One of Notre Dame’s most indispensable players on their roster was injured tonight during the first quarter of action against Navy. Starting BUCK LB Drue Tranquill got rolled up on by a Navy defender and limped off the field before eventually getting carted off the field and into the locker room with a towel over his head.
Here is a look at the injury.
Drue Tranquill injury. pic.twitter.com/2T85mspxjs
— One Foot Down (@OneFootDown) October 28, 2018
Since this was against Navy, let’s get this out of the way now. It was in no way a dirty play or a cut block or anything like that. The Navy defender simply fell into Tranquill and he got rolled under.
Tranquill, a 5th year senior captain, is one of the players that Notre Dame can least afford to lose for an extended period of time. Sophomore Drew White replaced him immediately following the injury but that doesn’t mean that White would be a long term replacement for Tranquill if the injury turns out to be serious.
UPDATE #2: Notre Dame appears to have averted disaster on this one. CBS reported during the 3rd quarter that Brian Kelly told them that x-rays were taken on Tranquill’s ankle and they came back negative. His ankle is sprained, however, and CBS did not clarify if it was a simple sprain or a high ankle sprain. Pete Sampson of The Athletic, however, did tweet that the injury is a high ankle sprain.
Drue Tranquill suffered a high ankle sprain in the first half. There was no fracture as part of the injury.
Regardless of the final score, that’s Notre Dame’s biggest win tonight.
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) October 28, 2018
Even if it is in fact a high ankle sprain, this is good news for Notre Dame because the initial look at the injury had everyone fearing the worst – another ACL tear. If it’s just a sprain or high ankle sprain we have not seen the last from Drue Tranquill in a Notre Dame uniform even though he is obviously done for tonight.
UPDATE: Tranquill returned to the Notre Dame sideline in a walking boot on his right leg. That could be very good news for Notre Dame and Tranquill since it would at least appear to rule out a knee injury which is of course what everyone feared when seeing Tranquill get rolled under.
Drue Tranquill is back on the sidelines with a boot on his right leg. That would seem to eliminate a knee injury. I'm not a doctor, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night. #NDInsider
— Tyler James (@TJamesND) October 28, 2018
At this time Notre Dame is up 20-0 and the Notre Dame defense is completely shutting down the Navy offense thus far. Navy has two first downs and just 67 yards of offense with 5:11 left in the first half.
PREVIOUS: Notre Dame currently holds a 13-0 lead with the defense limiting Navy to just a single first down through their first four drives of the game so even if this turns out to be nothing major, it looks like he will not be needed tonight. If this turns out to be a serious injury however, this would obviously be a devastating development for Notre Dame and their playoff chances over the final four games of the season.
Tranquill was already playing injured for Notre Dame after breaking his hand earlier this season. He has not missed a beat even with the broken hand.
Tranquill’s injury history is well documented. He tore his ACL in 2014 and then again in 2015. The 2015 injury was particularly devastating because it came after he made a big stop against Georgia Tech and then tore it jumping into a teammate in celebration. Tranquill came back in 2016, however, and has been a mainstay in the Irish starting lineup ever since.
More to follow as we learn more.
I certainly hope Drue is not hurt too bad. No doubt he is a big part of defense. But I really liked Drew White. He came out of nowhere to replace Tranquill. I thought he played really well. He was sticking his helmet in their pretty good. Hecdidnt seem lost at all. Good size kid who big time player in high school. His future looks bright.
When Tranquill “limped” off the field it would seem to me that the injury was not a serious knee injury or a knee injury at all. Now if he been helped off the field then one would have to think that it was more than a sprain.
Lots of players who tear their ACL are able to walk off the field on their own after. Carson Wentz tore his ACL last year then stayed on the field for another play and threw a TD before he walked off on his own and knew something was wrong. Notre Dame is very lucky it’s just an ankle sprain.