Notre Dame Football: Coach Kelly Talks Offensive Improvement, Revisits Irish Mentality

Brian Kelly returned to the Irish Athletic Center for his last radio segment of the season following an epic showing against the Navy Midshipmen and ahead of the senior night matchup for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish against the Boston College Eagles.

Navy Game

On getting it done against the Midshipmen, Kelly explained “...the one thing about… the Naval Academy is that they don’t get a chance to go up against the speed that we have on defense either, and... we’re long as well, and… having that length… and that speed… was difficult for them to handle…” Kelly went on to underscore the importance of being able to gain control against Navy through the turnovers and distinct agility.

Ian Book

Kelly said his quarterback has been “executing at a higher level,” and that since the Virginia Tech game, Book’s game has evolved to be more impactful. The coach explained that as the offensive line has improved its game, Book has gotten “decisive with the football.”

The Notre Dame Mindset

We all know the mental game is one of the most critical parts of the Irish game. The coach addressed the team’s mindset heading into a rivalry game and senior night and explained, “...the individuals understand… they’re gonna have to get themself back into… where their emotional zone allows them to play at that optimal level… each one will be affected differently...”

Taking on the Eagles.

Kelly gave fans an idea of how the Irish stack up against the Eagles. The coach said “...BC in a lot of ways... is a bigger Navy team.” However, according to Kelly “controlling the line of scrimmage” and moving on from triple option will make the difference this week. Kelly highlighted the Eagles’ physicality, especially that of the BC running backs.

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