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✦ NEWS & NOTES in battle, we've got to have the head of a champion, too. The head of a champion un- derstands that each and every week you're going to get the opposition's very best." PHYSICALLY FIT This August, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly acknowledged that the prac- tice intensity and competitiveness were ratcheted up to a higher level when the Fighting Irish partook in much more phys- ical 11-on-11 work between the top units. He believes it has reaped rewards in mental and physical toughness, including outscoring opponents 80-26 in the fourth quarter and going 5-0 in games decided by seven or fewer points. In his first two seasons at Notre Dame, Kelly said his teams practiced well during the week but didn't play consistently on Satur- days — sort of like against Pitt last weekend. "We ramped it up in the preseason camp," Kelly said. "We felt like we needed to spend more time going against each other and being more physical. Our prac- tices were longer. We added more periods to our practice all in the hope to develop more physical and mental toughness. … Now we're getting consistent perfor- mance, and I think some of this has to do with what we did in preseason." However, once the calendar hits Novem- ber — where Kelly has had his greatest success the past several years — he tapers back. It's now down to two-hour sessions, and he said another 10 to 15 minutes will be taken out with daylight savings time. Because of so many close games, includ- ing two that went into overtime, he said a lot of his starters have had to play an inordinate amount of snaps. "We didn't have the luxury of some other programs in the first four games where they had some easy blowouts, where they didn't have to play in the sec- ond half," Kelly said. "… If you look at our snaps cumulative with our first-team guys versus some of the top teams in the country — or I think we all know Oregon — it's night and day." PERSONNEL NOTES • Junior No. 2 offensive right tackle Tate Nichols has been ruled out the remainder of the season after injuring the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee. Reserve sophomore guard Nick Martin has been moved behind junior Christian Lombard at right tackle, while freshman Ronnie Stanley is listed behind senior Zack Mar- tin at left tackle. Head coach Brian Kelly praised the elder Martin's consistency. "He's lapping the field," Kelly said of the three-year starting left tackle. "I think Coach [Harry Hiestand, offensive line] is grading him out in the 90s, where guys are grading out in the 60s and 70s." • Junior nose guard Louis Nix is back to better health after playing through flu-like symptoms on Saturday. Nix missed prac- tice last week while in the infirmary due to his illness. He was expected to be an emergency only option against Pittsburgh, but played consistently after starter Kona Schwenke injured his shoulder. Some of the flu bug is still lingering. "We got a couple guys battling it again this week," Kelly said. "We got it a little bit sooner and think we're a little bit ahead of the game this week compared to last week." • Freshmen safety C.J. Prosise, defen- sive end Jarron Jones and quarterback Gunner Kiel won't be on the field this year, but Kelly singled them out as redshirt candidates that have impressed him during practice this fall. "Gunner's a competitor, whipping the ball around," he said. "He's a big, physical kid on scout team. I really like watching him play." ✦ Junior nose guard Louis Nix was expected to be an emergency-only option against Pittsburgh last week due to flu-like symptoms, but he played through it and made four tackles. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA ✦ PAGE 15