Kyle Hamilton status for Notre Dame vs North Carolina revealed

Kyle Hamilton will be out when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish take on the North Carolina Tar Heels. Today, Fighting Irish coach Brian Kelly revealed the unfortunate news.

Originally, Kelly was “optimistic,” saying “things look pretty good” when asked if Hamilton could play against the Tar Heels. Evidently, something changed after his original positive assessment of Hamilton’s injury.

Additionally, Kelly stated that Hamilton’s knee wasn’t severely injured following Notre Dame’s victory over USC. After saying there was no structural damage in the star safety’s knee, the Fighting Irish are being cautious with Hamilton.

On the other hand, North Carolina may smell blood in the water with Hamilton missing the game. Back in the summer, quarterback Sam Howell was one of the favorites for the Heisman Trophy. While things haven’t worked out well for the Tar Heels, spoiling Notre Dame’s season would be a victory in itself.

More on Kyle Hamilton

The junior is the presumed favorite for the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the top defensive back in college football. Moreover, Hamilton is projected to be one of the premier picks in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Hamilton’s been a star in his three seasons with the Fighting Irish — accumulating 138 tackles, 16 passes defended and 8 interceptions. Additionally, the Fighting Irish safety was an All-America pick after his breakout sophomore campaign. 

Notre Dame is attempting to climb back into the College Football Playoff conversation. To do so, Kelly needs Hamilton to be on the field. While their schedule isn’t full of world-beaters the rest of the way, next week’s game against Sam Howell and North Carolina could pose a threat.

If the Fighting Irish can win out and get some help, perhaps a miraculous run could be in order. Still, Brian Kelly and Kyle Hamilton will focus on controlling what Notre Dame can control.