The health of the Notre Dame football team will continue to be a concern as long as its College Football Playoff run lasts.
The seventh-seeded Irish (13-1) took their latest hit in the 23-10 Sugar Bowl win over Georgia on Thursday when sophomore tight end Cooper Flanagan suffered a foot injury. Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman announced Saturday that Flanagan will miss the rest of the season.
SUBSCRIBE TO INSIDE ND SPORTS TO STAY IN THE KNOW ON NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS
► Chat Transcript: How Notre Dame approaches tighter prep time for CFP semis
► Notre Dame’s commitment to challenging everything defines Sugar Bowl win
► Portal power blends into Notre Dame culture to fuel another momentous step
► Game Balls: Notre Dame’s Shuler, Leonard, Harrison, Jeter all on Sugar high
► With a trick and some tears, Notre Dame finally gets over hump in big-time bowl
Freeman described everyone else who played in the game as coming out of it “clean.” That includes starting running back Jeremiyah Love, who was limited to 17 offensive snaps against Georgia while dealing with a right knee issue that’s bothered him since the USC game on Nov. 30. Love rushed six times for 19 yards and caught one pass for two yards.
Notre Dame will need as much help as it can get to advance through the College Football Playoff semifinal against sixth-seeded Penn State (13-2). The game will be hosted by the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., and will be played Thursday at 7:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.
Flanagan played just three snaps against Georgia. He started in five games and played in 13 of them this season. He missed the Louisville game with a left ankle injury. Flanagan caught four passes for 55 yards and two touchdowns.
Notre Dame will lean on starter Mitchell Evans and junior Eli Raridon even more with Flanagan out. Evans (448 snaps) and Raridon (352) already played more offensive snaps this season than Flanagan (262), but the Irish liked to use all three, especially because of Flanagan’s willingness to block.
With 34 catches, Evans is Notre Dame’s second-leading pass catcher. His receptions have produced 311 yards and three touchdowns. He caught three for 22 yards. Raridon doesn’t receive as much action in the passing game with just nine catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
Notre Dame hasn’t asked another tight end to play meaningful offensive snaps this season. The Irish would need to ask more from graduate senior Kevin Bauman (71 snaps), senior Davis Sherwood (51) or freshman Jack Larsen (7) if they wanted to utilize three tight ends against Penn State.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON THE INSIDER LOUNGE MESSAGE BOARD
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO INSIDE ND SPORTS ON YOUTUBE
Notre Dame had four players deemed as questionable leading into the Sugar Bowl: Two of those players played: starting right guard Rocco Spindler (right ankle) and freshman linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (right knee). Spindler played every snap in his typical role. Viliamu-Asa was limited to 13 snaps, mostly on third downs.
The other two questionable players didn’t see action: sophomore wide receiver KK Smith (collarbone) and freshman linebacker Bodie Kahoun (right lower leg). Smith was dressed and went through warmups. Kahoun didn’t.
Notre Dame lost five starters to season-ending injuries this year: cornerback Benjamin Morrison (hip), vyper Jordan Botelho (knee), center Ashton Craig (knee), vyper Boubacar Traore (knee) and defensive tackle Rylie Mills (knee). Sophomore offensive lineman Charles Jagusah was expected to miss the entire season following a preseason pectoral injury, but he was available to play in the Sugar Bowl.
Notre Dame previously declared many other players out for the season: walk-on CB Marty Auer (knee), walk-on DL Quentin Autry (shoulder), S Taebron Bennie-Powell (shoulder), walk-on CB Charles Du (shoulder), LB Kahanu Kia (knee), RB Gi’Bran Payne (knee), OL Styles Prescod (shoulder) and CB Chance Tucker (knee).
—————————————————————
• Talk with Notre Dame fans on The Insider Lounge.
• Subscribe to the Inside ND Sports podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, Podbean or Pocket Casts.
• Subscribe to the Inside ND Sports channel on YouTube.
• Follow us on Twitter: @insideNDsports, @EHansenND and @TJamesND.
• Like us on Facebook: Inside ND Sports
• Follow us on Instagram: @insideNDsports
Rocco Spindler will attempt to play through a hindered right ankle
Former Notre Dame O-lineman Bob Morton and Eric Hansen break down the ND-Georgia game and take your questions live.
Here are the players to watch when 7 seed Notre Dame takes on 2 seed Georgia in the CFP/Sugar Bowl.
Seventh-seeded Irish (12-1) now set to meet 2 seed Georgia (11-2) Thursday at 4 p.m. ET in New Orleans.
The freshman defensive end carved out a role that could be even more important vs. Georgia
Rocco Spindler will attempt to play through a hindered right ankle
Former Notre Dame O-lineman Bob Morton and Eric Hansen break down the ND-Georgia game and take your questions live.
Here are the players to watch when 7 seed Notre Dame takes on 2 seed Georgia in the CFP/Sugar Bowl.
