Notre Dame football was dealt a crushing blow on Monday when head coach Marcus Freeman announced that All-American corner Benjamin Morrison had injured his hip and will be lost for the rest of the season. The loss of the talented corner leaves the Irish with little to no remaining depth at the position for the second half of the season.
Notre Dame’s corner depth has reached dangerous depths with Morrison out for the season following Jaden Mickey’s decision to redshirt and transfer out of the program instead of finishing the season a few weeks ago. After Mickey’s decision, Freshmen Leonard Moore and Karson Hobbs were already thrust into more prominent roles. They will be relied upon even more now.
Freeman confirmed that starting nickel Jordan Clark may be called upon to play outside corner following Morrison’s loss. Given how great Clark has been in the slot, it’s far from ideal to take him away from a position he’s thrived at. Notre Dame might not have any other choice, though, given that there are now just three healthy corners on the roster.
Given Morrison’s potential draft stock, there is a chance that he has played his final game in a Notre Dame uniform. Some have Morrison pegged as a 1st round pick, which could lead to Morrison declaring for the draft, as everyone assumed this summer. That was before this injury, but it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if that is the case.
Notre Dame has an exciting group of defensive backs committed for the class of 2025, but Notre Dame could also be forced to dip into the portal for depth following this season. Mickey would have battled with Moore for a starting position next year and would have played a ton over the second half of the season had he not decided to leave the program.
This latest development is also a cautionary tale for players who look to “redshirt” in the future before entering the portal. Injuries happen all the time, and by entering the portal early, you can pass up potentially huge opportunities.
Injuries have been brutal for Notre Dame this year, and this will also cast a light on new strength and conditioning director Loren Landow. Notre Dame lost both Jordan Botelho and Boubacar Traore for the season, leaving them light on edge rushers. They’ve already lost two starting offensive linemen and several backups for the season as well. Marcus Freeman touted how healthy the Irish were throughout fall camp, but they have been a total MASH unit since the season began.
