According to a report NBC Sports, standout Notre Dame cornerback KeiVarae Russell will not play for the Irish this season, but does plan to return to the team in 2015.
The junior received the ruling of his hearing from the Notre Dame Honor Committee and “addressed his teammates with the news on Thursday,” the report said. There was speculation that Russell would leave school and make the move toward the NFL after the season, but NBC Sports’ report indicates that Russell will stay in South Bend.
Russell is one of the five players involved in the school’s internal investigation into academic fraud. The fate of the other four players – defensive end Ishaq Williams, linebacker Kendall Moore, wide receiver DaVaris Daniels and safety Eilar Hardy – is currently unknown, though the Chicago Tribune reported Thursday that all five players are “unlikely to play the rest of the season.”
The honor code hearings for the players concluded last Friday and the school said in a statement Sunday that it would disclose its findings to the NCAA, but would not publically reveal any punishments for the student-athletes.
Despite the confidential nature of the hearings, the school said that players could speak publically about their punishments “if they so choose.”
Russell and the four other players, all of whom have remained in school, have not practiced with the team since mid-August, nor have they suited up for the Irish in any of the team’s five games. Head coach Brian Kelly said Thursday that none of the five players practiced, but he had “heard some things.”
#NotreDame HC Brian Kelly: “I’m hearing some things, but I’m gonna let them share any information they have with you.”
— Irish Illustrated (@NDatRivals) October 9, 2014
#NotreDame HC Brian Kelly: “I don’t have any concrete finality on any of the five.” Says there’s an appeals process, etc.
— Irish Illustrated (@NDatRivals) October 9, 2014 Russell started all 26 games in his freshman and sophomore seasons. In those two seasons he registered 109 total tackles, nine tackles for loss and three interceptions.
Kelly’s team is 5-0 and moved up to No. 6 in the Associated Press poll after knocking off Stanford at home over the weekend. The Irish host North Carolina at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday afternoon.
For more Notre Dame news, visit IrishIllustrated.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
From Dr. Saturday - NCAAF - Yahoo Sports - Report: Notre Dame CB KeiVarae Russell will not play in 2014, plans to return in 2015
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