Notre Dame football injury report: Two key players ruled out for Stanford game

Notre Dame ruled senior defensive tackle Jason Onye out for Week 7 vs. Stanford with personal reasons, the Irish announced Saturday afternoon. A team spokesperson also told reporters that junior right guard Billy Schrauth (ankle) is also out, but he was not listed on the injury report because he is not on the depth chart.

Sophomore tight end Cooper Flanagan and senior defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio were not listed on either the depth chart or the injury report, and there is no word on their statuses for the game.

Junior defensive lineman Joshua Burnham (left ankle), sophomore cornerback Christian Gray (right shoulder) and sophomore wide receiver Jordan Faison (ankle) will all be available for the Irish as they look to improve to 5-1. They were listed as probable.

Schrauth suffered his ankle injury in Week 3, and he remains Notre Dame’s highest-graded pass protector. His Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade of 82.6 leads the team, and he’s only allowed 1 pressure and no sacks in 75 pass-protection opportunities.

“It’s just the demeanor that [Schrauth] plays with, the toughness that he plays with,” Irish offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock said Tuesday. “It just makes us better. It just does. … We’re anxious to have him back.”

Flanagan suffered his injury in the first quarter of Notre Dame’s Week 4 vs. Miami (Ohio). Having started each of the first four games and playing mostly on early downs, Flanagan has 3 receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown this season.

Rubio fractured his second metatarsal during the first practice of fall camp on July 31, requiring surgery. He has not played yet this season. Irish head coach Marcus Freeman had expressed optimism that the run-stuffing defensive tackle could come back in early October.

Despite missing four games with multiple injuries in 2023, Rubio finished second among Notre Dame defensive tackles (Howard Cross III) in PFF run defense grade at 82.4. He made 7 run stops — which are tackles that result in a failure for the offense — in just 68 run defense snaps.

Notre Dame and Stanford kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in South Bend. Here are the other Irish players who will be unavailable this week.

Notre Dame football players out for Week 7

— 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. On Monday, Freeman said Johnson is in a “return to participation phase but is still a few weeks away from being able to help our team.”

— 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 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.