There are still some moving parts in play Shaun Williams isn’t entirely sure he understands, but he finally has the solace that his dream, his son Ishaq’s dream, remains in play.
Even if the Notre Dame senior defensive end won’t play another down of football until the fall of 2015.
“My focus throughout this process has always been about Ishaq and getting his Notre Dame degree,” Williams said in a phone conversation Tuesday afternoon. “They don’t hand those out to everybody.
“That has long-term implications. They talk about it being a 40-year decision to come to Notre Dame. I believe that. And Ishaq will be back to get his. And I hope when he does, he has a chance to clear his name.”
Williams, projected to be a starting defensive end for the Irish this season, was one of five players held out of team meetings, practices and games since August during an academic fraud investigation.
Starting junior cornerback KeiVarae Russell and starting senior wide receiver DaVaris Daniels along with reserve linebacker Kendall Moore and backup safety Eilar Hardy were the others. Only Moore will have exhausted his eligibility and redshirt options and announced Tuesday that he is leaving.
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly acknowledged earlier Tuesday that the two players he had spoken directly with recently were Russell and Williams, and that both were done for this season and that both were expected back in 2015.
DaVaris Daniels’ father, Phillip Daniels, posted on his Twitter account Tuesday morning: “Finally after 4 months my son got an answer! He is done at Notre Dame and will weigh his options for the future! #HeIsNDNoMore.”
Phillip Daniels later tweeted that there was an option for DaVaris to return to ND in 2015.
Williams retains a fifth-year option, because he has not redshirted. The former five-star prospect from Brooklyn, N.Y., remains in South Bend, but Shaun Williams wasn’t sure whether his son would be allowed to finish the semester as part of the conditions moving forward.
A university spokesman confirmed all five players were still enrolled. Another spokesman concurred, but added that status could soon change.
“There’s finality in this, but there are options,” Shaun Williams said. “I’m not sure I understand all of them, but my understanding is that Ishaq can come back in the summer of 2015.”
Ishaq himself took to Twitter Tuesday afternoon with the following tweet: “God will not put you through anything you can't handle. #minorsetback #majorcomeback.”
“It sounds very positive, but he really doesn’t have a choice,” Shaun Williams said. “It’s bigger than Ishaq. There are a lot of kids in Brooklyn that look up to Ishaq and this is about them too.
“It was a tough process to go through —five black boys being paraded as the face of academic dishonesty. You never really embrace something like that, but I’m proud of the way he handled it.
“I’m proud of the decision he made to stay at Notre Dame. I’m happy part of this is finally behind him. Education ain’t free. You pay with it with blood, sweat, tears and injuries —and now this. We’re convinced it’s going to be worth it in the end.”
Later Tuesday, Moore posted the following on his Instagram account:
"Notre Dame has rendered its decision. While it is disappointing, I will respectfully leave my alma mater as a proud May 2014 graduate of the institution that I have respectfully loved and given my best efforts during my college career.
"Regardless of this announced outcome, my personal and ethical integrity remain intact and I have honored my collegiate journey from the beginning straight through to this end and I will take on the next chapters of my life with the same progressive commitment to excellence, hard work and relentless determination toward unlimited success.
"I was raised to excel on every level and I want to thank my parents for their unwavering support and belief in me; their powerful words of love, encouagement and faith helped to sustain me through this process.
"I thank my family, friends and fans for the support. I want to thank Notre Dame for the opportunity and I wish my teammates and the program all of the success in the world."
