Fall Camp Notes & Quotes
"Notre Dame's 2013 fall training camp is flying by. The Fighting Irish are approaching the end of their second week of camp, which means the Aug. 31 season-opener against Temple is just over two weeks away.
We have had just one opportunity to see the Irish live in practice so far during camp (a second chance at a full two hours of practice is coming Friday morning), but we have had plenty of occasions to speak to Brian Kelly and his players during camp.
The comment that has probably drawn the most attention so far during camp came earlier this week when Kelly threw a heaping helping of praise at sophomore defensive end Sheldon Day.
"He's an impressive football player," said Kelly. "I wouldn't trade him for anybody on our football team right now. He is as impressive a player as we have on defense."
That's saying something considering the combined 680 pounds or so of players Day plays next to on the defensive line in the form of Louis Nix and Stephon Tuitt. That duo helped form one of the best defensive fronts in the nation last year, while Day, who did contribute in 2012 as a true freshman, is still tasked with replacing defensive co-captain Kapron Lewis-Moore this season.
Day is not known as one of the more verbose players on the Fighting Irish roster. When told of Kelly's words of praise, Day was quick with an appreciative response.
"That's great to know," Day said. "I wouldn't trade him for any other head coach. I guess he thinks I'm a great guy."
Speaking of players who bring heavy hits but do not necessarily get long-winded while talking with the media, Carlo Calabrese says he had a good summer. How good you ask?
"Very good, very good," Calabrese told ISD.
The graduate student from Verona, NJ spent the bulk of his summer on campus getting ready for his final season in a gold helmet.
"My all around game," Calabrese responded when asked what he worked on prior to training camp. "I wanted to get stronger and faster. I also came in and watched film a bunch of times. I'm learning the game more."
Calabrese and fellow fifth-year senior Dan Fox were the first team inside linebackers at last week's open practice. Fox has had two major events in his life since the BCS Championship game. First, he had shoulder surgery that forced him into primarily spectator status during this past spring's practice.
"I feel great," Fox said. "My shoulder feels great. I just feel one hundred percent."
Fox was able to lift weights and do all the conditioning he wanted to do over the summer. He says it has been at least a year and a half since his shoulder felt as good as it does now. He had to adapt last year to delivering hits that would often cause him more pain than it would for the recipients of the hits.
"I think it's just developing a mental toughness," said Fox. "The first time you're like 'oh man' (but) you're just kind of like this is what it is, it is what it is (and) this is what I'm going to do. There's no way around it."
Fox's second big event of the spring came with his decision to cut off his rock star-like hair. The frizzled locks would have made Brett Michaels jealous, but he clipped them after some persuading from his parents.
"I grew it out for four years," Fox said with a smile. "I graduated (this past May) it's time to let it go."
Fox donated his hair to Locks of Love, which helps financially disadvantaged children who suffer from long-term medical hair loss.
While players like Day and Calabrese are more reserved with their words, one player who is not reserved about talking is KeiVarae Russell. The sophomore cornerback plays fast and he has a tendency to talk fast as well (although he seems to have slowed his verbal cadence a bit already this year.
Russell was matched up against some of the top receivers in the nation last year - like USC's Marqise Lee, who won the 2012 Biletnikoff Award. Russell says he has watched his clips from last year's matchup with Lee to see where he can get better.
"I looked at that going into this year," Russell said of facing one of the top receivers in the nation. "(I saw) the plays I did do well (and) what was the difference between how I did well there and how I did bad (on) certain other plays. I took that to try to eliminate the plays where I did bad."
Russell was thrust into a starting role last year after Lo Wood went down with an Achilles injury during training camp. Kelly said this week that even though Wood is back in action this fall, Russell is still the starter. Russell sees no rivalry with Wood.
"Lo's my big bro," Russell said with a smile. "We're working at one spot. We're battling every day. It pushes me just knowing he's here for sure. It pushes me each and every day, but at the end of the day I'm focusing on me I'm not worried about what he does."
Finally, a player who is trying to work his way into the lineup more regularly this season is tight end Troy Niklas. The junior has come a long way as an in-line blocker since converting from outside linebacker to tight end last year. He may have also let a little bit too much information slip when asked this week about his blocking.
"We run the ball a ton," Niklas said when asked about the importance of his blocking skills. "And we're going to run the ball a ton this year most likely - don't quote me on that, but it's extremely important."
Notes and Quotes will be a regular ISD feature throughout the 2013 season."
.
