It wasn't expected that the Notre Dame football availability update issued an hour before kickoff Saturday wouldn't provide much drama.
And that turned out to be the case.
The more intriguing injury-related thread was how the eighth-ranked Irish (8-1) would fare in tying to replace the production of standout nose guard Howard Cross III, declared on Monday by Irish head coach Marcus Freeman out for the Senior Day matchup against Virginia (5-4).
"It's not a long-term thing," Freeman said of Cross' injury, "but our doctors made the determination that probably he's going to be out this week. We'll hope to get him back the following week depending on how the rehab continues to happen."
Cross, a graduate senior, recorded 23 tackles, four sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries in the first nine games this season. Cross entered the season as an Associated Press Preseason first-team All-American.
As far as actual updates, three players had been listed as questionable on Monday — punt returner/backup nickel Max Hurleman, freshman backup vyper end Loghan Thomas and grad senior reserve running back Devyn Ford.
Ford has since been ruled out with a goin injury, while Thomas (hamstring) and Hurelman (hamstring) have been cleared.
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Freeman said on Thursday that Notre Dame's interior defensive line rotation could go five deep, with grad senior Rylie Mills and junior Donovan Hinish expected to start and senior Gabe Rubio available to rotate in at both spots.
Possibly getting some snap in high-leverage situations for the first time this season would be sophomore Armel Mukam and freshman Sean Sevillano Jr. The latter made his college debut last Saturday in a 52-3 Irish romp over Florida State.
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Notre Dame continues to leave senior defensive tackle Jason Onye off the depth chart as he deals with personal issues and he was not part of Senior Day ceremony lineup. Freshman quarterback CJ Carr continues to be sidelined with a right elbow injury, though an official update was not provided.
Notre Dame has lost five starters to season-ending injuries this year: cornerback Benjamin Morrison (hip), vyper Jordan Botelho (knee), center Ashton Craig (knee), left tackle Charles Jagusah (shoulder) and vyper Boubacar Traore (knee).
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).
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