Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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MURPHY'S LAW DAN MURPHY T he newest scandal to loom over Notre Dame's football team is messy. And like the rest of a grow- ing list of non-football disasters that have happened under Brian Kelly's watch in South Bend, this story isn't likely to come to a clean conclusion. There is enough information — truth and rumor — available to weave narratives that fit the staunchest Irish defender and the program's biggest detractors. Actual facts from the uni- versity remain scarce during an ongo- ing investigation, but here's what we do know: Notre Dame found reason in July to believe that several of its football play- ers handed in papers and homework that were completed for them by an- other student. An ensuing investiga- tion provided enough evidence against four players — junior cornerback Kei- Varae Russell, senior wide receiver DaVaris Daniels, senior defensive end Ishaq Williams and fifth-year senior linebacker Kendall Moore — that the university's president and athletics di- rector felt comfortable enough to call them out by name and remove them indefinitely from team practices and future games. One of those players, Daniels, and his father Phillip have ve- hemently denied the accusations. More players, either present or past, could be added to that list before Notre Dame wraps up its investigation and passes its findings on to the NCAA. If players were cheating during previ- ous football seasons, the team plans to vacate any wins from those years. Irish Chase Impossible Academic Ideal Notre Dame president Rev. John Jenkins said young people sometimes make bad decisions and that it is the university's job to hold them accountable. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND