updated 5:20 a.m. ET Oct. 18, 2006

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Fullback Asaph Schwapp will undergo surgery Thursday to repair an injury to his left knee that has kept him out of the lineup since Notre Dame's second game of the season.

"Obviously from watching him today, he's not going to be able to play," coach Charlie Weis said Wednesday. "There's no sense waiting another day because every day I wait to get it fixed is one day longer before I end up getting him back."

Weis said Schwapp would likely seek a medical redshirt, giving him three more years of eligibility.

While doctors don't yet know exactly what is wrong, Weis said Schwapp has scar tissue from an old injury that caused his leg to lock up during the Penn State game on Sept. 9. He has been wearing a brace on his left knee since then.

"We don't know what the severity of it is," Weis said.

With Schwapp injured, the Irish have been getting unexpected contribution from senior Ashley McConnell, who had played in just three games before this season.

Weis said the biggest difference in McConnell is he lost about 30 pounds. Weis didn't order him to lose the weight, like he has with other players. Weis said he just told McConnell he was fat.

"That's the pot calling the kettle black," Weis said.

McConnell said he lost the weight to try to become a regular on special teams. He said he went on a diet of chunky soup and water and dropped from 256 to about 225 — the weight he was when he arrived at Notre Dame.

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McConnell said he put on the weight because then-coach Tyrone Willingham told him he was too light.

Weis said MCConnell has played solidly filling in for Schwapp.

"Really it has not been a noticeable difference with him in there than with Asaph," Weis said.

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