Notre Dame had a good news-bad news day in regards to tight ends Wednesday.

Starter Kyle Rudolph appears to be completely recovered from a hamstring injury that has dogged him since fall camp started, but Mike Ragone suffered another medical setback.

Ragone, who missed time during fall camp after suffering a heat-related illness, is questionable for Saturday's opener against Purdue after suffering an inner-ear infection.

"He had severe headaches," coach Brian Kelly said. "He is in the infirmary right now. The report was vertigo, inner-ear infection.

"We were really concerned because he was doing so well. He had that heat illness, and he bounced back and was doing really well. Now he's been hit with this. We don't know what his status is going to be until I get a chance to talk to the doctors."

Kelly said Ragone had two good days of practice, but the senior is now questionable for the opener.

Rudolph has eliminated concerns about his condition entering Saturday.

The 6-foot-6, 265-pound All-American candidate participated in every aspect of practice Tuesday and Wednesday, with the second day producing better results than the first.

"I just really wasn't myself (Tuesday), still kind of a little tentative," Rudolph said. "I worked real hard (Tuesday) and felt good (Wednesday). I was able to go out and run around and not even worry about it."

Rudolph credits the work he did with Notre Dame director of football strength and conditioning Paul Longo during the summer and throughout fall camp for being ready for the game against Purdue.

And while Rudolph's hamstring kept on the sidelines for some practice work, it didn't get in the way of him staying in shape.

"I had hurt hamstring, not a hurt body," Rudolph said. "There's lots of stuff they can do. Upper body, on the hill, it takes some pressure off your hamstring and run in the water. Stuff like that to where I'm working hard but I really don't put the toll on my hamstring."