NOTRE DAME -- Notre Dame football began fall practice on Friday ready to move forward from a 3-9 season in 2007. Critical to the Irish success this season, according to head coach Charlie Weis, is a fast start.

"We're trying to get off to a fast start. That's what we're trying to do," Weis said during the team's media day. "That's going to be the tempo in practice, and that's going to be the tempo in the whole of training camp. That's going to correlate into the beginning of the season. Because I think with our team, it's very important that we get off to a fast start."

A fast start is a great place for the Irish to start. After an 0-5 beginning to 2007, this team needs it. But they also need a healthy dose of good old fashioned, hard-nosed practice.

"I think that the team is hungry to get out there and start winning football games," said Weis. "I don't think you can talk about having a fast start in your football season but not practice that way in practice. I think the whole tone has to be about a fast start."

Translation: Notre Dame's practices this fall will be more physical than in previous seasons under Charlie Weis. And the players don't mind one bit.

"That's part of football. Physicality," senior captain and safety David Bruton says. "We're gonna take it for what it's worth and learn from it."

Junior tackle Sam Young agrees. "I think it's something we look forward to," Young admits, laughing. "That's what offensive lines do."