career ended this spring because of
repeated concussions) couldn't play
because of sustaining an injury — in
pregame warm-ups.
Several other top-line players
missed some time, with All-Amer-
ican linebacker Jaylon Smith's
wrecked knee early in the Fiesta
Bowl the coup de grace. Yet it was
a testament to the recruiting and de-
velopment of the coaching staff —
especially with quarterback DeShone
Kizer and running back Josh Adams
— that the Fighting Irish still were
10-1 heading into the regular-season
finale, and one defensive stop away
from an 11-1 ledger.
The need to play so many players
out of emergency the past two sea-
sons could prove beneficial in 2016.
LIGHTS, CAMERA … SHOWTIME
Last summer, Notre Dame and
Brian Kelly agreed with the Show-
time cable network to give viewers
an all-access, behind-the-scenes look
at the football program throughout
the week. "A Season With Notre
Dame Football" debuted on Sept. 8
and the half-hour telecast was shown
every Tuesday through Jan. 5 with
its "adult language, adult content"
warnings.
It was a calculated gamble that
led to a few regrets, but overall it
received a huge thumbs up from the
The Showtime camera crews constantly hovered around head coach Brian Kelly and the Notre Dame
football team during its all-access look inside the operation. Overall, the Notre Dame community was
pleased with its outcome and publicity, but Kelly said he would rather not do it a second straight year.
PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND
