Notre Dame readies for ‘a new normal’

Despite the awkward, forced Zoom background mimicking Notre Dame’s usual sponsored press conference backdrop, despite the unusual nature of answering questions submitted through a Q&A chat and despite the only certainty being uncertainty, Irish head coach Brian Kelly struck the right tones Wednesday afternoon in what is the increasingly common method of meeting the media, an online video chat.

Kelly did not paint broadly with overeager optimism, as one 2020 opponent’s head coach did this week, and he did not diminish the health threats faced by his players, a tact that garnered criticism this week. Instead, Kelly balanced practical preparation with recognizing reality as it pertains to…