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Notre Dame Football

Brian Kelly Expects Three Notre Dame Starters Back For Florida State

October 1, 2020
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As Brian Kelly noted on Thursday, bringing back an entire football program after suspending football activities for an extended period of time is much different than helping individual players return from injuries.

But even as Kelly and the Notre Dame football program returns to the practice field following their pause because of a COVID-19 outbreak, the Irish also do have three frontline players coming back from individual injuries.

With a bye this weekend, Kelly sounded confident about having all three back by the time the Irish return to Notre Dame Stadium to host Florida State on Saturday, Oct. 10th.

Wide receiver Kevin Austin has been sidelined since the first week of August when he broke a bone in his foot that required surgery.

Star safety Kyle Hamilton was held out of the South Florida game after suffering an ankle sprain in the opener against Duke. Receiver Ben Skowronek left the opener against the Blue Devils with a hamstring injury.

During a call with reporters on Thursday, Kelly said he expects all three to be back for the Irish’s next game.

“Kevin Austin is in a running program right now,” Kelly said. “He ran the last couple of days. He’ll be modified over the next few days with practice, but right now, we’re on track for him to compete against Florida State.

“Hamilton is in great shape right now. We expect him to be at full-go and same thing with Ben. Ben looked really, really good running and he’s feeling no effects from the hamstring.”

Austin may not be 100 percent or the Irish could decide to ease him back into things against the Seminoles, but Kelly sounded like the other two would have few, if any, limitations.

“Obviously, Kevin is going to be the guy we modify for Florida State, but the other two guys should be at the top of their form in terms of what they’re capable of doing.”

 
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