NCAA clears Notre Dame CB Russell to play

With Russell officially back with the team, Notre Dame boasts 11 returning starters to the defense, including preseason All-American linebacker Jaylon Smith.

KeiVarae Russell was expecting to be cleared to play this season, but the NCAA releasing its official decision was relieving nonetheless.

The senior has been cleared by the NCAA to play this season, coach Brian Kelly announced Tuesday. Russell was one of four players suspended in August 2014 as part of an internal academic investigation by the school.

Two months later, Keith Arnold of NBC Sports reported the star defensive back would return to school in 2015 after sitting out last season. Of the five, only Russell and defensive end Ishaq Williams are still with the program. UND has reportedly kept Williams off the practice field because they are not confident the NCAA will reinstate him.

The timing for Russell being cleared couldn’t have been better for Notre Dame, which lost defensive lineman Jarron Jones for the season to a knee injury.

“KeiVarae Russell was fully cleared by the NCAA and is back with us”, Kelly said during Notre Dame’s media day. He also started as a freshman on Notre Dame’s 2012 national championship runner-up team. His work in pass coverage is superb, as evidenced by the fact that he led all Irish players in passes broken up (eight) and passes defensed (nine) his true sophomore season.