Brian Kelly Still Vague on Notre Dame RB Dexter Williams’s Status
Brian Kelly knew the question was coming on Tuesday and he was ready for it. Weird right? A college head coach knowing a difficult question would come and being prepared to answer with lying? (Take notes Urban). Anyway, when asked about the status of senior RB Dexter Williams, Brian Kelly remained vague with the season set to start in a few days.
“He’ll be dressed and he’ll be on the sideline and we’ll see what happens when we kick it off,” Kelly said. And that was it. There were no follow ups or further clarification.
Conventional wisdom still says Notre Dame will be without Williams when the #12 Fighting Irish take on the #14 Wolverines Saturday night in Notre Dame Stadium. Still, there’s been the tiniest bit of rumor and conjecture over the last 24 hours that Notre Dame might just have the electrifying runner available this weekend.
Williams only fueled that speculation on Twitter Monday night with a series of tweets.
https://twitter.com/DexterW_22/status/1034250226700304385
And this one.
https://twitter.com/DexterW_22/status/1034254057911799808
Earlier this summer Kelly was asked about the status of Williams after rumors swirled all off-season that he was facing a four game suspension similar to that of Kevin Stepherson last year. At the time, he would neither confirm nor deny the rumors but he did praise the work Williams put in during the off-season.
Note: if Williams is facing any sort of disciplinary action from the University, Kelly cannot legally comment on it due to privacy laws. So all the conjecture here is because Kelly legally can’t say if Williams is actually facing a University imposed suspension.
Kelly has handled the Williams situation differently than the Stepherson one last year though. At the time, Kelly was clear that Notre Dame wouldn’t reward playing time just based on talent and that Stepherson had work to do to see the field. He hasn’t done that with Williams.
The most telling indication of Williams’s real status for Saturday though has been in where Williams has been in the running back pecking order throughout the summer when the media has been able to see practice. Williams has been buried behind the young running backs all summer.
Now that could have been to get the young running backs ready for the season if Williams was not going to be available and perhaps now Williams has complete some sort of unknown requirements to play. Or it could just be because Kelly knew all along he wouldn’t have Williams early in the season.
Again, all signs are pointing to Williams staying on the sidelines all game long and not seeing the field. Anything else would still be a surprise. Still, Kelly’s differences in handling of the situation vs. the Stepherson case last year and Williams’ twitter activity the last 24 hours will only fuel more speculation over the next few days regarding the senior running backs status.
Frank Vitovitch has been Co-Owner and Editor in Chief of UHND.com since joining forces with Kyle Flavin in 1999. Since that time, he has written over 2,000 articles covering Notre Dame football, recruiting, and basketball. He also works with all staff and external writers on all articles published on UHND.com. Frank's love for Notre Dame football started at a young age watching Rocket Ismail give opposing coaches ulcers in the late 1980's. By day Frank works in marketing and holds a degree in Digital Media from Drexel University. Frank's work has been cited by online/print editions of NBC Sports, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated and has been quoted on air by ESPN's Collin Cowherd. He's conducted interviews with Notre Dame legends Rocket Ismail, Randy Kinder, Lee Becton, Reggie Brooks, Michael Stonebreaker, and Ned Bolcar among others over his 20+ years of covering Notre Dame football. He's also been published in the print edition of USA Today Sports Weekly and the USA Today College Football Preview multiple times. Other Published Works/Citations for Frank Three Reasons Notre Dame Will Beat Alabama - USA Today Notre Dame Suspends WR Kevin Stepherson, RB C.J. Holmes Indefinitely - Bleacher Report Notre Dame / Ohio State Fiesta Bowl Preview - Eleven Warriors Brace Yourself: The Fighting Irish are Relevant Again - Sports on Earth Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A with Frank Vitovitch of UHND - Yahoo! Sports Five Good Minutes: Notre Dame Football Preview With UHND.com - BC Interruption Vicious Electronic Questioning with UHND - MGO Blog
If Dexter is gonna play, I hope he got enough work when the press wasn’t watching to make a significant contribution.
GO IRISH!!
Williams is probably the most mystifying player I’ve seen at ND in years. He seems to have raw talent but inexplicably gets benched. I know there are some questions about his blocking ability and so forth, but still, you’d think they’d find a way to use that talent or hone it in some way. Yet, he seems to get benched.
And this whole is he suspended or not. I know BK can’t comment on it but it seems in the past we always had some idea or inkling as to the reason a player isn’t playing or is suspended. Somehow someone spills the beans, even if it’s not the coaches.
But in this case, nothing. I really have no idea why he might be benched. It may very well be justified, I don’t question that. It’s just interesting that there is nothing.
The good news is Williams will be dressed on line the sideline. Better that than him sitting in the student section waving poms poms. He enters early in the second quarter.
Spoiler alert, Williams will run all over Meat Chicken
I don’t have a clue what those tweets say. Another language.
Haha!! Way to get in an Urban Liar jab!! I love it!
It really sucks not knowing if Williams is playing but man lets hope he is because I think if he plays, he makes a huge difference in this game!!
As far as Kelly not practicing him at the top of the RBs, he knows what he has in Williams. Beyond that, we needed to find out who our 2 and 3 guys were going to be. Jones obviously sealed up a spot and clearly Armstrong is the next in line. Davis will play but sparingly. I’m definitely looking forward to see what Armstrong does this season!
If Dexter plays we win. That simple