When Notre Dame football committed to being a leader in injury transparency, the program likely didn’t anticipate needing to report so many injuries. Unfortunately, the Fighting Irish have been hit hard by the injury bug this season.
During the game against the Louisville Cardinals, Notre Dame suffered another setback. Defensive end Boubacar Traore left in the first half and didn’t return, with reports indicating that he looked visibly upset after returning from medical evaluation on the sidelines.
As of now, Notre Dame has not disclosed the specifics of Traore’s injury. Head coach Marcus Freeman mentioned after the game that Traore sustained a “lower body injury,” but did not provide details on its severity or exact location.
Freeman also noted that it’s unclear how long Traore might be sidelined, with more updates expected early in the week. Given that the team has a bye week, further details might not emerge immediately.
Adding to the frustration is that Traore had stepped up to replace Jordan Botelho, who is out for the season with a knee injury. Traore had been a force in his starting role, recording 12 tackles, 3 sacks, a forced fumble, an interception, and a defensive touchdown so far this season. The team hopes the bye week will allow him to recover, but his status remains uncertain.
