Defensive tackle Pat Kuntz is not enrolled at the University this semester for what he told the Associated Press was "personal reasons."
Kuntz did not elaborate when contacted by AP at his Indianapolis home, and Director of Football Media Relations Brian Hardin said the University would have no further comment - other than that Kuntz is not enrolled - due to federal education privacy laws.
The 6-foot-3, 285-pound junior told AP that he hopes to return to Notre Dame as early as this summer and still hopes to play football for the Irish in the fall.
"No matter what I'm going to be back there. I'm going to have one more year to play and I'm going to graduate from Notre Dame," Kuntz told AP. "The time is the only thing that's not 100 percent."
Kuntz started the first 10 games at nose tackle for the Irish before going down with torn ligaments in his left knee against Air Force on Nov. 10. Kuntz also cracked a bone in his spine against Navy on Nov. 3. These injuries forced Kuntz to miss Notre Dame's wins over Duke and Stanford to end the season.
Kuntz finished 2007 with 42 tackles and a team-high nine pass break-ups before the injury. His back-up, freshman Ian Williams, started in place of Kuntz in Notre Dame's last two games and finished the season with 45 tackles en route to being named a freshman All-American.
