be what he actually wanted.

 

OC Alum91

April 8th, 2018 at 12:52 PM ^

According to this article, even though he started last year, kid had been passed on depth chart.

So transfer is probably for playing time, not academics.

Kid's text implies Kelly is not accurate, and coaches claiming he would not have started.

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/notre-dame/2018/04/07/not…

Blue_42

April 7th, 2018 at 9:28 AM ^

That makes zero sense. How can you say a guy is transferring because he can't hack it academically when he is leaving with a degree? 

UMgradMSUdad

April 7th, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^

I'm not so sure that's true. Michigan had a basketball player several years back who graduated and had another year of eligibility left and would have stayed but was not accepted into the graduate program he wanted.  It happens. Some of the graduate programs are very selective in who they accept, and no amount of athletic prowess will make up for any perceived academic shortcomings there might be.

crg

April 7th, 2018 at 11:00 AM ^

If he was going to stay at ND for a 5th year, would he even need to apply to a graduate program?  He could simply take additional undergraduate classes (or pursue a minor or dual degree) as loong as his eligibility is still good, correct?  I am not certain if NCAA regulations or ND policy would require him to be a graduate student for the 5th year.

EGD

April 7th, 2018 at 9:31 AM ^

According to the article, Kelly said Hayes was absent from practice for "academics." That's not necessarily the same thing as "grades." The author suggests that players miss spring practice sometimes because of class time conflicts, but that wouldn't seem to explain why Hayes wasn't there at all.

SkyPanther

April 7th, 2018 at 10:00 AM ^

He might play a little if he came to Michigan.

 

Speaking of transfers, I haven't heard a thing about Casey Hughes, the DB transfer from Utah.

Mr Miggle

April 7th, 2018 at 10:42 AM ^

Winning a starting job here is great preparation for the NFL. It's not strange for players with NFL ambitions to have confidence in themselves. And if he can't win any of the starting jobs, he's not likely to make the NFL, but he's going to grad school at Michigan, great preparation for life after football.

corundum

April 7th, 2018 at 11:22 AM ^

He might be coming in to strictly cover slot fades as a third down nickel. Hill and Long are your starting CBs, Thomas and Watson will spell them, and Hughes will come in on obvious passing downs to cover the slot.

Seems like a better idea than watching Kinnel take horrible angles in man coverage and Metellus wiffing a tackle in the open field.