SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly is getting frustrated at explaining why his defense is struggling so mightily.The Irish defense has missed far too many tackles in losses at Texas and at home against Michigan State, giving up more than 239 yards rushing and 500 yards total offense in each and a combined 86 points in those two games. The Spartans averaged 6.4 yards a play in a 36-28 victory Saturday night.Kelly, who after the loss to Texas said critics of his defensive staff needed to tap the brakes and relax, took a more urgent tone Saturday night after another disappointing defensive performance.Those are the guys we have. We cant trade them. Theyre not getting cut. We recruited them, so I dont want to hear anybody ... I told our staff, `Those are our guys, so weve got to get them better. Weve got to put them in better position to make plays, Kelly said.The Irish (1-2) had a chance to get the ball back twice in the final two minutes but gave up big plays on third down. The Irish rank 102nd in the nation in total defense, giving up 439.3 yards a game, 99th in rush defense and 103rd in pass efficiency defense. The Irish, who fell out of the AP poll , still dont have a sack this season.Kelly said Sunday he and his staff have to do a better job of teaching and communicating and find ways to develop players more efficiently. He said he has confidence in defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder and his scheme. He said someone on his staff with access to his Twitter account had inadvertently liked a Tweet that said it was time for him to shake up his staff because Clearly its not working (hash)FireVangorder.Kelly became agitated after the game when asked if DeShone Kizer, who passed for a career-high 344 yards against the Spartans and has accounted for 13 of Notre Dames 15 touchdowns this season and ran the option on another, was going to have to overcome Notre Dames defensive deficiencies, saying it was a typical question after a team gives up a lot of points.Look at college football. Defenses give up points all over. What we have to do is clean up some things and were going to continue to work on it, he said. But, no, DeShone Kizer is not going to be asked to carry us. The entire football team, and my coaching staff in particular, is in a position where they have to coach better. Ive got to coach better.---AP college football website: collegefootball.ap.org . I cant pinpoint a date, but I do remember a player from my youth. Brian Downing was with the Chicago White Sox at a time when I listened to every game I possibly could on the radio. That particular season the late great Harry Caray was calling the White Sox games. . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge. . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. . The Croatian served 21 aces and hit 42 winners against Sijsling, who double-faulted to give Cilic a 4-3 lead in the deciding set. "All the players, they know me and they were really happy to see me and they were really happy that this is over for me," Cilic said. SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. -- The retired CEO of Hasbro Inc. has testified in the embezzlement and forgery trial of the founder of a Rhode Island-based international sports foundation.The Providence Journal (
http://bit.ly/2dcvtN2 ) reports that Alan Hassenfeld told jurors on Thursday he didnt sign some documents from the Institute for International Sport that purportedly bore his signature.Among those documents was an appeal for money to then-House Speaker William Murphy.Prosecutors say Dan Doyle used the nonprofits money to pay himself two sallaries and unauthorized bonuses.dddddddddddd Doyle has pleaded not guilty.Hassenfeld also testified that he co-signed $425,000 in loans for the institute because Doyle promised him grants were on the way. Instead, the money never materialized, and Hassenfeld had to pay the money himself.Hassenfeld was due to continue testifying Friday.---Information from: The Providence Journal,
http://www.providencejournal.com ' ' '
