For those lucky enough not to be versed in the language of social media, this could mean anything. (Perhaps a shipment of candy is heading down river on a barge?) But for the more than 5,000 followers of Irish defensive tackle Louis Nix on Twitter, that tweet sent out into the South Bend night before midnight Sunday had the rumor mill rolling and Irish fans in a panic. Just days after Aaron Lynch decided to head home instead of play for the Irish, it appeared Nix, one of the team’s most prolific presences on social media, was near a breaking point as well.
But Nix was on the field on for the Irish’s final two practices before Saturday’s Blue-Gold game, and met with the media for the first time since December, quelling any concerns about his departure from South Bend.
“You know, I just know that I need to be careful about what I tweet,” Nix said. “It makes the whole ND Nation and all 5,000 followers go crazy. I’m just going to be careful what I tweet next time.”
But Nix is a far more thoughtful 20-year-old than that, and his media session (a portion linked below, courtesy of UND.com) gives you a look at a kid that sometimes carries more on his shoulders than his own hefty frame.
“It’s a roller coaster for anybody,” Nix admitted of the emotions that come with being a student-athlete. “It’s part of college football. Sometimes you get sick of school. You just want to relax sometimes and just hang. Sometimes you just want to go home. That’s all it is.”
Going home is a different proposition for Nix, who hails from a part of Jacksonville that has seen more than its fair share of crime and heartbreak. The thousand miles between the pristine quarters of Notre Dame to Nix’s neighborhood in northern Florida can often feel like different worlds. And while the temptation of going home -- Nix admits it’s crossed his mind more than once -- is there, he might receive a mixed reception.
“Once I go home, they always tell me to stay in school. I’m the one that made it out,” Nix said. “Coming up where I came from, you’re either in or out, and I wanted to be out.
“I could have been anybody. I could have been the guy on the corner. I could have been dead, shot, anything. Not in school, working somewhere like at McDonald’s, no high school diploma. So I’m happy about it. I took advantage of what I had in front of me. I’m just going with it.”
What’s in front of him is a promising third year in the Irish football program. What’s behind him is a challenging spring after an impressive debut season. The Irish coaching staff has continued to challenge Nix to be a better practice player, and after being the assumptive starter, Nix saw his first team reps being given to fellow junior Kona Schwenke, who has been impressive during spring ball.
Still, it’s hard to see an Irish defense where Nix isn’t featured prominently in the middle. His hulking frame and impressive quickness helped Nix tally 45 stops for the Irish last season, the leader among defensive linemen. More impressively, Nix’s efficiency on defense, especially for a nose guard, was off the charts. Of the regulars in the Irish defensive mix, only Manti Te’o and Harrison Smith averaged more tackles per play that Nix.
With stats that’ll likely improve during his second season on the field, Nix will likely become a national player this season. But even as his on-field presence grows, Nix has the type of personality that’ll never allow him to be defined as just a football player. Whether its lip-synching to country music on YouTube or talking teammate Stephon Tuitt into eating a spoonful of salt, Nix can mix a wonderful sense of humor with a pensive nature that’s uncommon for a college kid.
It’s likely that thoughtfulness that kept Nix a bit philosophical when being questioned about his allegiance to the Irish football program. When asked point-blank if he was going anywhere, Nix honestly replied, “I’m here now. You see me.”
With some athletes, that could feel like an escape clause. For Nix, it feels good enough.
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