Brian Kelly updates Notre Dame injury situation ahead of Wisconsin game

If Notre Dame wants to beat a Wisconsin team with a stout front seven and be able to get pressure on quarterback Graham Mertz to force him into mistakes, they will need an all-hands-on-deck effort. Saturday’s game will almost surely be won in the trenches. 

On that topic, Irish head coach Brian Kelly provided an injury update on Thursday on a few key players on the offensive and defensive lines, among others, ahead of Saturday’s matchup between No. 12 Notre Dame and No. 18 Wisconsin in Chicago.

“The only guy we haven’t made a decision on is Mike Carmody,” Kelly said of his now-starting left tackle. “He got a chance to get some reps yesterday. We’ll need to evaluate him today and tomorrow. I would say that’s going to come down to a game day decision. Making good progress, but too early to tell whether we’ll start Tosh [Baker] or Mike there.”

Carmody suffered a sprained ankle in Notre Dame’s game two weeks ago against Toledo and did not play last week against Purdue. Carmody got the start on the left side of the offensive line following a meniscus injury to Blake Fisher that will sideline him for at least another month. 

As Kelly noted, Tosh Baker will get the start should Carmody not be ready to go. 

“There’s always going to be guys that are questionable during the week that have lingering injuries from the week before, but we don’t rule anybody out unless we’re clear that they are not going to play,” Kelly said regarding starting nose tackle and captain Kurt Hinish. 

It was not clear that Hinish suffered an injury last week, and the veteran even received the game ball for his performance against the Boilermakers. Hinish’s backups are junior Howard Cross III and junior Jacob Lacey.

Defensive end Jordan Botelho returned to the field for the Irish last week, but he only played on special teams. Kelly said to expect more of him this weekend and beyond. 

“I think Jordan’s much further along than he was last week,” Kelly said. “Just getting back on the practice field, didn’t really have his legs underneath him last week. He should play a much more important role in what we do defensively. You’ll see him on the field.”

Botelho’s pass-rush skills would be welcomed in a contest where Notre Dame will need to get pressure on Mertz to force him into trouble.

Kelly’s final comment on injuries involved true freshman Tyler Buchner, who sat out the second half of last week’s game with a tight hamstring. Buchner should be ready to go on Saturday. 

Power running back C’Bo Flemister remains out, but true freshman and former five-star linebacker Prince Kollie is back and set to make his debut, albeit in a limited capacity, at a position that has been devastated by injuries. 

Notre Dame is a 6.5-point underdog at Soldier Field. The game kicks off at 11:00 a.m. CT on Fox and both Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff and ESPN’s College Gameday will be on-site in Chicago. 

Kelly is seeking his 106th career win, which would make him the all-time winningest coach in Notre Dame history, passing Irish legend Knute Rockne.