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Thursday Notebook: Mike Brey

Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey talked with local media on Thursday for his final teleconference of the regular season.

Blue & Gold Illustrated has three takeaways from his most noteworthy comments.

“Bye Week” Woes

Unlike in college football, there is no official “bye week” during the regular season. But the Irish picked one up of sorts when they had an entire week off between games last month, with no tilts slated between playing Louisville Feb. 13 and Georgia Tech Feb. 20.

With the 71-66 triumph over Louisville, Notre Dame had reeled off three consecutive impressive wins (the Irish also beat UNC 80-76 Feb. 6 and Clemson 89-83 Feb. 8). After that week of just practice, though, Notre Dame has lost three of its last four, and completely lost its rhythm on offense.

“We lost a little bit of a vibe, and I actually told them that in the locker room,” Brey said of the unofficial bye week. “You can only talk about it so much.

“You’ve got to get reps and you’ve got to play. A group like this, I think you’re almost scrimmaging more than drills. You really can’t find a rhythm in any drills. So today we’re going to scrimmage a lot, just play and see if we can get guys back in a rhythm somewhat.”

Senior Day On Saturday

The Irish will honor senior forwards A.J. Burgett and Zach Auguste on Saturday before the noon tipoff against North Carolina State. On Thursday, Brey gave them both high praise for their career contributions to the team, in spite of both serving the team in very different roles.

“I’m very proud of those two guys,” he said. “We talked about it on the very first day, my biggest concern was leadership and replacing the two guys [Jerian Grant and Pat Connaughton] that left.

“I was really worried that we wouldn’t be able to do it, to get enough wins to be a NCAA Tournament team. I knew we had talent. And both [A.J. and Zach] in their own way have really done it. Burg is an amazing behind-the-scenes guy, he really is. And certainly hasn’t played a whole lot, but the stuff he does behind the scenes, I can’t even put a price on it. And he does it even though he’s not playing; that’s not normal.

“For Zach Auguste, for him to be who he is now as a steady guy in practice every day, and how he talks to his teammates. I don’t know if there’s a guy playing better in the league right now honestly, the stretch he’s on. Just really proud of them and selfishly I want to send them off on a good note Saturday.”

Preseason Expectations

Many observers are stunned by Notre Dame’s struggles the last few games, but not Brey — to an extent. In the preseason, the head coach pegged the Irish on a second-tier of sorts in the ACC, behind UNC, Duke and Virginia.

It’s almost played out exactly that way, outside of the Blue Devils struggling a bit more than some expected. Virginia and UNC will both finish ahead of the Irish in the league standings, with Notre Dame just a couple games back.

“No I’m not [surprised],” Brey said of the recent stumbles. “I didn’t think we’d be this inefficient, but I did expect us to come back to earth a little because it usually happens.

“I thought through the whole thing — even the bye week — when we go back to earth, what’s going to be your approach and theme? We are squarely back on earth, and kind of searching for it. But as I’ve mentioned, I think a day like today and probably even tomorrow is about getting up and down and getting guys in a rhythm.

“It all evens out in the end. We play in a great league. I thought we could be a NCAA Tournament team if we had the right leadership.”

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