Coach Kelly says team needs to play a clean game against Temple

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- In just four days Notre Dame's Fighting Irish will take on Temple at home. Tuesday Head Coach Brian Kelly talked about the big game during a press conference.

Kelly says he thinks the Irish can beat Temple, but the players have to keep an open mind and be ready for anything.

"This football team is going to be ready. They return a lot of players from last year. We don't know exactly what we're going to see. We think we do, but I think this is one of those openers where we're going to have to kind of make some adjustments along the way," said Coach Kelly.

There's a lot of anxiety that can come with season openers, especially for the Irish who want to prove they're a force to be reckoned with.

"Openers tend to have some mistakes in them. We need to play a clean opener against a team that is obviously coming into Notre Dame stadium and has nothing to lose," said Coach Kelly.

Kelly says the team can't make mistakes.

"I have a great deal of respect for Al and his program and the discipline and organization that the Temple football team is going to have in this game," said Coach Kelly.

He says he's counting on his veterans to help their younger teammates tune out those pre-game nerves.

"I think you have a lot of veterans who have been in those openers and have experienced what the level of play is," said Coach Kelly.

With experienced returning players as well as some talented fresh faces, Kelly hopes he's found the formula for a win Saturday.

"The things that we look at, first of all, in an opener is playing the game in the right way. Last year, we understood how important it was to get off to a great start," said Kelly.