The Notre Dame football team had a Week 6 bye and is now gearing up for a rivalry showdown against Stanford in Week 7. The Irish have started the season strong with a 4-1 record, the only loss being a surprising upset by Northern Illinois in South Bend.
Since that defeat, Notre Dame has bounced back with three consecutive wins, including a Week 5 victory over top-25 Louisville. However, the team received bad news on Monday regarding a key defensive player. Head coach Marcus Freeman announced that sophomore defensive lineman Boubacar Traore will miss the remainder of the season due to injury, according to Pete Sampson of The Athletic.
Freeman also provided additional injury updates:
“Traore is out for the season,” according to the Notre Dame injury report. Other statuses include probable players Josh Burnham (left ankle), Christian Gray (right shoulder), and Jordan Faison (ankle). Questionable players include Cooper Flanagan (left ankle), Gabe Rubio (left foot), and Billy Schrauth (right ankle).
The loss of Traore is particularly significant for the Irish. The sophomore standout recorded nine solo tackles, three sacks, a pass deflection, and even a pick-six in the win over Purdue. He also leads the team in both sacks and tackles for loss with five through the first month of the 2024 season.
Notre Dame has already faced several injury setbacks this year, including losing defensive end Jordan Botelho and center Ashton Craig for the season. Now, Traore’s absence adds to the challenges for a defense that hopes to help the Irish stay in the College Football Playoff conversation.
After Stanford, Notre Dame will face Georgia Tech and Navy, with another bye coming in Week 10. The team will need to rely on others to step up with Traore out for the season as they push through the heart of their schedule.
