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Overview
Despite almost leaving the program (several times), Nix shot down rumors that he would be transferring from South Bend and appears rededicated to Notre Dame. The Florida-native comes from a tough background and is a long way from home, but the 325-pounder has a bright football future if he stays dedicated to the game. Nix was highly recruited out of high school and chose Notre Dame over several in-state programs, including Florida, Florida State and Miami (FL).
After redshirting in 2010, he started 11 games last season as a first-year player at the nose guard position, anchoring the middle of the Irish's three-man front. Nix finished with 45 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and a half sack.
Analysis
Although just a redshirt sophomore, Nix is built like a full-grown man with a large frame and strong muscle definition throughout his body. He has nimble feet with the lateral quickness to explode in any direction and chase down the action in pursuit.
He plays hard with a feisty motor and the emergence of back-up Kona Schwenke should allow Nix to stay fresh late in games. Nix has struggled with the pressure and expectations of playing for a high-profile program away from home, but he flashes a rare skill-set for a player his size and strength.
--Dane Brugler
Career Notes
Typical 3-4 nose guard prospect who spent his freshman season concentrating on strength and conditioning ... tutored by the departed Ian Williams ... enters fall practice looking to compete for a starting spot on the defensive line.
2012 Season
Impact player who helped anchor the defensive front ... started 11 of 13 games (did not start at Michigan State or vs. Pittsburgh) ... led all Notre Dame defensive linemen with 50 tackles and ranked fourth on the team with 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks ... team-high five pass breakups ... total of 95 career tackles (32 unassisted) in his second full season in the trenches ... started strong with three tackles (1.5 for loss) against Navy (Sept. 1) ... had four more tackles, including a career-best 1.5 sacks, in the victory over Purdue (Sept. 8) ... registered five tackles at Michigan State (Sept. 15) ... had four tackles and forced first career fumble in the home win over Michigan (Sept. 22) ... two solo tackles against Miami (Oct. 6) at Soldier Field ... finished with four tackles and a quarterback hurry against Stanford (Oct. 13), and was instrumental in the goal-line stand in overtime that secured the victory for the Irish ... added four tackles in each of the next three games against BYU (Oct. 20), Oklahoma (Oct. 27) and Pittsburgh (Nov. 3) ... credited with 1.5 tackles for loss and half of a sack during that stretch ... career-high seven tackles in the home finale triumph over Wake Forest (Nov. 10) ... closed the regular season with three solo stops against USC (Nov. 24), including one for a loss ... recorded five tackles (all solo) in BCS National Championship Game vs. Alabama ... posted two tackles for loss vs. Crimson Tide.
2011 Season
Started 11 games at nose guard while playing in all 13 during the season ... did not start vs. USF or Navy ... collected 45 tackles, including four and a half for loss ... also recorded one pass breakup and one-half sack ... registered nine games with at least two tackles and six games of four or more ... had a pair of six-tackle games ... opened career with six tackles, including one-half tackle for loss against South Florida ... tied career high in tackles with six, including one-half tackle for loss and one-half sack in win against Navy ... had four tackles, including a career-high one and a half tackles for loss, against Stanford ... notched five tackles, including one tackle for loss and a pass breakup in win vs. Boston College ... registered three tackles in Champs Sports Bowl against Florida State.
2010 Season
Did not see game action during the 2010 season.
High School
Named to Florida Super 75 and to Jacksonville Super 24 teams by Jacksonville Times-Union following his senior year in 2009 ... rated 59th nationally on Sporting News Top 100 list ... tabbed SuperPrep All-American and eighth-best defensive tackle nationally ... made 50 tackles and 10 sacks as senior in 2009 at Raines High School in Jacksonville, Fla. ... a 2009 all-First Coast pick as defensive lineman by Jacksonville Times-Union ... selected to play in Under Armour All-America Game in St. Petersburg, Fla. ... tallied 19 combined sacks as a sophomore and junior in 2007 and 2008 ... selected to Jacksonville Times-Union Super 11 squad prior to senior season and was labeled "most disruptive" player in First Coast ... named to Super Southeast 120 team by Mobile Press-Register ... rated 64th best player nationally and sixth-best defensive tackle in ESPNU 150 ... listed as seventh-best defensive tackle nationally and 85th-best player by Rivals. com ... rated ninth-best defensive tackle in country and 102nd-best prospect nationally by Scout.com ... ranked 108th player nationally by SI.com/TAKKLE ...rated on Offense-Defense Top 250 list...rated 75th nationally by The Kickoff Top 120 ... tallied 60 tackles and 10 sacks as junior and named second-team all-First Coast by Jacksonville Times-Union ... helped Raines High School to 7-4 record and appearance in Florida state playoffs as sophomore in 2007 ... named to Jacksonville Times-Union second-team all-First Coast in 2007 ... also played basketball ... played for coach Deran Wiley at Raines.
