In the midst of celebration following a commanding 66-7 win over Purdue, Notre Dame football is now reeling from devastating news. Head coach Marcus Freeman announced on Monday that two of the team’s most reliable linemen, Jordan Botelho and Ashton Craig, will miss the remainder of the season due to knee injuries suffered in the game. The loss of these key players is a massive blow to the Irish, who will have to rely on their depth to carry them through the rest of the year.
Botelho, a fifth-year Vyper end from Honolulu, was in the middle of a standout performance when disaster struck. After recording a game-changing sack on Purdue quarterback Hudson Card for a 13-yard loss midway through the second quarter, Botelho left the field on an equipment cart with a right leg injury. He had been playing some of the best football of his career, and Freeman was quick to express his heartbreak for the player.
“Huge impact,” Freeman said of Botelho’s injury. “Jordan Botelho is a great player who was playing his best ball since I’ve been here. You feel awful for the kid; you feel awful for him. But you have to continue to move forward. That’s why you have depth.”
Botelho’s injury opens the door for redshirt freshman Boubacar Traore to step up in his place. Traore played 25 defensive snaps following Botelho’s departure and made an immediate impact, recording two tackles for loss and one of the Irish’s four sacks. Junior linebacker Junior Tuihalamaka will now slide into the No. 2 spot at the Vyper position as Notre Dame prepares for this weekend’s home game against Miami (Ohio).
Ashton Craig, Notre Dame’s starting center, was lost to a left knee injury just two plays after Botelho went down. Craig, a third-year player from Lawrenceburg, Indiana, had started the last six games for the Irish and was a steady force on the offensive line. Pat Coogan, who started all 13 games at left guard last season, stepped in for Craig for the final 20 snaps and will now take over the starting center position.
In addition to Botelho and Craig’s season-ending injuries, the Irish are monitoring the status of a few other key players. Defensive end Josh Burnham, who missed the Purdue game with a left ankle injury, remains questionable for this week, while wide receiver Jordan Faison, who has been dealing with a right ankle injury, is expected to return to full strength.
Despite the tough loss of two starters, Freeman remains confident that Notre Dame’s depth will keep the team moving forward. Will the Irish be able to overcome these setbacks and maintain their dominant form?
