Notre Dame Notebook: Tommy Rees Health Scare, Drew White, Injury Updates
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly addressed the media following the team's Wednesday practice. Here are a few important takeaways.
TOMMY REES UNDERGOES EMERGENCY SURGERY
It was touch and go for offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, Kelly said on Wednesday in his post practice press conference.
Rees underwent an emergency appendectomy on Monday night.
Kelly said that Rees had to be talked into going to the hospital for surgery at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center.
“He's lucky. I mean, it was a lot worse (than he thought) and we're fortunate that everything worked out great,” Kelly said. “He had the appendectomy performed at St. Joe's and we really appreciate the work that (Notre Dame team physician) Dr. Leiszler did in forcing him to get over there and get checked out. Obviously our friends at St. Joe's have just been fabulous in the way that we've been treated.”
According to Kelly, it was an emergency.
“It wasn't your standard, 'Hey, we have plenty of time here,'” Kelly said. “If this was left unattended a little bit longer, we could have had a much more serious situation.”
Rees hasn’t really taken much time off. He’s been working from home. He gets the film and watches it and makes suggestions. Other staff members have picked up the slack.
“The staff has done a great job,” Kelly noted. “We meet in the morning, we kind of go over the practice schedule. Tommy has been watching film remotely, communicating, and I sit in the quarterback meeting room anyway, so it's been really good. (Running backs coach) Lance Taylor has done a great job. Having a veteran like (tight ends coach John) McNulty is a great steadying influence as well. We've got a great staff on the offensive side of the ball that makes it a lot easier when you have your offensive coordinator, who is not available for a day or two. We're just happy he is going to be okay and it didn't happen two days before the game.”
DREW WHITE MAKING PROGRESS
The goal this year for the defensive staff was to make senior linebacker Drew White a three down defender instead of two down player. White comes out in obvious passing situations. His strength is run coverage.
Kelly said he could see the field more in third down situations.
“He's a guy that it's going to be difficult to take him off the field,” Kelly said of White, who was recently named a team captain. “Drew is in the best shape of his life. He's experienced. He's a great leader. He's assignment correct. It'll be up to Marcus (Freeman) at the end of the day to decide whether the traits that I just mentioned warrant third down. I think there's going to be times where he will be on the field on third down and I think there'll be some times when he won't be on the field, but he's put himself in a great position by virtue of his experience and the way he's worked."
HINISH, LENZY INJURY UPDATES
Starting senior defensive lineman Kurt Hinish is in concussion protocol, according to Kelly. It’s not clear what happened to land Hinish in the protocol but Kelly said that Hinish should start practicing on Thursday in non contact drills. He expects Hinish to be ready for the Florida State game on Sep. 5.
Wide receiver Braden Lenzy practiced on Wednesday after missing Tuesday’s practice. Kelly said that Lenzy hurt his shoulder but it seems more precautionary.
“He had a shoulder strain and fell in a one on one,” Kelly said. “(Clarence) Lewis fell on top of him on a catch and he had a strain, so we're just working him back in. We think he'll be 100% here in the next day or two."
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