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Javon McKinley Breaks Fibula, Other Notes From Brian Kelly's PC

Recapping Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly's Thursday press conference.

The Irish host Miami on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

• Freshman receiver Javon McKinley suffered a broken fibula this week in practice and will have season-ending surgery Tuesday, according to Notre Dame media relations.

McKinley played just eight offensive snaps this season, all in a Week 2 game against Nevada.

• Kelly said if freshmen haven’t played yet this season that they won’t play this year.

• Sophomore defensive lineman Micah Dew-Treadway practiced this week with the scout team. Kelly said Dew-Treadway is in competitive situations and could challenge for playing time.

• Junior running back Justin Brent has been taking reps with the scout team, Kelly said, but he's down the depth chart at the running back position.

• Kelly said he’s watched highlights of the 1988 Notre Dame-Miami game, but never the complete game.

“I was clearly aware of the magnitude," Kelly said.

• The concussion senior receiver Torii Hunter Jr. suffered against Texas had an impact on his start to the season.

"Clearly the injury slowed him down a little bit from having a really good start to the season," Kelly said.

• Kelly was asked to reflect on Notre Dame's season and think back to his feelings as the Irish broke training camp in late August.

“I worried about not getting off to a good start and what that could mean," Kelly said.

• Sophomore receiver C.J. Sanders’ smaller role in the offense recently is more about Notre Dame getting freshman Kevin Stepherson on the field.

Stepherson — who is often called K.J. — played 46 snaps against Stanford, while Sanders logged just 17. Notre Dame has featured more formations with Stepherson out wide and Hunter Jr. in the slot.

"It has nothing to do with C.J. because C.J. gives us a dimension that is really good as well, and I can see us with C.J. and K.J., but I'm not crazy about taking Hunter off the field," Kelly said. "My feeling is getting K.J. on the field requires some rotation out there."

• Kelly noted that he thinks sophomore running back Josh Adams really benefitted from the bye week. Wasn't 100 percent before, but now has his burst back.

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