Report: Five suspended Notre Dame players not likely to play in 2014 season

Published Oct. 9, 2014 12:46 p.m. ET

foxsports

According to a Chicago Tribune source, the five Notre Dame Irish football players suspended during an ongoing academic fraud investigation will likely not suit up this season.

Cornerback KeiVarae Russell, linebacker Kendall Moore, defensive end Ishaq Williams, and receiver DaVaris Daniels have been held out of team activities by the school since Aug. 15 as Notre Dame investigated whether the players submitted papers and homework written by others. About two weeks later, safety Eilar Hardy was also barred from practices and games.

Head coach Brian Kelly previously said that the honor code hearings were expected to be completed by the end of last week.

The Tribune reports that its source "corroborates what the website Irish Illustrated reported Wednesday, that the five are not likely to play this season."

The drawn-out nature of the process seemed to irk Russell last week when a post appeared on his Instagram saying Notre Dame was "becoming ridiculous" and that he was able to refute "near every suspicion they had."

If found guilty of academic fraud by the honesty committee, students have up to a week to appeal.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.