Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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SEASON KICKOFF: DEFENSIVE LINE in high school and it carried over. We don't even think of Sheldon Day as a freshman. So we've got as good of depth as we've had since we've been here. "We're able to coach things right now at a more intricate level because of the understanding of the full unit about certain things. I'm just talking about small little things that we couldn't even get to a year ago. We couldn't get past the big stuff. Now we're on to the small, fine details. That's going to make all the difference." For Tuitt, a lack of matu- rity was the primary issue in 2011. Irish head coach Brian well on a play. It's important to him, and he wants to be as good as he can be. He's got an incredible frame, and for the size that he is, he moves so well." Consistency, particularly in practice, was an issue for Nix last year and into the spring, an issue the big Florid- ian said is now behind him. "To be honest, I think we talk about that too much," WE'VE GOT AS GOOD OF DEPTH AS WE'VE HAD SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE. IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT." DEFENSIVE LINE COACH MIKE ELSTON "WE'VE GOT A LOT OF DEPTH. IN THE FRONT, Kelly left him at home when Notre Dame traveled to Pur- due for missing class, and he sat out the final two regular- season games while fighting mononucleosis. Elston said Tuitt owned up to his mistakes and has matured. "I would say his consistency in his approach and he's much more aggressive," Elston explained. "I've been very happy with that. He gets disappointed in himself when he doesn't fit a certain play properly or if he doesn't do work and more effort, so I'm not worried about it. He told me I wasn't giving consistency — that's gone now. Louis Nix, he's improving and giving his all now." The strides both Nix and Schwenke have made in a year said Nix, who started 11 games and appeared in all 13 last year in his first season of action, while notching 45 tackles (4.5 for loss). "The spring was spring. That was yesterday. It's today now. I feel like I'm putting in more are staggering, Elston said. "It's not even close [to last year]. It's probably one of our most improved positions," Elston proclaimed. "It has been a really good combination of those two pushing each Kona Schwenke, who has been dealing with a cast on his right hand due to a broken knuckle during fall camp, is anchoring a defensive line that members of the Irish coaching staff believe is the most improved position group. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA www.BLUEANDGOLD.com PRESEASON 2012 57