Although Notre Dame football is not experiencing a rise in cases of COVID-19, it is experiencing a rise in cases of injuries. During the Boston College game, certain Irish players took hard hits. For example, star running back Kyren Williams left the game early for concerns about his shoulder. Williams has been a critical player for Notre Dame thus far, so a future game without Williams would be unfortunate.
Early Season Luck
Previously in the season, the Irish have been relatively immune to major injuries. The only major loss was to Kevin Austin, who was predicted to be a key part of the Irish’s pass attack. Austin underwent surgery in late July for an injured foot and was hopeful to return by the beginning of the season. Unfortunately, he was proclaimed out for the season in late October. Since then, Notre Dame has relied on Javon McKinley and Ben Skowronek to cover up for Austin’s absence.
Recent Injuries
Offense
This brings us to present day, as Notre Dame football is adding another key player to the bench. Jarrett Patterson, a 6-foot-5, 305 pound junior, is presumed to be out for the remainder of the Irish season after he hurt his left foot playing against Boston College.
This will have an impact on the Irish. Patterson has made quite the showing starting as center, as he has started for Notre Dame for the past 21 games. The offensive line has become immensely strong over the season, so losing a part of the glue will take a toll on the remaining players and it will be up to them to overcome this setback.
Offensive lineman Robert Hainsey seemed to have an irritated ankle during Boston College. It is hopeful that nothing major will come out of this, as Hainsey was taken out of the game as a precaution. Nonetheless, it is crucial to heal the weak ankle before the Irish get any closer to playoff time.
Defense
Switching to defense, defensive tackle Jayson Ademilola tore his meniscus during the Clemson game. He underwent surgery just last week. While it is unknown when Ademilola will return to the field, it is hopeful he will be able to before the end of the season. The Irish defense would not be at full potential with Ademilola, as he leads Notre Dame defense with the most defensive tackles and quarterback pressures.
JD Bertrand, a sophomore linebacker, saw an unfortunate hit to the head against Boston College during kickoff. It is unknown what his condition is at this time, but the hit was relatively substantial and it would be safe to say Bertrand could be out for a while.
What’s Next?
The Irish are just about entering their most crucial time. Not only is it important to finish the season healthy, but Notre Dame has a chance to make a historical postseason run. The Irish have a bye this weekend, which should give the injured some time to heal. This break should be an emphasis of just how important rest is, as the Irish will not have any more time off until the start of the playoff season.
Photo by Ann Curtis | The Observer
My name is Claire Frego and I am a senior at the University of Dayton. As an aspiring journalist, I love to share my passion of sports with everyone. This college football season, I will be focusing on Notre Dame. Whether you are an Irish fan or just want to keep up with football this season, I invite you to follow along on my journey as I continue to write and gain knowledge about this crazy world of sports!