Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly: 'I feel for' suspended KeiVarae Russell

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said he understands the frustration expressed by cornerback KeiVarae Russell, who is being held out of practices and games while the school conducts hearings to determine if he is guilty of academic fraud.

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said he understands the frustration expressed by cornerback KeiVarae Russell, who is being held out of practices and games while the school conducts hearings to determine if he and four other players are guilty of academic fraud.

“I feel for him," Kelly said of Russell, according to the Chicago Tribune. "My role in this whole thing is to try to keep our guys together, the guys that are on the field. I can certainly understand how he could be frustrated. But hopefully we're nearing an end and we're hoping we get him back soon."

Russell criticized the school in a now-deleted Instagram post, saying it was "becoming ridiculous" that the school had not made a decision in the case.

• RICKMAN: Your perfect Saturday: The ultimate TV guide to Week 6

“I killed my meeting; I was so prepared and ready and was able to refute damn near every suspicion they had," Russell said in the post. 

"Described details of assignments thoroughly so they couldn't say I didn't do it," the post said. "AND THEY STILL SAID MY DECISION WONT COME UNTIL ALL 5 OF US (and some other minor hearings) ARE DONE. Decision MIGHT come next week, not even 100% it's tough to understand these people."

Receiver DaVaris Daniels, linebacker Kendall Moore, defensive end Ishaq Williams and safety Eilar Hardy are the other players suspended by the school. 

Kelly said he hasn’t talked with any of the players since the hearings began.

Notre Dame (4-0) plays No. 14 Stanford (3-1) on Saturday.

- Scooby Axson