Personal
Born July 31, 1991 ... son of Louis Nix and Stephanie Ancrum ... enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters.
Draft Scout Player News
05/04/13 - 2014 NFL DRAFT: EARLY TOP-50 DRAFT BOARD: 11. DT Louis Nix, Notre Dame (6-3, 326, 5.17)*...The rock of the Irish front seven, Nix has rare movement skills for a 330-pounder with the strength to easily take on and dispose of blocks. - Dane Brugler, NFLDraftScout.com
01/07/13 - Scouting the Notre Dame run defense: Notre Dame is among the nation's best against the run, allowing an average 92.42 yards per game and has allowed only two rushing touchdowns all season, with the first coming in week eight against Oklahoma. But the Irish will contend with Alabama running back Eddie Lacy, who has 1,182 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Teammate T.J. Yeldon hit exactly 1,000 for the season against Georgia and has rushed for 11 touchdowns. - The Sports Xchange
12/17/12 - Notre Dame got some good news Monday, as two of its top junior interior linemen - left tackle Zack Martin and nose tackle Louis Nix - announced through head coach Brian Kelly that they would return to play their senior seasons in 2013. eanwhile, tailback Cierre Wood will seek an NFL Draft evaluation before making his decision after the BCS title game, though his mother says he is "70-30" leaning toward making the jump to the next level.
Martin was the top offensive lineman for the Irish, helping to pace a unit that rushed for 202 yards per game while allowing just 16 sacks. The huge, space-eating Nix was a key element of a Notre Dame defensive front that held opposing teams to 92 yards rushing per game. Nix had 45 tackles, including five and a half behind the line and two sacks.
With Martin's decision, the Irish will return three of its five starters up front on offense, while Nix's return gives Notre Dame two of its three linemen back on its 3-4 defense. Wood started four games for the Irish and was second on the team in rushing with 740 yards. He rushed for 1,102 yards in 2011. Notre Dame plays Alabama for the national title Jan. 7 in Miami. - Chris Huston, CBSSports.com
12/16/12 - 2012 FBS ALL-INDEPENDENT FIRST TEAM: DL Louis Nix III (Jr.), Notre Dame, has been selected First Team All-Independent for the 2012 college football season by members of a nationwide media panel, which includes equal representation from each of the independent institutions’ coverage markets. - Notre Dame football
11/01/12 - Notre Dame nose guard Louis Nix III always seems to find himself at the center of the action. Whether it's clogging things up along the defensive line for the Fighting Irish or off the field videotaping his latest YouTube segment "Chocolate News" that gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the team, Nix seems to be in the thick of things. "I don't like to be in the center of things. I just so happen to be in the center of things," Nix said. The 6-3, 326-pound lineman is a media favorite because of his amusing stories. He doesn't do interviews as much as hold court, talking to a swarm of reporters about such things as how he gets cranky if he can't have Cinnamon Toast Crunch for breakfast, or how one of the youngest of his 11 brothers gave a school presentation on Nix being the Notre Dame quarterback or how Nix thinks coach Brian Kelly should give him a shot at quarterback on goal-line situations. "One of these days he might come around and he'll give me the ball on fourth-and-1 or whatever he wants. When I do it, then he'll just keep giving it to me," Nix said. "I might get to throw it around a little bit, hopefully." Nix already showed he's good on goal-line situations going the other way, helping to stop Stanford in overtime on the final two plays from the 1-yard line after sitting out a play for having the wind knocked out of him. He also forced a fumble by Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson at the Notre Dame 8-yard line in a game the Irish won 13-6. The fourth-ranked Irish (8-0) will be seeking to win their first nine games for the first time since 1993 when they host Pittsburgh (4-4) on Saturday. That 1993 team finished the year 11-1 and ranked No. 2. - AP Sports
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