Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1037156
12 OCT. 15, 2018 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED UNDER THE DOME The term Pyrrhic victory was reintroduced to Notre Dame's football lexicon at the 7:25 mark of the third quarter during the 38‑17 win versus No. 7 Stanford Sept. 29. That's when fifth‑year senior left guard, team captain and All‑America candidate Alex Bars suffered a knee injury (ACL/MCL) that will shelve him for the remainder of the 2018 football season. King Pyrrus of Epirus saw his army defeat the mighty Romans circa 280 B.C., but it came with a heavy toll in casualties that eventually proved costly against the Romans' "depth." The situation isn't quite as dramatic or acute for the Fighting Irish football team, but head coach Brian Kelly admitted the news about Bars created a "devastating" pall that some‑ what tempered the elation of ending a three‑ year losing streak against the Cardinal. "We're losing a captain, and we're losing somebody that is respected and revered by so many in the program," he summarized. "And it's not just editorial on my part. I just feel so bad for the kid because he comes back as a graduate student and then you lose him. "We've got other players that will go in and play, and play at a high level, but to lose him in his senior year is really hard on us." Fellow fifth‑year senior and team captain Sam Mustipher, who has started each of the past three seasons with Bars, especially felt the hurt. "I put my hands on my head, because I knew what was going on," he said of the play in which Bars was injured. "We came in together. It was me, him and Q [guard Quenton Nelson, who did not return for a fifth year while becoming a first‑round draft pick] trudging through the snow on the way to The Gug … it's tough for me to deal with that, but I have no doubt he will come back stronger than ever." Filling in for Bars at left guard will be senior Trevor Ruhland, who received his first career start in the 56‑27 road win at Wake Forest Sept. 22 when junior right guard Tommy Kraemer was hobbled with an injury. Sophomore Aaron Banks also is expected to vie for action there in what could become a tag team (see more on pages 16‑17). DRUE TRANQUILL IN A CAST, BUT WILL PLAY Another fifth‑year senior captain in Buck linebacker Drue Tranquill was injured against Stanford, but he was still able to function rela‑ tively well, although with limited use of one arm. He was placed in a cast several days af‑ terwards with a metacarpal fracture. "[He] will not need to be surgically repaired at this time, so he will not miss any time for us," Kelly said. JAFAR ARMSTRONG SIDELINED AT LEAST THROUGH BYE Two days prior to the Stanford game, sophomore running back Jafar Arm‑ strong, whose five rushing touchdowns led the team, was ruled out because of a knee infection that required a surgical procedure. Because there was no structural damage, Armstrong will be available again later this season, but Kelly said it wouldn't be until after the Oct. 20 bye week. Junior running back Tony Jones Jr., the top rusher through five games, also suffered an ankle sprain against Stanford, but Kelly indicated two days before the Virginia Tech game that Jones would play against the Hokies and the injury was not as serious as originally thought. The return of senior Dexter Williams with Jones and sophomore Avery Davis had him encouraged. "We'll have a good stable of running backs," said Kelly, adding that one of the freshmen, Jahmir Smith or C'Bo Flemister, also could be activated. — Lou Somogyi This year, a new NCAA rule that was enacted permits a player to appear in four games at any time of the year — first or last — without burning a year of eligibility. Through the first five games this season, four members of Notre Dame's 27‑man freshman class have used up their first year of eligibility, and a couple more are expected to by the half‑ way point of the season. Here is the breakdown: Burned Redshirts (four): Wide receiver Kevin Austin, linebacker Bo Bauer, cornerback TaRiq Bracy and nickel/safety Houston Griffith. Austin caught three passes for 39 yards through the first five contests, Griffith had eight tackles and a pass defended, while Bauer (also eight tackles) and Bracy have been regulars on special teams. Next In Line (two): Defensive tackle Jayson Ademilola and rover Shayne Simon. Entering the Virginia Tech game Oct. 6, each had played in four games, meaning one more appearance burns a year. On The Bubble (two): Running back Jahmir Smith and wide receiver Joe Wilkins. Smith made two late‑game appearances against Wake Forest and Stanford, carrying six times for 28 yards. With the injury situation in the backfield, he or classmate C'Bo Flemister might be called upon more. Wilkins has been knocking on the door along the two deep and, per head coach Brian Kelly, is "going to break through that four games sooner than later," even though he played in only one of the first five contests. Likely Redshirts Despite One Appearance (seven): Defensive end Justin Ademilola, corner‑ backs Noah Boykin and D.J. Brown, running back C'Bo Flemister, defensive tackle Ja'Mion Franklin, quarterback Phil Jurkovec and offensive tackle Jarrett Patterson. Franklin is taking a medical redshirt after a severe quadriceps injury suffered at Wake Forest. Likely Redshirts With No Appearances Through Five Games (12): Wide receivers Micah Jones, Lawrence Keys and Braden Lenzy, tight ends George Takacs and Tommy Tremble, offen‑ sive linemen John Dirksen, Luke Jones and Cole Mabry, linebackers Jack Lamb and Ovie Oghoufo and safeties Derrik Allen and Paul Moala. — Lou Somogyi Alex Bars Ruled Out For The Rest Of The Season Freshman linebacker Bo Bauer was a special teams regular during the first five contests of the season and had compiled eight tackles. PHOTO BY COREY BODDEN UPDATE: FRESHMAN REDSHIRT STATUS The loss of fifth-year senior captain Alex Bars creates a void in leadership, attitude and proven big-game performance on the Irish offensive line. PHOTO BY ANGELA DRISKELL