DieBruderschaft.com

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A disappointing 2-4 start for Notre Dame has seemingly left observers with contrasting images of Brian Kelly.There is the head coach who after different losses this season has said to reporters that all of his players jobs are up for grabs, who has labeled his quarterbacks play as sub-standard and who has deemed his centers snapping of the ball in a hurricane as atrocious.Then there is the Kelly who praised his players in the locker room after Saturdays 10-3 loss to NC State, saying in a video posted by the athletic department this week that he needs to do a better job, adding: I couldnt find a way to win that game for you.On Wednesday, Fighting Irish players took turns defending their coachs demeanor, from the tough public love to the more intimate dealings behind closed doors.Thats tough. You never really -- obviously some guys dont perform in every game and its tough at this level, senior linebacker and captain James Onwualu said of Kellys comments to reporters. Obviously we dont love seeing that from a head coach, but sometimes its necessary, I guess.Starting quarterback DeShone Kizer said he wouldnt use the word blame to describe Kellys public methods, saying there are 11 players who have a job to do and that they take it as a challenge.James walks in and he gives an answer and its perceived as if hes saying that its a horrible thing that coach puts blame on guys, Kizer said. But Im sitting here having a conversation with him and all hes trying to say is: Yeah, its tough when a coach calls you out, but we take it as a challenge here. We accept everything as a team.But individually youre going to have to get challenged to play your best. When youre 2-4 right now, everyone has to point the finger at themselves, look themselves in the mirror and accept those challenges so that we can come out and be more successful and hopefully put together the wins that we need to put together in the second half of the season.Fellow captain Mike McGlinchey defended Kellys dealings with the media, minimizing any public mishaps and attributing them to the frustrations of a season gone wrong through six games.Well we know hes not blaming us, said McGlinchey, a left tackle. If Coach Kelly really wanted to blame us he would come up and say it in our face like he has done before when we screwed up. Obviously things can get misconstrued, things can get misstated and we dont feel as though hes blaming us. Hell have a conversation with us personally if he wants to get better because thats the kind of man that he is.He runs our program unbelievably well. Were all lucky to have a coach like him and he takes care of us more than anybody I can even imagine anybody ever doing. Obviously things get said and were 2-4 and things are said after a football game that -- everybodys pretty emotional after certain things like that and things can easily get misstated and thats all that that is.McGlinchey also said that Kellys postgame apology this past weekend was unnecessary, as the redshirt junior blamed the players for not performing well enough to beat the Wolfpack.I dont think that its necessary for Coach Kelly to start apologizing to anybody on this football team, McGlinchey said. Its our job to execute the gameplan that they put in place, and we didnt do a good enough job of doing that on the last Saturday. So I think that it comes down to a whole team effort, both coaching and playing better. I think that obviously hes the head coach and hes going to take a lot of the fault for whats going on on our program right now, but it comes down to a mindset, like I said, of executing our job and doing our job one day and one play at a time.The more we can focus on doing that, the more success thats going to come. Its not necessary for him to say that because we all know its on us, and obviously its one of those things that he said, but its on us and we all know that.Added Onwualu: Its important, and its just a reminder that were all in it together and were working toward the same goals. And hes a 2-4 coach as well, so like I said, were all in this together. A lot of the fans can see what he does on the sideline as negative but its high-stress, especially in the situation were in now. Everybody wants to win and everybody wants to get it right, so its obviously his job as the head man to be the enforcer of that.Kelly had said during his Tuesday news conference that he doesnt blame players for losses, later adding, once pressed on one of his earlier postgame remarks from this season: I blamed all of us for that loss. Were all in it together. Lets be clear.Notre Dame hosts 3-2 Stanford this Saturday night before entering its bye week. Bill Hamid Jersey . They were putting most of their energy into a record-setting offensive display. Gyasi Zardes Jersey . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. http://www.usasoccerauthority.com/walker-zimmerman-usa-jersey/ . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Matt Miazga USA Jersey . -- Jakob Silfverberg is making himself right at home with the Anaheim Ducks, scoring four goals in his first four games. Darlington Nagbe USA Jersey . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury. SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Chip Kelly is facing the unenviable task of getting his team ready for its next game to stop the worst losing streak in franchise history.Kellys 49ers have lost 12 straight , with the last two coming against teams with 18 losses combined while starting backup quarterbacks. Falling to the Matt Barkley-led Bears and Bryce Petty-led Jets has Kelly trying to pick up the pieces before traveling to Atlanta to play the Falcons (8-5) and MVP candidate Matt Ryan.I think you just have to stand up and fight again, Kelly said Monday.Despite the losing streak thats given San Francisco the second-worst record in the NFL, Kelly said his players are still playing hard.When you look at the tape, these guys play with great effort. They give you everything that they have, Kelly said.The effort wasnt enough Sunday against the Jets. The 49ers surrendered a 17-3 lead before losing 26-17 in overtime. The offense managed just two first downs and no points in the third and fourth quarters, allowing the Jets to wear down Kellys last-ranked defense.New York backup running back Bilal Powell, who scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime, ran for 145 yards on 29 carries, becoming the 10th 100-yard rusher San Francisco has allowed this season.The Jets had the time of possession advantage, 41:55 to 24:30, while the 49ers defense struggled to make tackles in the second half.Kelly attributed the issues on defense to his offense being unable to move the chains.We didnt stay on the field offensively, Kelly said. Thats the biggest thing, we need to convert, keep drives alive, and keep our defense off the field.The 49ers for the day converted two of 12 third downs, where they rank 27th in the NFL. Colin Kaepernick threw for 17 yards on just four-of-11 completions after halftime, continuing an ongoing trend of second-half struggles for Kellys offeense.ddddddddddddIt was a particularly dispiriting offensive effort after San Francisco jumped out a 14-0 lead, making Sunday the third time Kellys team blew a two-touchdown advantage at home this season.Kelly faced questions when the 49ers hired him last winter about his up-tempo offense and the effects it had on his defenses at his previous stops in Philadelphia and in college at Oregon. He said Monday the no-huddle offense is moving slower than it did previously.If you look at us, most of the time were into single digits on the play clock, said Kelly. Theres a lot of times where were working it down, making sure were in the right play and the right protection. So, its not like were playing fast football right now. Its just were not converting when we need to convert and thats the biggest thing.San Francisco also dealt with injuries to key players.The 49ers placed tight end Vance McDonald on injured reserve Monday after he sustained a shoulder injury in the first half. McDonald led the team with four touchdown receptions and was third with 24 catches for 391 yards.McDonald signed a five-year extension with San Francisco two days before playing the Jets. The 49ers remaining tight ends are Garrett Celek, Blake Bell and JeRon Hamm.Receiver Torrey Smith was lost in the second half with a concussion after jumping for a pass and slamming his head on the turf.Smith needed to be carted off to the locker room after lying motionless on the field. Kelly said Smith will begin the week in the concussion protocol. Smith Tweeted after the game, Thanks for all the prayers!Center Daniel Kilgore went down in the first half with a knee injury.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and -http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '