Notre Dame Notebook: Blake Fisher, Playing Without Kyle Hamilton, Injury Update
Notes from the Notre Dame players heading into the Fiesta Bowl matchup against Oklahoma State.
PLAYING WITHOUT HAMILTON PAYS OFF IN THE LONG RUN
Playing without All-American safety Kyle Hamilton for the second half of the season has been a blessing in one sense. Individual players in the secondary had to get better, and they got plenty of opportunities to do so.
Notre Dame safety Houston Griffith, who started alongside Hamilton said young players like Ramon Henderson and Xavier Watts have developed because they were forced into more repetitions. Watts moved from wide receiver to the rover position to safety.
“It was always the next man in mentality,” Griffith said. “The guys knew they had to come in, ask questions and go out there and get comfortable playing the game.”
Henderson and Watts were ready to go, which is a testament to the depth and player development for the Fighting Irish.
“You've seen in the last few games with Ramon Henderson and Xavier Watts coming in, being a guy who played corner and a guy who's played wide receiver, and just being able to come in and just make plays for our defense,” he said. “And they weren't hesitant, they went out there, they just played fast. And those are guys that we had to depend on, and we're continuing to depend on. These are guys who have helped our defense.”
It was never about one guy replacing Hamilton.
“I just feel like when Kyle went down, it was always that we have to step up as a group. Kyle always looked out for us,” he said.
BLAKE FISHER TIME IS BACK
Get ready for some Blake Fisher.
Notre Dame defensive linemen Isaiah Foskey knows what Oklahoma State is about to face. He has had to go up against Fisher, who’ll start at right tackle, in some live action during practice this week for the Fiesta Bowl.
Fisher started at left tackle against Florida State but injured his knee in the first half. He returned from his meniscus tear sooner than anticipated. Notre Dame will start freshman Joe Alt at left tackle, the position he took over in game six.
Fisher, a 6 foot 6, 335-pound freshman, has picked up where he left off when he was dominant in the spring and fall practice. He is a very hard player to move.
“Since we started going one on ones and good-on-good with Blake Fisher, he hasn't had a dropoff,” Foskey said. “He’s still the big Blake Fisher that we knew from the first game at Florida State, and from fall ball and before that. He hasn't had a drop-off at all. He’s great at right tackle and he’ll do well.”
The Fighting Irish need Fisher and the offensive line to do well.
OSU has 54 sacks this year, which is the most in the country.
DREW WHITE INJURY UPDATE
Fifth-year senior linebacker Drew White has played the last four games with torn patella cruciate ligament. It's an injury that doesn't necessarily require surgery.
His first game back with the injury against Navy was a little tricky but White has been fairly productive since then. He finished with one tackle for a loss and five tackles against Stanford.
White said it's not an issue.
“As far as the knee goes, I played with it four days after I was initially hurt," he said. "Now we are on —I don't know how many weeks. It feels really good. There is no brace anymore. It feels pretty much back to normal. I was glad I was able to get over that hurdle and play against Navy and do that for my team. I knew they needed me. It’s just upwards from there. It's going great.”
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