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October 23, 2008 5:01 PM

Notes from Tyrone Willingham news conference

Washington coach Tyrone Willingham met with the media for the last time before the Notre Dame game. Here are a few highlights:

-- The Huskies are about as healthy as they've been all season. Obviously that statement doesn't take into account the guys who are lost for the season. Redshirt DE Kalani Aldrich is the only other player who will likely not be available for Saturday's game.

-- FS Johri Fogerson, who missed last week because of an illness, might return for the game against Notre Dame. Joshua Gage (foot) also missed last week. Willingham said Gage will be available. Donald Butler will continue to start at OLB alongside Mason Foster, with Trenton Tuiasosopo in the middle.

-- TB David Freeman will also return, though Terrance Dailey will remain the starter. Willingham declined to specify how he'll divide the plays between them. "You never know how the numbers are going to go. If one is hot, then you stay with them and you spell the other one. We'll see about it from there."

-- When asked how he knows if his players are "down in the dumps," Willingham said: "You just watch practice. Practice tells you. And good teams can be rolling well and have poor days of practice. You just look at your team and see where they are. Our guys are still working very hard."

-- Willingham said the Huskies need to give QB Ronnie Fouch more protection so he doesn't take so many hits or have to move around as much as he did against Oregon State. On Tuesday, offensive coordinator Tim Lappano said Fouch took 13 hits, which is three times the normal amount. Said Willingham: "That is a lot. You don't want your quarterback those many hits. ... You'd like him to have zero, ideally."

-- When asked if Fouch was holding the ball too long, Willingham said: "That was too much pressure."

-- Willingham said Fouch "will do a fine job" of handling the blitz-happy Notre Dame defense. He said Fouch is adept at calling audibles, which is somewhat rare for a redshirt freshman with just two starts.

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