Jack Swarbrick put his arm around Brian Kelly and they walked together in the rain outside the losing locker room at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Notre Dame had just suffered its eighth loss of the 2016 season, a 45–27 thumping from rival USC, and rumors were swirling about Kelly’s status as head coach. Would he be fired following a 4–8 debacle? Was he seeking coaching options outside of Notre Dame? Anything seemed possible.
During a critical time marked by uncertainty and outside noise, a small, humanizing moment sent a message of solidarity to those who saw it.
“It was sort of, O.