Update on Notre Dame defensive lineman

On By Littum

After no. 7 Notre Dame football’s 27-17 win over No. 10 Indiana, Notre Dame coaches Marcus Freeman provided an injury update on the graduate student defensive lineman Rylie Millswho left Friday night’s game early in the second half.

“There is optimism,” Freeman Scott Van Pelt told ESPN postgame. “I don’t want to get into what they told me, but it sounds like it’s not season-ending. We just have to get him right here in the next 10-11 days and get him ready for this upcoming competition down in New Orleans.”

With 12:57 left in the third quarter, Mills sacked the Hoosiers’ quarterback Kurtis Rourke on first down. Soon after, Mills was on the ground holding his right knee. Notre Dame’s medical team went on the field to assess the situation.

After about two minutes of an on-field evaluation, Mills carefully walked off the field to the injury tent. He spent about four minutes inside it before coming out on the sideline without his helmet. While walking on the sidelines, Blue & Gold noted Mills had a noticeable limp, as an ESPN sideline reporter Molly McGrath detailed in a report with 4:21 left in the third quarter.

“Rylie Mills came out of the injury tent walking carefully, favoring his right leg,” McGrath said. “Athletic training staff had him put a brace on his right knee, which he was reluctant to do. He told teammates he was fine, but he was moving with a noticeable limp. It looks like he will try this brace and see if it helps.”

Mills did not return to the game. Before the injury, he had 2 solo tackles, including his sack. Senior defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio replaced him and had 2 tackles.

Before Friday night’s game, Notre Dame was already razor thin on the defensive line, especially at defensive tackle. Preseason All-America nose tackle Howard Cross III returned to the lineup for the first time in a month after an ankle injury against Florida State on Nov. 9 sidelined him. The Irish are also playing without a senior Jason Onyewho left the team after five games.

At vyper, Notre Dame has played without its starting and backup options into the season. Master’s student Jordan Boetlo suffered a season-ending knee injury against Purdue on Sept. 14. Boubacar Traore injured his knee two weeks later against Louisville. It also sidelined him for the rest of the year.

Mills has 37 tackles (19 solo), 8.5 stops for loss and 7.5 sacks on the season.