Irish Insights

  • Notre Dame knocks off West Virginia
    MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Jack Cooley had a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead Notre Dame to a 55-51 win over West Virginia on Wednesday night.
  • No. 2 Notre Dame women beat Orange
    SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Devereaux Peters had a season-high 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, Kayla McBride added 19 points and No. 2 Notre Dame beat Syracuse 74-55 on Tuesday night.
  • Irish send 6 to combine
    Notre Dame cornerback Robert Blanton, offensive tackle Tayler Dever, linebacker Darius Fleming, receiver Michael Floyd, running back Jonas Gray and safety Harrison Smith were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine on Feb. 22-28 in Indianapolis.
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Shaping up

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly has focused on his team's conditioning entering this season.

Players have said their summer workout program was the most intense they've been through, and they are seeing the benefits during practice.

Kelly said Tuesday he has also started paying better attention to his condition, and along with needing to be in good shape personally, his better health helps with his message to the team.

"I think it is hard sometimes to talk about tempo and pushing it and being in great shape, if the coach looks like I was starting to look like," Kelly said. "There was part of that in sending the right message in eating right, nutrition and all of that. Certainly, it was a personal thing on my part for my health. For a head coach pushing those things, it is a lot easier to get your guys to buy in if you bought in as well.

"My energy is better, I'm able to yell much longer than I used to. It's great."

The Journal Gazette's Assistant Sports Editor Tony Krausz covers The University of Notre Dame. Krausz, a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and a native of St. Louis, has been assistant sports editor since October 2005. Prior to joining the JG, he worked at two papers in Mississippi covering high school and college athletics.