Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1302940
www.BLUEANDGOLD.com OCT. 31, 2020 11 UNDER THE DOME STRICTLY BUSINESS TRIP More than ever with the corona- virus, road trips in college sports are strictly business. Notre Dame's first such excur- sion wasn't until Oct. 24 versus Pitt, followed by Georgia Tech Oct. 31. "All of our meetings, all of our practice … we will treat Friday on the road just like it's Friday here at Notre Dame Stadium," Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly explained prior to the trip to Pittsburgh. This specifically includes eat- ing the Friday evening dinner in downtown South Bend with plenty of spacing between tables, and not having any food on the plane when they board right af- terwards. The second step was to limit the hotel stay in Pittsburgh as much as possible after arriving Friday night sometime around 8:30- 8:45 p.m. From there, it's a quick snack, sleep, and the breakfast will be only "to go" prior to having team meetings with the coaches. The team then boarded their buses and had their pre-game meal at Heinz Field before walk- ing down to the locker room to dress. Following the game, one more meal up in the concourse of the stadium, board the plane and return home. "Very little contact with the hotel, very little contact in those kinds of situations, kind of create an atmosphere where we feel like we can control it the best that we can," Kelly summarized. Dealing with the unknown al- ways creates unease, but Kelly emphasized that overall the ex- pectations and protocols laid out ever since returning to campus in June have been followed. "Emotionally, their ability to adapt has been great," Kelly said. "… Our support staff has been fabulous in really looking at ev- erything in terms of how we can do this, minimizing the risk. "Many teams have been on the road and have come out of it quite well. We expect to do the same thing." — Lou Somogyi JUNIOR RUNNING BACK JAHMIR SMITH LEAVES TEAM One week after Notre Dame women's basketball player and junior for- ward Danielle Cosgrove announced a leave of absence this semester to deal with mental health, junior running back Jahmir Smith issued a similar post on social media while the Irish prepared for Pitt. Wrote Smith: "Talking about mental health issues is a difficult subject matter for many. For those struggling with mental health, asking for help can seem discouraging, but it is the first step towards improving. I have decided to take this first step, and after speaking with my family and Coach [Brian] Kelly, I have decided that it is best for me to take some time away from football to work on improving my mental health. "I would like to thank Coach Kelly, the football coaches and staff, and the University of Notre Dame for this amazing opportunity to play football and pursue a degree at this elite institution. I am uncertain of my future as a player here at Notre Dame, but at this time I am directing my focus towards completing my studies and working on my well-being with the support and resources from university health services." Smith appeared in the closing series of the season-opening 27-13 win ver- sus Duke, carrying five times for 15 yards. He did not play in the ensuing three games, with sophomore Kyren Williams taking on the lead back role, and freshman Chris Tyree as the complement. Also ahead on the depth chart were junior C'Bo Flemister, who rushed for 127 yards in the 52-0 win versus South Florida Sept. 19, and senior Jafar Armstrong, who entered this season with the most career rushing yards (505) among the current Notre Dame running backs. Smith appeared in 10 games during the 11-2 finish in 2019, finishing with 42 carries for 180 yards and two scores. Both of his touchdowns came in the 35-17 win at Louisville in the opener when Armstrong was injured on the opening series. He also appeared in two contests as a freshman in 2018, carrying six times for 28 yards while preserving a fifth year of eligibility if desired in the future. — Patrick Engel and Lou Somogyi Smith, who played in just one game so far this season, has decided that it is in his best interests to take some time away from football to work on improving his mental health. PHOTO BY MIKE MILLER