Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick is backing football coach Brian Kelly, squashing any rumors about a potential early exit plan for Kelly, who just finished a 4-8 season in his seventh campaign with the Fighting Irish and who is only a year into a six-year contract extension that will take him through the 2021 season.I certainly understand the engagement and the discussion of the program, but its very much business as usual, Swarbrick said on his radio show, which was released Friday on YouTube. We have a whole series of things we do at the end of the year. We conduct exit interviews with every senior. We do some statistical analysis. Coach Kellys meeting with every member of the team over a three-day period to talk to them. Obviously he meets with staff. Then him and I come together at the end of that process to sit down and talk about what we need to change, whats next, what the plans are for the upcoming year, so in that sense, its been absolutely business as usual from our perspective.Kelly said after Saturdays regular-season finale, a 45-27 loss at USC, that he wanted to return for 2017. Shortly after that news conference, both ESPN and Yahoo! Sports, citing sources, reported that Kelly was seeking other potential options.Kelly then issued a statement at 3:37 a.m. ET Sunday reiterating his commitment to Notre Dame.We talked about it, Swarbrick said. I dont want to make it sound like I didnt know the answer to that. I did know the answer to that. We had a discussion on the night after the game when the reports came out, and I was sort of -- I fully understood the background of those reports, and Brian and I had had clear discussions about his intentions and his future, and of course he clarified those, I think both at the press conference after the game and then in the subsequent statement that went out.Swarbrick said he was not under any pressure from the schools board of trustees to make a coaching change, saying that is not how the dynamic works.He also spoke publicly for the first time on the NCAAs decision to order the Irish to vacate all 21 of their wins from the 2012 and 2013 seasons, which was announced Nov. 22 in addition to other minor penalties in light of an investigation of a student athletic trainer engaging in academic misconduct with several football players.Notre Dame has said it would appeal the order to vacate the wins.Swarbrick, like Kelly had said earlier, sees the on-field disappointment and the NCAA matter as independent factors when evaluating Kellys job.Swarbrick had given Kelly a vote of confidence in an October interview with ESPN after a 2-5 start -- remarks that came one month after he and the school had been informed of the eventual sanctions.I understand why people say that [the NCAA penalty should factor into Kellys evaluation]. I draw a different conclusion, and I think its important to note that while that felt like news publicly, I had all that information, Swarbrick said. The nature of this NCAA proceeding was that you agreed to the underlying allegations and the fact basis. The only thing that was an issue was the penalty. So in midseason when I made the comment I did about Brians future, I already had that information. This isnt something new coming in late in the season that I have to factor in. I knew it. Patty Mills Spurs Jersey . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. Luka Samanic Jersey .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. https://www.spurslockerroom.com/Bruce-Bowen-City-Edition-Jersey/ . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. 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Having already borne the brunt of the best Sydney has to offer back in July, there is no danger of Geelong underestimating the huge challenge posed by the Swans in their upcoming AFL preliminary final.The Cats earned the bye last weekend by virtue of their epic two-point victory over Hawthorn in the qualifying final back on September 7 and will be a refreshed outfit when they square off against Sydney at the MCG on Friday night.A highlight of the encounter between the teams which filled the top two spots on the ladder at the conclusion of the home and away season will be the clash of two of the leagues deepest and toughest midfields.The Swans dominated that contest within a contest back in round 16, when the likes of Luke Parker, Dan Hannebery, Kieren Jack and Tom Mitchell held sway in the middle as Sydney handed Geelong a 38-point thumping.It was only the Cats seventh loss in their past 72 games at Simonds StadiumOur midfield is now gelling a bit more, weve got a bit more chemistry now and the inclusion of Scotty Selwood and Sam Menegola has been fantastic for us, Geelong utility Mark Blicavs said on Wednesday.Well go in really confiident on Friday night but we know the damage the Swans can do.ddddddddddddThey showed that against Adelaide on Saturday night and they towelled us up down here.On the most recent occasion Geelong played in a preliminary final, back in 2013, Blicavs was a wide-eyed rookie still making the transition from steeplechaser to elite AFL footballer.That match ended in a five-point defeat to arch-rivals Hawthorn, who would go on to win the next three flags.I didnt really know the opportunity that was in front of me, but I realise it a bit more now, said Blicavs.Back then I was a 22-year-old who was just playing footy because I enjoyed it and didnt understand how big a scale it was.Blicavs said the Cats would benefit from having played only one match since trouncing Melbourne by 111 points back on August 27 to close out the home and away season.I think it will keep us fresh mentally and physically from the Hawthorn game, he said.That was probably the most physically and mentally demanding game Ive been involved in. 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