Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said on Friday that if the Irish are selected to make the college football playoffs, they would consider not playing if families are not allowed to play in the semi-finals.
During a Zoom call previewing the ACC Championship game, Kelly made clear remarks about the need for families to participate in the games.
“I’m not sure we’ll play in the playoffs if the parents can’t be there,” Kelly said. “Why would we play if you can’t have families at the game? If you can’t have families at the bowl games, why would you go to a game where your families can’t be part of it? What’s the point of playing a game in -an area of the country where no one can be part of it? “
The issue of participating in the semifinals came to the fore this week, after the College Football Playoff said it expects to keep one of the Rose Bowl sites as scheduled.
The problem with this site in particular is that Los Angeles County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer told ESPN last month that sporting events, including professional and college football, will “run out of spectators” after the county announced a stay at home Order.
Kelly said he would be in favor of moving the Rose Bowl to another location.
PCP Executive Director Bill Hancock said earlier this week that he hopes the state of California will ease restrictions on COVID-19 stadiums and allow players’ families to participate in the game in Pasadena, California.
“It simply came to our notice then [CFP] I have to spend a little less time on who the top 4 teams are and figure out how to bring parents into these games, because it’s an absolute shame and a prank if parents can’t watch their kids play, “he said. Kelly. ” the kids have been on campus since June. They didn’t see their families too much at all. They had to fight through COVID, some of them had COVID. I can’t be around their families for Christmas and you will tell me that we will have a playoff and maybe one site can have families and the other can’t? Please.
“Someone has to wake up in that room and realize that or you might as well call it the professional league. I’m so sick and tired of this playoff committee talking about having sites where you can’t have parents and their families. It’s ridiculous. “
Kelly said the final decision on what to do will come from his players.
“Players, they lead this,” Kelly said. “I do not lead him. I echo their concerns. I’m not the type to invent this because it’s not about my family. It’s about their family, so I’m a voice for our team and they’re worried. Focus on the ACC Championship. That’s where he focuses. They will not talk about these things.
“But if we are actually selected to be part of it, it will be number 1 on their radar, so then I will have to address our leaders on how they feel about it.”
Kelly said she would be in favor of moving the Rose Bowl to another site entirely.
“Why can’t it be the Rose Bowl in Las Vegas or the Rose Bowl in another city?” Kelly said. “Where the flexibility is for the student-athlete is all I say. The only thing these kids have had is incredibly flexible, and on the other hand we can’t be flexible? It’s hard to imagine. “
Kelly said sporting director Jack Swarbrick was involved in the talks as part of the CFP’s management committee and made his position clear.
As for why the game was not moved from California, with the PCP selection day set for Sunday (12 pm ET, ESPN), Kelly said: “We worship the ashes of tradition. That may be the only reason.
“No one will trade this year for next year. Next year will be a revenue-generating year. I’m not in that meeting. I can’t imagine what momentum was applied, but they don’t think about the student-athlete, and that “I’m just making it clear that if our team is selected, the next issue will be to make sure that student-athletes bring their families to watch their game.”