Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly and the rest of his team might sit out if they find themselves in the position of contending in the upcoming Rose Bowl. The veteran tactician recently claimed that he wants the players' families to be in attendance should they make it to the Grandaddy of them All which is slated to be held at Pasadena, California.
“If not sure if we'll play in the playoffs if parents can't be there,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said via CBS Sports. “Why can't it be the Rose Bowl in Las Vegas? Why can't it be the Rose Bowl in another town? Where's the flexibility? The one thing these kids have been is incredibly flexible.”
Local and regional safety protocols have restricted the Rose Bowl stadium to hold fans in attendance, including the families and friends of the players. However, the College Football Playoff management committee is also currently exploring their options to be able to hold the game outside of Southern California, per CBS Sports‘ Dennis Dodd.
On the field, the Fighting Irish are heading to the ACC Championship game with an immaculate 10-0 record against the Clemson Tigers that holds a 9-1 tally. Quarterback Ian Book led his team to a double-overtime victory against the Tigers back on Nov. 7 which ended on a 47-40 decision.
The Tigers were bannered by rookie gunslinger DJ Uiagalelei who slotted in at QB1 in lieu of Trevor Lawrence's absence due to a positive COVID-19 case.
While Brian Kelly looks to stay firm on his stance, impending changes could potentially alter his decision to pit his team in the upcoming Rose Bowl. Before that, Notre Dame will look to handle business and finally claim their first conference championship in program history against the Tigers at Bank of America Stadium on Dec. 19.
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