Kelly: Ishaq Williams out for 2014
DaVaris Daniels' playing career at Notre Dame appears to be over after he announced Tuesday on Twitter that his time with the Fighting Irish is "done" and that "it's time to strap up for bigger things!"
His father, former NFL player Phillip Daniels, also announced on Twitter that his son was "done" at the school and wished good luck and success to the Irish players and fans.
Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said Tuesday that he had not seen Daniels' tweets but did say that he had talked to KeiVarae Russell and Ishaq Williams, both of whom told him they will not be playing this year but plan on returning to the team next year.
Kelly also said that Russell and Williams will be leaving school this semester, though a school spokesperson said all five players -- including fellow suspended players Kendall Moore and Eilar Hardy -- are currently still enrolled in classes.
Moore, however, posted a message on Instagram Tuesday evening saying he is done at Notre Dame as well.
The fate of Hardy remains unknown.
Kelly said he has not talked with athletic director Jack Swarbrick about what the next step is with this saga, if there is one. He says no one has addressed the possibility of vacating wins with him.
A source close to the situation told ESPN.com that Daniels has the option to return to Notre Dame in the summer but will instead leave at some point this semester.
Daniels, who was the leading returning receiver for the No. 5 Irish entering the season, was one of four players who had been suspended since Aug. 15 as part of the school's internal investigation into academic misconduct. The school later announced, on Aug. 28, that Hardy would be withheld as well, and Kelly said that same day that the investigation was complete.
The school had said that its office of general counsel initiated an immediate investigation when the compliance office was referred to evidence July 29.
Russell, a junior cornerback, announced Friday on Instagram that he would not play this season but plans on returning to the program next season.
Notre Dame (6-0) enters its biggest game of the season this Saturday at reigning national championFlorida State(6-0), which is ranked No. 2 in thecountry.
Kelly spoke highly Tuesday of the way his players have handled the suspensions.
"I just think that we've handled it with the right amount of respect and the right amount of understanding we all have to tend to our own business," Kelly said. "We miss our teammates, we care for them, but yet we have our own lives that we have to move on, and our guys clearly understood that, and they're here to get a degree and play football for Notre Dame. ...
"The easiest thing would be for them to be out on social media taking a side. They've stayed away from doing that. They've handled themselves with great maturity in a very difficult situation. So I think it's been really the way we've handled it internally that has allowed them to stay focused on themselves and their teammates and doing their job on a day-to-day basis."
