Notre Dame football finished its 27-17 victory over Indiana on Friday without two linemen who started the game: defensive tackle Rylie Mills and offensive guard Rocco Spindler. The Irish will have to continue their run in the College Football Playoff without one of them.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman announced Monday that Mills will miss the rest of the season, which will continue in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal against second-seeded Georgia (11-2) on Jan. 1 in New Orleans (8:45 p.m. EST on ESPN).
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Mills, a graduate senior, left the Indiana game with a right knee injury in the third quarter when he sacked quarterback Kurtis Rourke. That led to an increased role for senior defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio, who has 14 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack in eight games this season. S
Sophomore Armel Mukam moves up the depth chart behind Rubio. Mukam made four tackles in eight games so far this season. The Irish may also rotate backup nose tackle Donovan Hinish at defensive tackle as well. Hinish, a junior, played well while starting nose tackle Howard Cross III missed time this season. Hinish has 31 tackles, 3.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries and one pass breakup in 13 games.
Mills leads the Irish with 7.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss as part of his 37 tackles this season. He also registered four quarterbacks hurries. Mills is one of 10 players to start in all 13 games for the Irish this season.
Spindler is questionable for the Sugar Bowl. He's started 20 games at right guard the past two seasons. He didn't play in the second half against Indiana after suffering a right ankle injury. Sophomore Sam Pendleton, who started seven games earlier this season at left guard, replaced Spindler in Fridays' game.
The Irish may be able to replace Spindler with sophomore Charles Jagusah, who will be available for the first time this season. He suffered a pectoral/shoulder injury in preseason camp and was previously expected to miss the entire season. Jagusah was projected to be ND's starting left tackle. Freeman said the staff will figure out his best position moving forward as he gets his first full week of practice in this week.
Three more players are questionable for Notre Dame: freshman linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (right knee), sophomore wide receiver KK Smith (collarbone) and freshman linebacker Bodie Kahoun (right lower leg).
Viliamu-Asa was injured against Army after making his first career start. He totaled 29 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries in 11 games.
Smith suffered a collarbone injury in practice before Notre Dame played Army on Nov. 23. He caught three passes for 38 yards while playing in six games this season.
Kahoun went down against Army in the third game appearance of his career. He recorded his first and only tackle to date against Virginia on Nov. 16.
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Two players who haven't been on Notre Dame's depth chart for quite some time likely won't be available to play: senior defensive tackle Jason Onye and freshman quarterback CJ Carr. Onye's been away from the team dealing with a "personal issue" since he played in the fifth game of the season against Louisville. Carr has been recovering from a right elbow injury.
Notre Dame has lost five starters to season-ending injuries this year: cornerback Benjamin Morrison (hip), vyper Jordan Botelho (knee), center Ashton Craig (knee), vyper Boubacar Traore (knee) and Mills.
Notre Dame previously declared many other players out for the season: walk-on CB Marty Auer (knee), walk-on DL Quentin Autry (shoulder), S Taebron Bennie-Powell (shoulder), walk-on CB Charles Du (shoulder), LB Kahanu Kia (knee), RB Gi'Bran Payne (knee), OL Styles Prescod (shoulder) and CB Chance Tucker (knee).
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