Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly Wants Jumbotron, Synthetic Turf In Stadium

Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly wants a Jumbotron “in Notre Dame Stadium by next year, and synthetic Field Turf, too, another proposed improvement that makes traditionalists cringe,” according to Eric Hansen of the SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE. It is a “ticking, rabid, malignant debate," and one that Kelly "sounded hell-bent on winning." Kelly said, “I don’t think it’s a mystery that we’d like that, but it’s not going to be my call. They know how I feel. I don’t want to beat a dead horse with it either, but I think it’s pretty clear we want to create a great atmosphere” (SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE, 10/27). In Chicago, Brian Hamilton noted Kelley “didn’t sound worried that reiterating his Jumbotron dream likely caused traditionalists’ heads to explode seconds after the words left his mouth.” He also “unapologetically reconfirmed his preference for an artificial playing surface at Notre Dame Stadium, all in the name of improving the gameday experience and product.” Kelly said, “I hope that we continue to move forward in creating an incredible atmosphere in there” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/26).

SILENT NIGHT: The SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE's Hansen wrote under the header, "Smooth ND Night Game May Mean More." There was “relative quiet” following last Saturday's Notre Dame-USC game, a rare night contest at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame Dir of Game Day Operations Mike Seamon said, “There’s a lot at stake there. And, for it to go as well as it did this weekend, I think speaks well of a lot of different people and a lot of different groups who came together to pull it off.” There were “six arrests on campus Saturday night -- three inside the stadium, three in the lots surrounding it.” Seamon: “That’s right in line with what a normal game would be.” Pregame traffic “was staggered and thus never an issue.” Postgame traffic “was snarled, as expected, because there weren’t postgame events on campus late at night to keep everyone from leaving at the same time” (SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE, 10/27).