Marcus Freeman gives big update on future of Notre Dame DE Jordan Botelho

On Sept. 16, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman announced that defensive Jordan Botelho, who was off to a strong start to his fifth season in South Bend, would miss the rest of the 2024 season due to a knee injury.

The idea of Boltelho returning for a sixth season has been floated on the interwebs, and it was confirmed by Freeman during his Monday press conference Nov. 4.

“Yeah, he’s planning on coming back next year,” Freeman succinctly stated.

In five seasons at Notre Dame, Botelho has accumulated 77 total tackles including 15.0 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks. In 2024, Botelho had 12 total tackles with 1.0 tackle for loss and 1.0 sack. He led the Irish with 7 quarterback pressures and 5 quarterback hurries through three games, per Pro Football Focus. He had a pass-rush win percentage of 23.3, the highest among any Notre Dame player with double-digit pass-rush snaps logged.

Botelho retains a year of eligibility by taking a medical redshirt for this season, meaning he can indeed return to Notre Dame for a sixth season in 2025. He arrived in South Bend in 2020, so his first season was the COVID year that did not count against anyone’s eligibility.

With 8:19 left in the second quarter of Notre Dame’s content against Purdue Sept. 14, he bent around the left side of Boilermakers left tackle Corey Stewart and lost his footing. Botelho immediately grabbed his right knee and began tapping it.

“You feel awful for the kid,” Freeman said. “Feel awful for him.”

Botelho’s return in 2025 will bolster a defensive end room that on paper includes Boubacar Traore (who will also return from a season-ending injury in 2024), Joshua Burnham, Bryce Young, Junior Tuihalamaka and others.

More Notre Dame injury updates

Here is a detailed look at the Notre Dame football injury report for Week 11 against Florida State.

— Graduate student kicker Mitch Jeter (right hip) is questionable for the game. After the Stanford game, Freeman said they held Jeter out with a “tight groin” following a 39-yard kickoff. His official injury designation is a right hip injury.

— Freshman EDGE Loghan Thomas is questionable for the game. On Monday, Freeman announced Thomas sustained a hamstring injury against Navy.

Notre Dame football players out for the season

— 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) is out for the season. He tore his right pectoralis muscle during preseason camp practice on Aug. 3.

— 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.

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