Blue and Gold Illustrated

Sept. 17, 2018

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com SEPT. 17, 2018 7 UNDER THE DOME Sophomore defensive tackle Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, the backup for senior standout Jerry Tillery, suffered a broken foot (fifth metatarsal) during Notre Dame's 24-17 victory versus Michigan Sept. 1. He underwent surgery several days later and will be sidelined about 10 weeks, per head coach Brian Kelly. "We're hopeful that we'll get maybe some play out of him at the end of the year," Kelly said. In years past, such a declaration by any coach would have been considered odd because any play after 10 weeks would automatically disqualify the player from a medical redshirt. However, the new NCAA rule in effect allows a player to appear in any four games of a season without losing a year of eligibility. Ten weeks would fall into the Syracuse game Nov. 17. Thus, Tagovailoa-Amosa could still play against the Orange, USC Nov. 24 and in the bowl game and not lose eligibility, because that would be only four games when including Michigan. (Ideally, the Irish would play a fifth such contest in the playoff.) Last year, Tagovailoa-Amosa as a freshman was one of the top surprises of the team while appear- ing in all 13 games and totaling 329 snaps (25 per game). He made crucial fourth-down stops in wins against Boston College and North Carolina State, and was credited with 12 tackles (1.5 for loss). He had progressed well this August and was pegged to be a vital figure in the interior rotation. With the Ewa Beach, Hawai'i, native sidelined, Kelly and associate head coach/defensive line coach Mike Elston will do some cross-training with two veterans plus maybe accelerate 6-3, 284-pound freshman Jayson Ademilola's progress. Ademiloloa played eight snaps versus Michigan (tied with wide receiver Kevin Austin for most by a freshman), but fifth-year senior nose tackle Jonathan Bonner (6-3¾, 295) started all 13 games at three-technique last year, so he has experience there to cross-train. Senior Micah Dew-Treadway, who has barely played his first three seasons, was seriously vying for snaps at nose tackle this year and could help at the three-technique position as well. While Kelly said there might be more of a leaning to use the veterans behind Tillery rather than see an immediate transfer of snaps from Tagovailoa-Amosa to Ademiloloa, he did express confidence in the freshman. "He's ready to play," Kelly said of Ademilola. — Lou Somogyi bit.ly/Garth18 GARTH BROOKS AT NOTRE DAME STADIUM SHOP NOW O C T O B E R 2 0 Tagovailoa-Amosa suffered a broken foot in the sea- son opener, but could still play in the season's final three games and receive a redshirt due to new NCAA rules. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa Out 10 Weeks With Broken Foot

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