In a season that's been filled with twists, turns and injuries, Notre Dame's offensive line will face one more setback heading into the College Football Playoff's national championship game.
Starting left tackle Anthonie Knapp will be sidelined against No. 8 seed Ohio State (13-2) with a high ankle sprain, Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman shared on a Zoom press conference Sunday.
Seventh-seeded Notre Dame (14-1) will try to get everyone else healthy in time for the title game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20 (7:30 p.m. EST on ESPN).
Knapp suffered the injury in the second quarter of Thursday's 27-24 win over Penn State in the CFP semifinal hosted by the Orange Bowl. Notre Dame replaced him with graduate senior Tosh Baker.
Notre Dame also had to replace right guard Rocco Spindler during the Penn State game. He's been playing through a right ankle injury. Sophomore Charles Jagusah, who was pegged to be Notre Dame's starting left tackle this season before a torn pectoral suffered in preseason camp, replaced Spindler for his first game action of the season.
Freeman said Spindler will attempt to practice this week and play against Ohio State. He didn't rule out the possibility of Jagusah returning to left tackle if Spindler plays.
Wide receiver Beaux Collins is dealing with a calf strain, which prevented him from playing most of the Penn State game. Freeman said he should be available as long as he progresses through the week.
Meanwhile, key backup defensive tackle Jason Onye has missed the last 10 games for "personal reasons" and was not listed on the most recent ND-issued depth chart in the two-deeps. Freeman said the team continues to support his time away from football and that he'd be welcomed back if and when that time comes.
Inside ND Sports continues to project ongoing snapshots of how the players are moving up and down the depth chart throughout the College Football Playoff run.
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The Inside ND Sports projected depth chart goes beyond the two-deeps based on conversations with head coach Marcus Freeman, his coaching staff, players, others in the know and observations from practices.
Heights and weights were last updated on Aug. 27, the first day of fall-semester classes for undergrads. Q-Designates a player listed as questionable for the upcoming game. X-designates players who have already been ruled out for Notre Dame's upcoming game due to injury. Y-designates a player who was previously ruled out for the 2024 season and postseason or because of a committed redshirt season.
A player listed with OR after his name is in an ongoing competition with the player listed below him. Players at positions that will rotate multiple players regularly will not include an OR designation.
OFFENSE
DEFENSE
SPECIAL TEAMS
p-Denotes player listed as probable for the upcoming game due to injury.
q-Denotes player listed as questionable for the upcoming game due to injury.
x-Denotes player ruled out for at least the upcoming game due to injury.
y-Denotes player expected to miss the 2024 season due to injury.
+-Denotes player exercising extra year of eligibility through COVID exemption.
^-Rendell is guaranteed two years of eligibility by the NCAA and is petitioning for a third.
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