Notre Dame Football: Discipline becoming an issue for the Irish

By Jacob Wilson | Dec 31, 2017

(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) /

Discipline has rarely been an issue for Notre Dame football under head coach Brian Kelly, but suspensions and dismissals have been rearing their heads at the worst time possible.

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Kelly, whether you consider his time at Notre Dame to be a success or not, has found success in maintaining a well-disciplined team. However, the recently dismissed Deon McIntosh marks the fourth Irish player in the last two weeks to find himself either dismissed or suspended. This, of course, all happens to be coming just days before the team’s matchup with LSU in the Citrus Bowl.

While McIntosh was simply dismissed for violating team rules, running back C.J. Holmes and wide receiver Kevin Stepherson were suspended following arrests on the count of shoplifting. While Holmes has managed to stay out of trouble up to this point, this will be Stepherson’s second arrest in as many years. Tight end Alize Mack was also suspended due to an “internal matter”.

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Stepherson and four other teammates were arrested in August of 2016 after a traffic stop revealed marijuana and unlicensed handguns belonging to the Irish players. While Holmes will likely be given a second chance on the team, this very well may be Stepherson’s last visit to Kelly’s infamous doghouse.

In terms of the team as a whole, these particular issues couldn’t have come at a worse time. After dropping two out of their last three in grand fashion, the Irish were already in desperate need of some momentum, but these disciplinary issues will provide the opposite. And while Holmes and McIntosh may not have been impact players, the Irish will surely miss Stepherson and Mack.

Make no mistake, the Irish’s chances at taking down a primed LSU squad in the Citrus Bowl just took a big hit. However, the timing of these incidents are of more concern than finding a one game replacement for a few players. These incidents not only display a lack of respect for the Irish fans and coaching staff, but are spits in the faces of many Notre Dame players as well.

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With the Notre Dame program as selective as it is regarding their admittance of athletes, they’re often a step behind in recruiting some of the nation’s top talents. Knowing this, one of the Irish’s strengths should certainly be rooted in the maturity of their players. But if they can’t stay on the field, what’s the point? Kelly clearly has a problem on his hands, and it needs to be addressed before it’s too late.

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