Fighting Irish Media on Thursday confirmed and expanded upon some injury/status updates that Notre Dame head coach football coach Marcus Freeman had shared in a Zoom call with the media on Selection Sunday, Dec. 8.
Looking ahead to 7 seed ND's College Football Playoff matchup with 10 seed Indiana on Dec. 20, the headliner in the short injury report continues to be starting nose guard Howard Cross III. This time it's because of his availability, with the expectation he'll play in a game for the first time since suffering a sprained left ankle Nov. 9 against Florida State.
The sixth-year senior and 2023 second-team All-American missed subsequent wins over Virginia, Army and USC. Despite the missed time, Cross remains second on the team in sacks (4) and tackles for loss (5.5).
Freeman also mentioned Sunday that starting running back and leading rusher Jeremiyah Love is expected in the lineup against the Hoosiers after a suffering a knee injury Nov. 30 against USC that caused him to leave that game in the third quarter.
There are three players ruled out for the Indiana game, but not necessarily for the entire postseason. They are freshman rotational linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (right knee sprain), deep reserve freshman linebacker Bodie Kahoun (right lower leg) and sophomore wide receiver KK Smith (collarbone surgery).
Meanwhile, key backup defensive tackle Jason Onye has missed the last seven 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.
TV start time for the first-round playoff matchup at Notre Dame Stadium between the Irish (11-1) and IU (11-1) on Dec. 20 is 8 p.m. EST on ABC/ESPN.
Inside ND Sports continues to project ongoing snapshots of how the players are moving up and down the depth chart throughout the season.
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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 (or longer) due to injury. Y-designates a player who has been 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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