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Notre Dame football injury report before Sugar Bowl: Latest on OL Rocco Spindler, LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa pregame

Singer headshotby:Mike Singer•01/02/25•

MikeTSinger

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Notre Dame linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa before the 2025 Sugar Bowl (Tyler Horka/On3)

At 3:05 p.m. ET, the Notre Dame football PR twitter account noted that “all student-athletes listed on the Notre Dame two-deep this week are available.”

Irish offensive lineman Rocco Spindler, who was questionable coming into the Fighting Irish’s Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinal, was listed on the two-deep that published last Dec. 23.. Thus, he’s set to start for Notre Dame, as Blue & Gold expected coming into the contest.

Freshman linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa was questionable heading into the matchup and is fully dressed pregame, reports Blue & Gold. He has a small brace on his right knee. It’s to be determined if he’ll play, as he wasn’t listed on the Irish’s aforementioned depth chart. So, Notre Dame’s announcement this afternoon doesn’t confirm whether he’s playing.

Also questionable was sophomore wide receiver KK Smith, who was spotted by Blue & Gold fully dressed for the contest.

Notre Dame football players out for the season

— Graduate student defensive lineman Rylie Mills has been ruled out for the remainder of the CFP with a right knee injury.

— Senior walk-on cornerback Marty Auer (knee) is out for the season. He tore his left ACL during a preseason practice on Aug. 2.

— Walk-on graduate student defensive lineman Quentin Autry (shoulder) is out for the season. There are no details on when the injury occurred.

— Freshman safety Taebron Bennie-Powell (shoulder) is out for the season. He underwent surgery on his left shoulder labrum after a high school injury hindered him during preseason camp.

— Graduate student Jordan Botelho (knee) is out for the season. The Irish starting vyper injured his right knee on a pass rush against Purdue on Sept. 14.

— Junior Ashton Craig (knee) is out for the season. The Notre Dame starting center injured his left knee on a run-blocking play against Purdue on Sept. 14.

— Sophomore walk-on cornerback Charles Du (shoulder) is out for the season. There are no details on when the injury occurred.

— Sophomore offensive lineman Charles Jagusah (shoulder) was initially ruled out for the season after he tore his right pectoralis muscle during preseason camp practice on Aug. 3. However, Jagusah recently returned to practice and was in uniform for the Indiana game Dec. 20. Freeman said he was available to play in the Sugar Bowl.

— Sophomore linebacker Kahanu Kia (knee) is out for the season. He tore his ACL during preseason camp.

— Junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison (hip) is out for the season. Freeman revealed last Friday that Morrison has already undergone surgery.

— Junior running back Gi’Bran Payne (knee) is out for the season. He tore his ACL in his right knee during the Blue-Gold Game on April 20.

— Freshman offensive lineman Styles Prescod (shoulder) is out for the season. A high school shoulder injury persisted during preseason camp, which resulted in the decision to have surgery.

— Sophomore defensive lineman Boubacar Traore (knee) is out for the season. He suffered a knee injury that required season-ending surgery against Louisville on Sept. 28.

— Senior cornerback Chance Tucker (knee) is out for the season. He tore his ACL during the team’s “jersey scrimmage” on Aug. 17.

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