Notre Dame’s annual season-ending trip to California — USC in even-numbered years and Stanford in odd ones — usually has Brian Kelly and his staff spending time in the Golden State for recruiting purposes. During his Tuesday conference, Kelly said his time there this year will be more limited.



“I’ll be back in the office,” he said. “I want to do exit interviews with all of our players, offensively and defensively, and I think that’s as important as recruiting. What I think is most important is that I get in with all of our mid-year enrollees.”

When former Irish head coach Charlie Weis (2005-09) was informed to come back early after the season-ending loss to Stanford in 2009, it was for a different type of “exit interview.” He was fired by the school, and Kelly was announced as his replacement nine days later. This time it appears to be defined differently despite Notre Dame’s 4-7 record.

For Kelly, the exit interview part includes nine senior scholarship players who could apply for a fifth season of eligibility. Eight of them are on offense: quarterback Malik Zaire, running back Tarean Folston, wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr., tight ends Durham Smythe and Jacob Matuska, and linemen Mike McGlinchey, Colin McGovern and Hunter Bivin (a fourth offensive lineman, John Montelus, has already tweeted that he won’t return for a fifth season).

Defensively, the lone candidate is currently suspended cornerback Devin Butler, although with the bevy of freshman talent at that position (Julian Love, Donte Vaughn and Troy Pride Jr.), plus the return of junior Nick Watkins and sophomore Shaun Crawford — both projected starters who were sidelined this year with injuries — his return in 2017 also would seem less likely because playing time would appear minimal.





