August 15, 2011

Pete Sampson
IrishIllustrated.com Editor

Notre Dame will be without one of its most versatile freshmen this fall.

Irish Illustrated has learned Eilar Hardy will miss the season following a practice injury that resulted in the tear of his left LCL. The safety, who figured to see time on Notre Dame's special teams units this season, will undergo surgery later this week.

While Hardy didn't arrive at Notre Dame with the same hype as some of his classmates, he ranked as a four-star prospect on Rivals.com, putting him in the same group as DaVaris Daniels, Troy Niklas, George Atkinson III and Ben Councell. Hardy was the only safety the Irish signed at a position that will enter the season with just five healthy options.

Hardy committed to Notre Dame in June of last year over offers from Michigan State, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Iowa, Illinois and Arizona, among others.