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Quick-hitters: Brian Kelly on injuries, bouncing back and wide receivers

Notre Dame avoided a worst-case scenario with its best pass-catcher.

Sophomore tight end Michael Mayer has an adductor strain, Irish head coach Brian Kelly said Monday. It might not even force him to miss this week's game when No. 14 Notre Dame (4-1) plays at Virginia Tech (3-1) Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network).

"It wasn’t something we felt like we couldn’t manage," Kelly said. "We’ll be managing him during the week, and he’ll be able to play this weekend. But we’ll be smart with him.”

Mayer said after Saturday's 24-13 loss to Cincinnati he has been playing through a groin injury most of the year. He was clearly hampered in the fourth quarter, at one point limping off the field on Notre Dame's final drive. He returned to the game with limited usage.

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Kelly also said sophomore left tackle Tosh Baker did not play Saturday due to a concussion. Sophomore Michael Carmody started at left tackle in his first action since Sept. 11, but left the game with the same ankle injury that caused him to miss the previous two weeks. Freshman Joe Alt replaced him.

"We didn’t feel comfortable he could play at the level we needed to," Kelly said. "That becomes a day-to-day situation for us."

Elsewhere, Kelly said fifth-year senior nose tackle Kurt Hinish is on track to play this week after missing two games due to a head injury. Senior wide receiver Joe Wilkins Jr. will have an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of a leg injury suffered Saturday.

Here are some other topics Kelly addressed in his Monday media session.

On the team’s mood after the loss

“They were disappointed yesterday. They came in for a meal yesterday – we don’t have interaction with them since it’s their day off – but you could sense they were disappointed in the loss.

“I don’t want to take anything away from Cincinnati, but they sting more when you beat yourself. We really need to coach better and put our kids in better position to succeed. And our players need to play better. If there were no players in the building, you’d feel the same thing because I think the coaches feel that way too.”

On freshman wide receivers Deion Colzie and Lorenzo Styles Jr.

“They have made really good progress. I was pleased with Styles. He has really begun to show himself on special teams and he’s very trusted. He made a nice catch and showed burst. He has to play more and he will play more. Deion as well.”

On addressing special-teams mistakes

“Catch the football. We’ll work on that again. We work on it every week, but we’ll work on it more. [Kick returner] Chris Tyree is a confident young man. He’s very focused and diligent. He wasn’t on that particular play. We’ll get back to focusing on those details.

“We missed an extra point. [Kicker] Jon [Doerer] has been really good. I really don’t have a good reason for either one of those miscues. I love both those kids. But I don’t know they would sit up here and tell you why it happened either.”

On bouncing back from the loss

“You have to address why you fell short. Where did we fall short in our preparation? Where did we fall short in our process? That’s where we start. Once we identify that, we close the book and move on. We trust our process, go back to it and commit to it. If we do that, we’ll be fine.”

On the wide receivers’ drops

“I look at a lot of things. I look at their workload during the week and if it matches what the workload is in the game, how many snaps they’re getting, is there a fatigue issue in the second half? Kevin [Austin Jr.] is seeing all press, hands-on, physical.

"That takes up a lot of energy and exertion. He’s running a lot of vertical routes down the field. As coaches, we have to see those things. We have to look at getting Colzie in there so in the second half, we don’t have a guy that’s tired. That’s on us as coaches. I take responsibility for that.

“They can catch. They know how to catch. There’s not more we can do there. They’re good players.”

On Kyren Williams’ blitz pickups

“It’s want-to. You have to want to. Some people don’t want to. That’s who he is and his DNA.”

On using the upcoming off week to bring along younger players

“It’s really a slippery slope. You have to gauge what you want to be able to accomplish as it relates to skill development vs. resting your football team. It’s a fine line between the two. You want to give them some time off. The first six weeks are two Big Ten teams that are physical and then Cincinnati. Then you have to go 7:30 at night [at Virginia Tech] and you’re not getting back here until 3:30 or 4 a.m.

“Do you want to grind them for three more days? Yes, you want some skill development. You want to see that happen. But you look up on Friday of bye week, you go, ‘We have a game in a week.’”

“There’s no, ‘Poof, we have a week off, so all these guys are ready.’ You’re going to get a little work, but that’s about it.”

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