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✦ News & notes Mike Golic Jr. would shift there while Hanratty would step in at guard. This has made scrimmage work between the No. 1 units more tenuous while preparing for Alabama. "If you take an hour and a half practice, we're probably taking 10 minutes of that time to go ones versus ones," Kelly said on Dec. 29. "I would go a little bit more, but we're thin on the offensive line, and I can't afford to lose a guy there." Junior safety Austin Collinsworth, who missed all of 2012 after tearing his left labrum in the spring, which required surgery in early June, had a second procedure to address problems with his back. Kelly said Collinsworth will be ready to play this spring. Kelly said. "… There was nobody that I would say, 'Man, he's a can't-miss guy.'" One More Year! Auditioning For The Future Game preparation for Alabama remained a priority, but many of the pre-Christmas practices from Dec. 7-21 (the Irish had eight practices in that time, including one light workout during final exams week from Dec. 10-14) also concentrated on developing many of the younger players who seldom played, if at all, in 2012. According to head coach Brian Kelly, people such as freshman quarterback Gunner Kiel, freshman running back Will Mahone, sophomore offensive tackle Conor Hanratty and freshman defensive lineman Jarron Jones benefitted from the extra work. Sophomore Mike linebacker Jarrett Grace especially received extensive reps while senior Manti Te'o was making his cross-country tour picking up seven national awards. When asked if there were any standouts among the youngsters, Kelly said the practices were more about trying to build a base while preparing for Alabama. "I didn't look at it as like a spring ball where we're trying to find somebody," Nose guard Louis Nix III continued a recent trend in South Bend, when he announced in December his intention to return for his senior campaign in 2013. photo by bill panzica ✦ Page 11 Next to playing for the national title, the best news in December for the Fighting Irish came Dec. 17, when head coach Brian Kelly announced that both senior offensive left tackle Zack Martin and junior nose guard Louis Nix III will return to Notre Dame in 2013. Both Martin and Nix had submitted paperwork to the NFL for an assessment of their draft status, but their return now fortifies both lines as Notre Dame strengths in 2013. Martin has started all 39 games at offensive left tackle the past three seasons and graded out as the top lineman each time — earning him an unprecedented three straight "Guardian of The Year Award" honors as Notre Dame's top offensive lineman. Nix, a 2012 third-team CBSSports.com All-American, was the 326-pound anchor on the nation's No. 1 scoring defense during the regular season. Nix paced the Irish linemen in tackles (45) for the second straight year and also led the team in passes defensed (five), but his greatest value was taking on multiple blockers in the middle to help free up All-Americans such as senior linebacker Manti Te'o and sophomore defensive end Stephon Tuitt, who recorded 12 sacks. "Without him, there are a lot of runs that wouldn't be stopped," Tuitt said of Nix. Martin and Nix continue a recent uplifting trend at Notre Dame in which the NFL is not necessarily perceived as the top priority. Te'o and senior tight end Tyler Eifert both came back in 2012 despite high draft projections last year at this time, and wide receiver Michael Floyd, a first-round pick last April, did the same for his senior year in 2011. ✦