Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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Under the Dome Tate Nichols' Career In Jeopardy January surgery will prevent several his shoulder. members of Notre Dame's 2013 rosKelly said he expects the trio won't be ter from participating in spring drills able to participate in contact drills durthat begin March 20, and one player ing spring practice, but should have no might not be able to play college foot- problems returning to full health before ball again. the start of next season. According to Notre Dame • Junior safety Austin Colhead coach Brian Kelly, 6-8, linsworth had labrum sur320-pound junior offensive gery last June and back surtackle Tate Nichols — who gery late in the season. He is has been besieged by injuries expected to be at full health during his career, including for spring practice after missknee surgery — might no ing the entire 2012 campaign. longer be physically able to • The best news for Notre perform in football. Dame from the training room Kelly revealed that the staff is Kelly's optimism that sophhad conversed with Nichomore center Matt Hegarty ols about having his football can return to the lineup this Nichols grant-in-aid transferred to a spring. Hegarty had surgery general university fund. That way Tate to patch a hole in his heart Dec. 14 after can still complete his education at Notre suffering a mini-stroke during practice Dame, while the football program has a Nov. 8. With Braxston Cave and Mike scholarship opened up to give someone Golic Jr. both out of eligibility, Hegarty is one of three likely candidates to comelse. Other recent players who went pete for the starting center position next through this are junior running back year, joining freshman Mark Harrell Cam Roberson and sophomore offen- and sophomore Nick Martin, the most sive lineman Brad Carrico. Neither can versatile lineman on the team. "We think we're going to get [mediplay football any longer because of health issues, but both had their foot- cal] clearance for him pretty soon," ball grant-in-aid transferred to a general Kelly said of Hegarty. "The procedure fund while still attending the school. went extremely well. He's adapting to In other health-related news: the medication, so we feel really confi• Junior cornerback Bennett Jackson dent there." and senior linebacker Dan Fox both had Kelly said he doesn't foresee injuries shoulder surgery in January to repair creating any major position changes this torn labrums. Fox is projected to return spring. Top three contenders for the two for a fifth season in 2013. Freshman starting inside linebacker positions are safety Nicky Baratti tweeted in January sophomore Jarrett Grace and seniors that he, too, had a similar procedure on Carlo Calabrese and Fox.