Marcus Freeman expects Notre Dame to have Zeke Correll healthy for Navy game

Notre Dame starting center Zeke Correll is expected to play this weekend in the Fighting Irish’s season opener versus Navy in Dublin, Ireland, head coach Marcus Freeman told reporters Monday.

Correll has been dealing with a left ankle injury.

“He’s been progressing really well,” Freeman told the media Monday. “He’ll practice today. We expect him to be able to go. He’s progressing really well, want to see him go out there and practice today. We kind of held him out last week. But today, we are going to push him to go. He’s been doing a great job in rehab and recovery. Today will tell us a lot.”

Correll, barring any setbacks, will be joined on the interior of the offensive line by Pat Coogan and Rocco Spindler.

This will be Correll’s second full season as a starter after starting every game in 2022 and making six starts in 2021. He also started two games in 2020, including the Fighting Irish’s College Football Playoff game versus Alabama.

He will be snapping the ball to Sam Hartman, who arrived in South Bend, Ind., after a great career with Wake Forest. Hartman holds the ACC record with 110 touchdown passes.

Freeman said that experience will be valuable as the Fighting Irish will aim high for their goals this season.

“Going into his sixth year of experience, I didn’t mention this earlier but Sam Hartman this was his fourth time being named a captain. So three times at Wake Forest and one time here. There’s no substitution for experience, none,” Freeman said. “I don’t care if you’re a head coach or the quarterback. So that’s what gives me confidence in Sam Hartman.”

Starting left tackle Joe Alt and Hartman were named as two of the team’s four captains. Alt is considered one of the best players in college football, slotting in at No. 8 on On3’s Top 100 heading into the season.

“I’m really pleased at the four captains that we announced and the team chose: Joe Alt, JD Bertrand, Cam Hart and Sam Hartman,” Freeman said. “It’s only my second time collecting votes for captains, but we had 10 guys get double-digit votes. Those four by far ran away with the most votes, but it’s encouraging so see 10 guys get double-digit votes. It means we have more than just four guys that are viewed in that captain’s eye in terms of the other guys on our team.”