Irish Notre Dame coach coach Brian Kelly has called wide receiver Michael Floyd the hardest worker he’s seen in 20 years as a head coach.

“He has single-handedly set the bar to where everyone else has to play,” Kelly said Tuesday at the team’s media day.

Kelly said Floyd’s performance in offseason workouts and in recent practice sessions, was extraordinary.

“Believe me,” Kelly said. “I’m not easily impressed.”

Kelly said his earlier impressions of Floyd as an average receiver was wrong because he was not asked to run precision routes by former coach Charlie Weis.

“He ran down the field,” Kelly said, “and they threw it up.”

Kelly has named him him as the clear leader of the offense.

Kelly also said on Tuesday that true freshman Tommy Rees is closing the gap on No. 2 quarterback Nate Montana.