The University of Notre Dame (UND) has dismissed four players on the Fighting Irish football for academic fraud.

An unnamed source told ESPN DaVaris Daniels, a starting wide receiver; KeiVarae Russell, a starting defensive back; Ishaq Williams, a defensive tackle; and Kendall Moore, a second-string linebacker, have been dismissed. Before the start of last football season, quarterback Everett Golson was dismissed for academic fraud.

Golson later confirmed his dismissal was the result of cheating, but the details of the latest four dismissals are apparently different. Moore may have been the only reserve player of the four, as Williams was expected to come out of the preseason with a starting position.

The source told ESPN the four players violated the student conduct code by receiving improper help on homework and that they did not attend practice Friday. The NCAA may open an investigation to determine if they will be punished further.

UND head football coach Brian Kelly recently announced that Golson would be the team's starting QB for the upcoming season. Golson missed the entire football season and was reinstated to the team afterward. All five aforementioned players were part of the team that lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2012 BCS National Championship game.

Williams and Moore were entering their senior season while Daniels and Russell were juniors. It is not clear how long the four players will be held off the team, as Golson missed a full season.

Yahoo Sports first reported the dismissals and noted that the investigation is not limited to football players and even included non-athletes. UND initiated the investigation and the NCAA has yet to open their own probe.

Daniels missed the spring semester for an undisclosed academic violation, ESPN reported, but his suspension was lifted in May, at which point he was reinstated to the team.

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