Joshua Burnham injury update: Notre Dame DE available for Week 5 vs. Louisville
Notre Dame could get a key defensive lineman back for Week 5 vs. Louisville. Junior defensive end Joshua Burnham (ankle), listed as questionable on Monday’s injury report, will be available for Saturday’s game.
Whether Burnham participates remains to be seen, but he will dress and be ready to go.
The edge rusher from Traverse City, Mich. injured his ankle on the last defensive play of Notre Dame’s Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois. He was listed as questionable for Week 3 at Purdue and Week 4 vs. Miami (Ohio), but he missed both games.
Burnham played 53 snaps (to Oben’s 11) in the loss to NIU, finishing with 4 tackles (1 solo). Throughout the season, he also has a quarterback hit and 2 defensive stops, which Pro Football Focus defines as tackles that result in a failure for the offense.
A four-star linebacker prospect out of Traverse City Central, Notre Dame converted Burnham to vyper shortly after he arrived on campus and strong-side defensive end before his junior season. He had a productive fall camp, and with Oben struggling, he played starter’s reps in Week 2.
It’s possible the Irish would have started Burnham in Weeks 3-4, if he were healthy. Instead, he was on the mend and graduate student RJ Oben — as well as freshman Bryce Young, who has a heavy role on special teams in Year 1 as well — had to hold down the fort at field end.
If Burnham winds up sitting out this week despite dressing for the game, Oben and Young will play the lion’s share of reps again at the position.
The Irish and Cardinals will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in South Bend. Here’s the rest of Notre Dame’s Week 5 injury report, with four other players out for the game.
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Notre Dame football players out for Week 5 vs. Louisville
— Sophomore tight end Cooper Flanagan (left ankle) is out for the game. He suffered an ankle injury last Saturday against Miami.
— Freshman safety Tae Johnson (left foot) is out for the game. He sustained a foot injury in his left fifth metatarsal toward the end of preseason camp, which required surgery.
— Senior defensive linemanGabriel Rubio (left foot)isout for the game. He fractured his second metatarsal during the first preseason camp practice on July 31, which required surgery. On Aug. 29, Freemansaid Rubio was about a month from returning. On Sept. 9, Freeman said Rubio “would be back in a couple weeks.”
— Junior offensive lineman Billy Schrauth (right ankle) is out for the game. Last Monday, Freeman said the Irish starting right guard “would be out for a few weeks” after injuring his right ankle on a run play against Purdue.
