Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1526921
BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM SEPT. 28, 2024 11 UNDER THE DOME Notre Dame Rules Out Junior Center Ashton Craig For Season Junior center Ashton Craig suffered a se- vere knee injury at Purdue and will miss the remainder of the 2024 season, the Irish con- firmed Sept. 16. Craig started the first three games of the year and the final three games of 2023. He played every snap before exiting the game against Purdue. At 7:04 in the second quarter, Craig swung around the left side as the lead puller. He ap- peared to run by his defender before pivoting and turning around to pick up another man. A split second later, a Boilermakers cornerback collided with Craig's left knee, causing it to bend awkwardly as he attempted to make the tackle. Craig did not need a cart to take him off the field. He walked off the field, mostly under his power, but still wrapped his arms around Notre Dame staff members flanking each side of him. This was a scenario every offensive lineman fears; a body accidentally falling into his leg while they're engaged with another defender. It's an all-too-common way for blockers to suffer injuries, and Craig is the latest victim. — Jack Soble Craig started six consecutive games at center for Notre Dame dating back to the end of the 2023 season before going down for the year with a knee injury at Purdue. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER Fighting Irish Without Starting Guard Billy Schrauth For Several Weeks The Notre Dame football communications team announced an update on Billy Schrauth's status Sept. 16 after he left the Irish's Week 3 game at Purdue and did not return due to injury. The Notre Dame junior starting right guard is out with an ankle injury. Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said during his Sept. 16 news conference Schrauth would be "out for a few weeks." Schrauth's injury occurred with about seven minutes re- maining in the first quarter. During a run to Jeremiyah Love, Schrauth pulled up, holding his lower right leg in the air. On the play, it looked like a Purdue defender's left shoulder pad hit Schrauth's lower right leg, causing him to fall. Notre Dame head football athletic trainer Rob Hunt per- formed an on-field examination of Schrauth's lower right leg. He walked off the field with Hunt and another Irish staff member's assistance. Eventually, Schrauth was carted into the locker room from the sideline. Schrauth was later spotted on the sideline with a boot and crutches. When Schrauth was in the game, the Irish averaged 14 yards per carry (7 rushes, 98 yards). A good chunk of that came on Love's 48-yard touchdown run up the right side two minutes into the opening quarter. Notre Dame still averaged 8.3 yards per carry outside of Love's score. The starting offensive line also did not surrender a play with negative yardage during Schrauth's 10 snaps. — Kyle Kelly Schrauth was turning into one of the Irish's best offensive linemen before he went down with an ankle injury at Purdue. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER