Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly beams with pride like proud father when he talks about this year's football team.
After a disastrous 2016 campaign, the Fighting Irish have taken the field in their first four games with a chip on their shoulders, hoping to restore the standard of excellence that marked Notre Dame teams of the past.
At 3-1 after last week's 38-18 win at Michigan State, Fighting Irish football officially is fun again -- at least for the 22nd-ranked Notre Dame players, coaches and fans. For their opponents -- not so much.
"The men, the mission is to play for championships and to have championship-type performances week in and week out," Kelly said during his Tuesday news conference.