Notre Dame's Louis Nix out for rest of the season

Notre Dame nose tackle Louis Nix III will miss the last two games of the Irish's season coach Brian Kelly told reporters. That could also include the bowl game if the team elects to play in one.

Nix has undergone surgery to repair a torn meniscus as the Fighting Irish prepare to take on BYU.

Nix has been banged up this season. He missed a game against Air Force due to tendonitis and a shoulder injury was suffered in a game against USC.

This is a big blow to the Irish defense as they'll have to go against a BYU team that has been solid on the ground this season.

Nix is expected to be a high draft pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Getting surgery now rather than waiting until after the season will give him more time to rehab and prepare for the NFL Draft. It would make sense to get it taken care of now with the Irish not competing for any big bowl game or championship and Nix still in position to be drafted highly if he is in optimum shape.

That all depends if he decides to come back to school for the 2014 season.

Notre Dame will be without Louis Nix against Air Force

The Notre Dame defense will be without a big part of their defensive line.

Defensive tackle Louis Nix suffered a shoulder injury last week against USC and hasn't practiced this week. He won't be playing in this Saturday's game versus Air Force.

Head coach Brian Kelly says it's knee tendinitis that will be keeping Nix on the sidelines. Nonetheless, the Fighting Irish will miss the big man's presence. Even though Air Force is 1-6, the Falcons average around 54 carries a game using the triple option.

Notre Dame's Kelly on Eagles' radar

Notre Dame head coach, Brian Kelly stated that he had no desire to leave Notre Dame. However, he did leave a crack in the door.

“For me to say I’ll never coach in the NFL -- I have no idea,” Kelly said on Friday. “I’m not trying to be evasive. It’s the truth of the matter. It’s all about timing.”

Now it appears the Philadelphia Eagles may walk through that crack in the door with an offer for Kelly. According to reports, the Eagles have interviewed Kelly and will meet with him when he returns from a trip out of the country.

With the personnel the Eagles have, hiring Kelly could work out for them, but he's also a career college coach that has no credibility with players in the NFL so it could turn out badly. I'm not saying it won't work but the Eagles may want to go with someone other than a college coach with no NFL experience. After the way the defense has played the past few years they might want to get a coach with a defensive background. 

Dayne Crist Leaving Notre Dame

Dayne Crist lost two seasons to injury at Notre Dame. He also lost playing time to back-ups Tommy Rees and Andrew Hendrix. Now he's going somewhere to regain the luster he once had when he arrived as a highly regarded quarterback recruit.

Crist asked for and was granted a release from Notre Dame.

The school confirmed the big-armed, 6-foot-4, 235-pound Crist met with Irish coach Brian Kelly on Friday to pursue the release. Crist will graduate this month with one year of eligibility remaining, rendering him eligible to play instantly anywhere he goes.

"Dayne and I had a good conversation Friday and I have granted him permission to speak to other schools," Kelly said. "Dayne has been a valuable member of our team the last two years and if he feels he needs to look for a better situation then I think we owe that to him."

All that means is that Crist will be following the Russell Wilson plan. Ironically Wisconsin ia one of the schools listed along with San Diego State and Utah. The Badgers will be looking for a replacement for Wilson after he used the NCAA rule that allowed him to play immediately after transferring from North Carolina State.

Maybe Crist can regain some of the five star status he had before he arrived at Notre Dame.   

Notre Dame better get it right with Kelly

Brian Kelly is leaving Cincinnati to become the head football coach at Notre Dame.The not so Fighting Irish better hope they actually get it right this time.Since I've been paying attention to college football,Notre Dame has been atrocious at hiring coaches.There have been a few times they had it right.Such as Dan Devine and Lou Holtz.Let me run this down.After Devine retired they decided to go against the grain and hire a high school coach.Not just any high school coach,but Gerry Faust from the mighty Cincinnati Moeller.Surely a huge step up for anyone let alone a high school coach.Faust lasted for 5 uninspiring seasons before being dumped for Lou Holtz.That turned out to be a good hire as he kept the Irish in national championship contention,winning it all in 1988.Also Holtz who had a habit of staying one step ahead of the NCAA just about everywhere he coached,stepped down in 1996,making way for assistant Bob Davie.Now,Davie wasn't that bad,but he wasn't that good either.He brought in talent,but didn't seem to coach it up.After Davie,it was Tyrone Willingham's turn at the helm of this sinking ship.Willingham came in with a bang with a 10-3 season beating higher ranked opponents Michigan and Florida State along the way.After that was a disaster, as he went 11-12 over the next two seasons,and wasn't bringing in highly rated recruiting classes.His class of 2004 recruits was judged to be the worst in 20 years at Notre Dame.He subsequently was let go and bought out of his contract.That gave us the Charlie Weis era or should I say error.Weis came riding in with his Super Bowl rings and NFL championship pedigree.That didn't seem to matter to the rest of the college football world.Weis go off to a fast start,going 9-3 and going to the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State.He helped improve the offense, Brady Quinn especially,as Quinn wnet on to break numerous school passing records.Wesi went 10-2 in his second season,but was walloped in the Sugar Bowl against LSU.After that the bottom dropped on the program as he went 3-9,7-6,and 6-6 in the following seasons that sealed his fate.Thing was Weis wasn't their first,second ,or third  choice for the job.The man they wanted most,Urban Meyer packed his bags and went to Florida.Now that brings us to the next "hot" name in the coaching community,Mr.Brian Kelly.After winning two national championships in his 13 years at  Division II Grand Valley State,Kelly took his show to Central Michigan and made them relevant in the Mid American Conference after the tumultuous Mike Debord reign.He coached the Chippewas to the 2006 MAC championship before taking the job at Cincinnati.He coached the Bearcats to a winning effort in the International Bowl.He then turned the Bearcats into a major player in the Big East with 3 10 win seasons and back to back Big East titles and BCS bowl berths.Now he has the task of building Notre Dame into a national contender once again.He has won everywhere he's been,so he's more than able for the job.But will the academic guidelines and someimes tough schedule derail his efforts.We'll see.He's gonna hit the ground running because he won't be coaching Cincinnati in their Sugar Bowl game versus Florida.The players will get to South Bend,the only question that remains is will it all translate on the field.Bottom line, this hire will have to be a grand slam or he too could be gone within five years.