Notre Dame DB DeVonta Smith, WR Jaden Greathouse out for USC game

Notre Dame football will be without nickel back DeVonta Smith for the fourth time this season. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Smith was officially downgraded to unavailable prior to Saturday’s home game against No. 20 USC (5-1).

Smith, a redshirt senior, has been dealing with a right calf injury. He already missed three full games — Texas A&M, Purdue and NC State — and was sidelined early in the game against Boise State. Smith started the other two games for Notre Dame this season: Miami and Arkansas. He tallied two tackles and recovered one fumble.

Notre Dame freshman nickel back Dallas Golden is expected to continue to play in Smith’s place. Golden tallied 16 tackles, one interception and one pass breakup in his first four games this season. He started against Purdue and NC State and has been the primary nickel back while Golden has been sidelined.

The No. 13 Irish (4-2) have deemed junior wide receiver Jaden Greathouse as a game-time decision, but he was not dressed for pregame warmups. He was previously listed Greathouse as questionable this week due to a lingering right thigh injury. Greathouse hasn’t played since the Arkansas game on Sept. 27, in which he caught two passes for 32 yards. He recorded four receptions for 73 yards in the first four games on the season.

Notre Dame will continue to start redshirt senior wide receiver Will Pauling in the slot role. He caught 13 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns in the first half of the season. He totaled six catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns in the past two games with Greathouse sidelined.

The Irish didn’t provide updates on junior tight end Cooper Flanagan and freshman offensive lineman Will Black, because they weren’t included on this week’s official depth chart.

Flanagan has been listed as questionable as he works back from a left Achilles tendon injury he suffered Jan. 2 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Georgia. UPDATE: Flanagan saw his first action of the season in the first half against USC.

He played in 26 games in his first two seasons at Notre Dame. He totaled five catches for 74 yards and three touchdowns while playing primarily as a blocking tight end.

The Irish will likely continue to rely on senior Eli Raridon and redshirt junior Ty Washington as their top two tight ends. Raridon has 20 catches for 342 yards this season. Washington recorded all three of his receptions for 19 yards in the third game of the season against Purdue.

Black has yet to play in a game this season, but he was unavailable to play against NC State due to a concussion. He wasn’t dressed prior to Saturday’s game against USC either. Neither was freshman offensive lineman Matty Augustine.

Notre Dame announced Thursday that two defensive linemen wouldn’t be available for Saturday’s game: starting defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio (left elbow) and reserve defensive end Loghan Thomas (concussion). Rubio, a redshirt senior, tallied 13 tackles, one half of a sack, one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry in the first six games of the season. Thomas, a sophomore, played primarily on special teams in the first six games and tallied two tackles and one blocked punt.

The Irish previously announced redshirt freshman wide receiver Micah Gilbert (left hand), redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Charles Jagusah (left arm) and redshirt freshman offensive lineman Peter Jones (left ankle) as out for Saturday’s game in addition to the players who are sidelined for the rest of the season.