Louis Nix's season is over.
Notre Dame's charismatic nose guard underwent surgery Thursday on a torn meniscus, coach Brian Kelly said, meaning that the redshirt junior will miss the Fighting Irish's final two regular-season games and their bowl game.
Nix told the media Thursday night that it was hard to miss the rest of the season but said he decided to have the surgery on his left knee after talking to doctors with the school and getting a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews.
"They think it's best for my health," he said.
He is expected to graduate from Notre Dame in December and has one year of eligibility remaining, although he is undecided on his future.
Nix is currently the No. 6 overall player on Scouts Inc.'s board of draft-eligible players for the 2014 NFL draft.
Nix said the knee first bothered him during the national championship game against Alabama last January. He played in the Irish's last game, a Nov. 9 loss at Pittsburgh, after missing the previous two games with knee tendinitis and the meniscus tear. He said he felt a sharp pain during that game and that the pain became worse during the off week as he walked around campus. He had a hard time sitting in classes and sleeping because of the pain.
Nix had undergone platelet rich plasma therapy, but a second surgery was still needed. Kelly said doctors also performed platelet rich plasma therapy on the knee Thursday to try to help with the healing.
The 6-foot-3, 342-pound Nix will finish the 2013 season with 27 total tackles, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries.
Notre Dame hosts BYU this Saturday on senior day, a moment Nix had returned to school for after passing up the NFL draft following the Irish's 12-0 regular season last year. The Jacksonville, Fla., native had said his mother was the only parent not to attend his senior day four years ago at Raines High, and he wanted to share the moment with her at Notre Dame Stadium. His father also has never attended a game at Notre Dame.
Nix will still walk and celebrate the moment with his parents before kickoff against the Cougars.
Kelly said Kona Schwenke, who missed the Pitt game with a sprained ankle, and Jarron Jones will split time at nose guard.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.