Brian Kelly

SOUTH BEND — The dream of becoming an engineer, whenever life after football pushes itself on Manti Te’o, dissolved as quickly and as decisively as the Notre Dame linebacker’s newest passion appeared. “He hasn’t declared a major yet,” said Te’o’s father, Brian, “but when he came home at Christmas, he was all excited about going into sports psychology.” Which may just come in extra handy this spring. The sophomore-to-be from Laie, Hawaii, supplemented his classwork by jumping outside the required homework box this winter.

Tommy Rees, or Andrew Hendrix?  That's the question Irish fans are asking as the team prepares for Thursday's bowl game with Florida State.  Brian Kelly has already anointed tommy Rees the starter, but not necessarily the closer. Kelly will use both quarterbacks in the bowl game.  And with a whole month to prepare, he's had ample time to get Andrew Hendrix up to speed. “He's worked with the first unit, he didn't do much first unit work when we were using him as a situational player," Kelly says of Hendrix.

Maybe there's something to the momentum coach Brian Kelly has built with the Notre Dame football team. It's already taken a step in the right direction for 2011. Wednesday, the Irish program got word that receiver Michael Floyd has passed up an opportunity to leave Notre Dame early to start his NFL career. "This was one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make in my life," Floyd said in a statement. "On the one hand, there was Notre Dame.

Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly hired veteran Harry Hiestand to his staff, as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator on Wednesday. “Harry is one of the best offensive line coaches in college football, and we are fortunate to have him on our staff,” Irish head coach Brian Kelly said. “When I was searching to fill this position, I asked some of the most respected offensive line coaches in football whom they would recommend and Harry's name was routinely mentioned as one of the best.

SOUTH BEND - Is different necessarily better? That is where those covering Notre Dame football spring practice have to put their focus every day. Dig through the skepticism built up from the hyperventilating in the early days of the last three coaching regimes. Realize there is more than one template that produces consistent BCS teams. Look for the little things that add up to meaningful change in the big picture. By the time the Irish stage their first Blue-Gold Game under first-year coach Brian Kelly, April 24 at Notre Dame Stadium, the hints about where the program is headed will still far outnumber the conclusions.

After taking 48 hours to get over the utter disbelief in what I saw...and to dry out...I've come to the conclusion that Notre Dame's loss to South Florida on Saturday isn't necessarily as bad as it seems. I still can't believe how poorly the Irish played on Saturday. But that's just it.  They played BAD, but they're not a bad team. Compare this squad to the one four years ago, when it was obvious after one week that Notre Dame might not win a game before Halloween (they started 1-9)

Notre Dame ran Navy right out of the stadium. Literally. "We were committed," Kelly said, "we were going to run the football. " Notre Dame's seven rushing touchdowns was its most since 1992. But this week, the bigger issue was the way Brian Kelly run his team. Many players took issue with things Kelly said on Thursday, when he drew a comparison between his recruits and those brought in by Charlie Weis. (Click here to read about that: http://www.wsbt.com/sports/colts/wsbt-notre-dame-football-retracting-kellys-vision-20111028,0,3006368.story )

SOUTH BEND -- Theo Riddick is listed as a wide receiver on Notre Dame's roster. But that's just where it begins. He'll also be the team's punt returner, and one of the kickoff returners too.      He's also taking reps in practice at his old position, running back, just in case the Irish - who are thin on depth there - need him to fill in. But no matter where Riddick lines up this season, Notre Dame's plan to use him is clear....

Notre Dame fans have been waiting to see Aaron Lynch in action on a fall Saturday for a long time. The high school all american set the bar high, when he dominated the Blue Gold game as an INCOMING freshman. This past weekend, Lynch proved to be every bit as good as advertised. "He's an extremely genetically gifted young man, and he's got a desire to want to get to the quarterback", said Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly.  "I think we all know he's extremely gifted.

Kendall Moore remains committed to Notre Dame, he said this week. "Yes, sir, very solid," said Moore, who is ranked as a four-plus star recruit. Moore, who played at Southeast High in Raleigh, N.C., admits he wavered a little during the time period when Charlie Weis was fired after the season and Brian Kelly was hired Dec. 11. "I was kind of confused," said the 6-foot-3, 232-pounder, who never publicly decommitted. "My dad always said, ‘You have to be a man of your word,’" Moore said.