The injury news for Notre Dame football was almost as bad as it could have been coming out of their rout of Purdue over the weekend. Starting offensive linemen Billy Schrauth and Ashton Craig, along with starting defensive end Jordan Botelho, all had to be helped off the field. Marcus Freeman confirmed on Monday that Craig and Botelho have been lost for the season, while Schrauth will be out for at least a few weeks.
The news doesn’t come as a surprise since all three injuries looked bad then, but that doesn’t make the confirmation any less troubling for the Irish. If anything, Schrauth’s injury might have looked the worst at the time, and he at least sounds as though he will be back at some point this season. “A few weeks” can mean almost anything in college football, where coaches are not obligated to give detailed injury reports.
Notre Dame gains experience with replacements
In an odd twist, Notre Dame gained some experience when replacements for Craig and Schrauth entered the same since both Rocco Spindler and Pat Coogan have started at times throughout their careers. The two competed with Sam Pendleton for the starting left guard spot in the fall but came up short. Spindler will step in for Schrauth now at right guard, while Coogan steps in at center for Craig. Coogan was initially recruited by many as a center, so the position isn’t foreign to him.
Notre Dame started the season with just six combined starts along the offensive line and has suffered three major injuries since camp. Notre Dame lost starting LT Charles Jagusah in the summer. The string of injuries is a cautionary tale in the age of the transfer portal, as two players who lost camp battles find themselves back in the starting line by week 3.
If there is any silver lining here, it’s that Notre Dame’s run blocking, which they may have to lean on this season, should be just as strong. Schrauth and Craig, however, were seen as the superior pass blockers, thus their unquestioned spots in the starting lineup throughout camp.
Schrauth and Craigh both still have two years of eligibility remaining.
Brutal development for Botelho after on and off-field improvements
Jordan Botelho has come a long way over the last five years at Notre Dame but was finally playing his best football. Some could argue he was Notre Dame’s best defender over the first two weeks. This came after some ups and downs that required maturing on and off the field from Notre Dame’s starting VYPER.
With Botelho out, Boubar Traore, who had a pick-6 versus Purdue, will start at VYPER, but we are likely to see a lot more true freshman Bryce Young now, too. Junior Tuihalamaka should also see an increase in snaps with Botelho out for the season.
Botelho should have a case for a 6th year of eligibility if he wants one since his freshman year was in 2020, when everyone got a free pass, and his season-ending injury came in the third game of this season.
