Notre Dame LT Anthonie Knapp suffers ankle injury vs. Penn State, ruled out for remainder of game
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Notre Dame left tackle Anthonie Knapp left the field with an apparent leg injury during the second quarter of Thursday’s Orange Bowl game vs. Penn State. Knapp briefly received the Fighting Irish training staff’s attention before walking gingerly into the locker room.
Graduate student Tosh Baker replaced the freshman Knapp at left tackle.
Update: According to ESPN sideline reporter Molly McGrath, Knapp has a left ankle injury and will not return to the game. McGrath’s report came at the start of the second half.
RELATED: Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard leaves Penn State game due to apparent injury
“Knapp could hardly put any weight on his left ankle,” McGrath said earlier in the first half. “They put a TayCo brace on his ankle, which was invented by their head trainer, Mike Bean. Even with the brace on, he’s having a hard time walking.”
With 13:34 remaining in the second quarter, Fighting Irish senior quarterback Riley Leonard ran to the left side, where Knapp was blocking. Leonard landed on Knapp’s backside, causing his legs to come from underneath him.
Knapp initially stood up after the play, attempting to shake it off. However, after a few seconds, he dropped down on the field in pain, holding his left leg/knee area. The Notre Dame training staff then tended to him on the field.
After an on-field evaluation, Knapp spent about three minutes in the sideline injury tent. Then, he walked slowly and gingerly to the locker room, where he spent about 15 minutes.
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When Knapp returned to the sideline, he was wearing his helmet. However, Baker remained in the game and played left tackle after Knapp was ruled out to start the second half.
RELATED: Live updates, highlights, game score: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 6 Penn State in Orange Bowl
A product of Roswell (Ga.) High, Knapp won the starting left tackle battle coming out of preseason camp over Baker. Sophomore Charles Jagusah was initially the team’s starting left tackle. However, he injured his right pectoralis muscle on Aug. 3. The Notre Dame football communications team ruled him out for the season.
Jagusah eventually returned to practice in December and appeared on the field goal/extra point protection units against Georgia in last Thursday’s Sugar Bowl. He eventually replaced an injured Rocco Spindler at right guard in the second quarter of Thursday’s Orange Bowl.
Notre Dame is already playing with its backup center, Pat Coogan. He replaced Ashton Craig after he suffered a knee injury against Purdue in Week 3.
