Brian Kelly updated the health of a number of Notre Dame players at his Tuesday presser as the Irish had the opportunity to get healthy over the bye week. The Irish will thankfully get a lot of the walking wounded back this weekend, but will be without the services of starting slot wide receiver Amir Carlisle for at least this weekend.
Carlisle suffered a MCL injury against Purdue. That injury will prevent the senior wide receiver from playing this weekend and perhaps beyond. “I would say that he gets closer next week. He’s more questionable,” Brian Kelly said on Tuesday of Carlisle’s status. “He’s out this week; I would say he’s questionable for next week.” Kelly didn’t rule Carlisle out for Stanford, but also didn’t seem overly optimistic either. “He’s responding pretty well. He had a second PRP treatment yesterday. I think we start moving him around at the end of this week and then kind of see where he is next week. “
Other than Carlisle, Notre Dame should be as close to full strength as they can be while the fate of the “frozen 5” is still being determine. Kelly did mention on Tuesday that he was told at the end of last week that the academic committee has been formed and the hearings should all finally take place by the end of next week.
Here are the other injury updates Kelly gave on Tuesday.
- Torii Hunter will make his collegiate debut on Saturday against Syracuse and with Carlisle out, Hunter will likely get to see plenty of action in his debut. Be on the look out for #16 on the offensive side of the ball.
- Austin Collinsworth was on the two-deep released today and will be available on Saturday. Collinsworth was listed as a backup behind Max Redfield so it’s unclear what exactly Collinsworth’s role will be.
- Cole Luke was back on the depth chart this week as well after missing part of the Purdue game with a concussion. Luke is listed as the started and should be a full go this weekend
- Andrew Trumbetti missed the Purdue game but was back on the depth chart this week too behind Romeo Okwara who had a breakout game against the Boilers.
- Christian Lombard was another inactive against Purdue, but not only was Lombard back on the depth chart this week, he was listed as the starter at right tackle for the first time since the 2012 season. Lombard moved to guard last season and played there for the first two games of this season as well.
It will be interesting to see the debut of Torii Hunter. The sophomore wide receiver missed all of his freshman season after a gruesome broken leg injury suffered in practice for the US Army All-American Bowl during his senior year of high school. After returning for the spring Hunter was looking good but suffered a groin injury early in camp. Hunter’s a dynamic athlete very much in the same mold as Carlisle and could help ignite the passing game in Carlisle’s absence.
I’d like to see more of Greg Bryant….screen passes thrown to him, or even at the slot. Just more of him period…dude has that starlike quality as well as Folston. We should be stacking up yards at the RB position. Whoever gets hot should stay in longer for more reps. I trusk Coach Kelly though. One of, if not THE smartest coaches in the game. Love the guy! Go Irish!!!!
Couldn’t they slide Bryant into that position for some reps with Amir out? Short passes and run…… Would think he would excel in that role?
Kid is snakebit. Hope he makes it back….
Okay! Torii Hunter, you’re up to bat at slot. And we will see the continued yeoman like performance of C.J. Prosise. Depth is nice, Depth is good.
Realistically, I expect to see Hunter a little disoriented. After all, it is his first game. But that way he can be coached up before Stanford.