Notre Dame's wide receiver depth chart took another hit Monday.
Head coach Marcus Freeman announced that junior wide receiver Deion Colzie will be out for multiple weeks with a knee injury. Fellow junior wide receiver Jayden Thomas is also questionable for Saturday's game against No. 17 Duke (4-0) with a hamstring strain.
Colzie, who didn't play in Saturday's 17-14 loss to Ohio State, played the sixth-most snaps at wide receiver in the first five games for No. 11 Notre Dame (4-1). Colzie caught three passes for 45 yards and one touchdown during his 51 offensive snaps. All three receptions came in the season opener against Navy.
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If Thomas can't play Saturday at Duke (7:30 p.m. EDT on ABC), the Irish will be without the team's leader in receptions (13) and receiving yards (195). He also leads Notre Dame's wide receivers in offensive snaps (195). Thomas caught his lone touchdown of the season against Navy.
Colzie has been listed as Thomas' backup on Notre Dame's official depth chart. Without Thomas, the Irish would likely have to use freshman wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. in his spot. Flores has nine catches for 113 yards and one touchdown this season.
Only three other wide receivers have played significant snaps this season: sophomore Tobias Merriweather (seven catches for 147 yards and one touchdown), freshman Jaden Greathouse (12 catches for 166 yards and three TDs) and senior Chris Tyree (nine catches for 113 yards and one TD).
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The Irish have been without graduate senior wide receiver Matt Salerno since the Tennessee State game when he suffered a leg injury expected to keep him out for an extended period of time. Freeman has not clarified when Salerno will be available to return.
Colzie will have arthroscopic surgery on his knee this week, Freeman said.
"It’s prevented him from really performing at the level he believes he should be at," Freeman said. "So we’re going to scope his knee this week. He’ll be out for a couple weeks."
Notre Dame defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio had a similar surgery earlier this year and missed three games after undergoing surgery following the Navy game. He returned to play 12 defensive snaps against Ohio State.
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