ARE YOU KIDDING ME? C’mon Irish! Keep the fight on the field! Especially when it comes to the police! Tackling & hitting an officer? Unlicensed handgun?

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Coach Brian Kelly moves quickly with swift disciplinary actions by dismissing starting safety Max Redfield from the team and suspends backup cornerback Devin Butler indefinitely. While I’m bummed, definitely the right call! Turns out that SIX Notre Dame Fighting Irish football players were involved and arrested over this past weekend in TWO (count ’em: TWO) separate incidents.

The other 4 players involved were: Te’Von Coley (linebacker), Kevin Stepherson (WR), Ashton White (cornerback) and Dexter Williams (RB). I’ll list the rest of the players involved in a second, but first, here’s what they did:
–Butler:  Charged for battery to law enforcement and resisting law enforcement.
–Redfield & 4 others: Charged with marijuana possession after being stopped by police for speeding in Fulton County, Indiana.
–Redfield, Stepherson & Williams: Charged with possession of an unlicensed handgun.

Here is Coach Brian Kelly’s official statement:

Aug. 21, 2016

– During the past 24 hours, I have met with each of the members of our team involved in the two incidents that occurred over the weekend, reviewed the evidence available to me, and consulted with others involved in the leadership of our team and the University. That process has only served to deepen my disappointment in the poor decisions made by these young men. Their conduct fell far short of what we expect from those who represent our football team and this great university.

On the basis of my review, I have decided to dismiss Max Redfield from our football team and place Devin Butler on indefinite suspension. The other individuals, while not being separated from the team, will be subject to disciplinary measures internal to the football program.

In making this announcement it is important to stress that all of the players involved in these two incidents remain subject to justice system and University discipline, and those processes could yet impact their standing with the University and the team. At Notre Dame, where we place so much importance on the integration of students who are athletes into the broader university, the primary responsibility for discipline lies, as it should, with the University’s Office of Community Standards. But even within that system, there are times when a player’s conduct so clearly fails to meet the standards I have set for our football team that it is appropriate to take action independent of any decision that might be made by the Office of Community Standards. This is such an instance. The expectations we set for the members of our team are high, but they are especially so for the upperclassmen who are expected to provide leadership and a positive example to the other members of the team. Max and, at least at this stage in the review of his case, Devin, have failed in that regard and so have lost the privilege of continuing to be part of our team.