Notre Dame will see a slimmer Fisher

It's been a busy year for Florida State football coach Jimbo Fisher.

His Seminoles won the national championship in January. He signed another vaunted recruiting class the following month. This spring a number of his players went in the NFL Draft.

Fisher also managed to transform his body, losing 40 pounds.

"I got tired of making excuses. It's like I tell players, it’s priorities," Fisher, whose team hosts Notre Dame on Oct. 18, told the Tallahassee (Fla.) Democrat. "Also, I started feeling bad. I think your energy level as a coach, your energy level to do things (improves when you're in good shape). And I think when you're in shape you're much more sharp mentally."

Fisher has faced offseason distractions, particularly Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jameis Winston gaining headlines for stealing crab legs from a local supermarket. Still, Fisher stuck with his plan of dropping weight.

"I've let myself go since I've been here," said Fisher, who is entering his fifth season at the school. "I've been making excuses and doing the wrong things. I got tired of it and said, 'I'm going to start eating right and I'm going to start exercising.'

"I feel much better and feel healthy."

Prepping Peppers

Michigan landed one of the elite recruits in the country last year in defensive back Jabrill Peppers, whose vast offer list included Notre Dame. Michigan coach Brady Hoke hasn't eliminated the possibility that Peppers could also contribute beyond defense, but he is aware that there are high expectations for the player considered the No. 3 recruit in the country according to Rivals.com.

Hoke hesitated to say, however, where Peppers fits in the Wolverines' defense or what his expectations are.

"I don't know, for me to comment on something like that or for me to put -- I don't know if pressure is the right (word) -- maybe expectations on a guy who has never played a down of college football or gone through a college conditioning session (is unfair)," Hoke told AnnArbor.com. "Obviously we think he's a very talented young man with a lot of character."

Michigan visits Notre Dame on Sept. 6.

Another Kelly

Arizona State quarterback Taylor Kelly quietly earned second-team All-Pac 12 honors last season, and is entering his third season as a starter. The senior is fifth on the school's all-time list for touchdown passes with 57.

ASU offensive coordinator Mike Norvell is excited to see what kind of improvement Kelly can make this season.

"There are things throughout a game where he improved from Year 1 to Year 2,'' Norvell told the Arizona Republic. "If we can get the same improvement from Year 2 to Year 3, I think he has a chance to do something special."

The Sun Devils host Notre Dame Nov. 8.

BWieneke@SBTinfo.com ¦ 574-235-6428 ¦ Twitter: @BobWienekeNDI