Brian Kelly confirms offensive lineman to miss several weeks, linebacker is done for the year

While Notre Dame left Tallahassee with a win on Saturday, multiple players did not escape unscathed. 

Starting left tackle and true freshman Blake Fisher will be sidelined for approximately eight weeks after having meniscus surgery, and linebacker Shayne Simon had surgery for a torn labrum that will end his 2021 season. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly confirmed the injury reports on Thursday. 

The coaching staff previously thought Fisher’s injury was a strain, but a Monday MRI revealed the injury was more severe. Fisher left Sunday’s game during the second quarter last weekend after being fallen on by a defender as Joe Wilkins caught a touchdown pass for the Irish.

Notre Dame’s depth chart for their Week 2 matchup with Toledo lists redshirt freshman Michael Carmody in the left tackle spot. Tosh Baker is his backup, and second-string right tackle Joe Alt can move over to the left side if needed.

It is unrelated to injury, but Irish wideout Lawrence Keys is sitting out the remainder of the season. Kelly confirmed the Wednesday night reports on Thursday.

OL growing pains for Notre Dame

Last year’s offensive line was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award (nation’s best offensive line), but four of the five starters are on to the NFL. Center Jarrett Patterson remains in South Bend, and Sunday’s performance by the young group around him showed there will be a few growing pains up front this season. 

Despite having one of the best running back duos in college football with Kyren Williams and Chris Tyree, the Irish managed just 65 yards on the ground against the Seminoles. While Jack Coan is not completely immobile, he does not have the running abilities of former Irish quarterback Ian Book, and he was pressured on several occasions Sunday as the pocket collapsed around him. Florida State sacked him four times.

Defense incredibly thin at LB

After starting linebacker Marist Liufau dislocated his ankle a few weeks ago and had season-ending surgery, Notre Dame lost Paul Moala to an Achilles’ tear on Sunday night. Moala was the third-string rover on Sunday. With the confirmation that Simon is now also gone for the year, the Irish are down three linebackers.

Notre Dame now has true freshman Prince Kollie backing up Will linebacker JD Bertrand (who replaced Liufau). Bertrand led the team with 11 tackles on Sunday night, and Kollie was a five-star prospect who chose Notre Dame over Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma.

Captain Drew White remains the experienced anchor of the linebacker corps, alongside starting rover Jack Kiser.