Game 11, 10-0, and no new injuries? That’s not norm at Notre Dame in November but the season’s final month has been atypical to date. Of chief concern for many over the last few days was the return of junior quarterback Ian Book, out last week with a rib injury.



Kelly said Book put forth a good week of practice despite “normal rust” on Tuesday. Despite a rib injury that doubtless remains an issue, it’s all systems go for the dual-threat Saturday in the Bronx

“We have run game in for him. He’s going to get hit,” said Kelly. “We feel very comfortable — we wouldn’t have played him if we had to put him in bubble wrap. You can’t play a quarterback under those conditions.”

Kelly added that junior cornerback Julian Love showed “no ill-effects” after being sidelined twice vs. Florida State in the second half. “Didn’t miss a rep and had a really good week of practice,” he added.

Senior guard/center Trevor Ruhland is also back in action after missing last week’s game with an elbow injury. Ruhland will backup Tommy Kraemer with whom he rotated and twice beat out for starts over the course of the last six contests .

“Tommy’s been playing really well. What do you think, do we go back to Tommy in there?” Kelly joked while eliciting opinion from the reporter. “I think we’re going to keep him in there, but Trevor is ready to go if we feel like we need to give (Kraemer) a blow, we feel pretty good about utilizing him.”

Not quite 100 percent but fully in the game plan is redshirt-freshman running back Jafar Armstrong, still showing the after effects of knee surgery to clean up an infection in late September.

“I don’t think he’s quite there yet,” said Kelly, adding, “What Jafar is learning is the life of a running back is you never quite get 100 percent. You have to figure out how to play 100 percent when you’re 80 percent.”

“He’s a young kid, he’s got a great attitude, and he’s figuring it out.”

Kelly was likewise asked if he had concerns about what has often proved to be a slippery playing surface during football games at Yankee Stadium.

“I know it’s a new surface,” he said. “They put a whole new surface in. We’ve had our advanced team out there to take a look at it and they think it’s a great surface.”