Notre Dame to Play Without 9 Key Players for Spring Football 2025

Notre Dame is still healing up from the 16-game 2024 season as spring football approaches

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman watches a replay in the second quarter against Ohio State Buckeyes during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame is less than two weeks from opening spring practice for the 2025 season. If it feels like its coming around quickly it's because it is - considering Notre Dame was still playing postseason games less than two months ago.

As a result of the long season, Notre Dame is still dealing with some healing for more than a handful of players returning for another season. When spring football opens on March 19, Notre Dame will be without nine players for the full camp.

Notre Dame head athletic football trainer Rob Hunt met the media on Thursday and shared the following updates as Spring football for the Fighting Irish nears.

Notre Dame Spring Football: 9 Players Unavailable

Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Jordan Botelho (12) celebrates after a defensive stop Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, during the NCAA football game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The following players were ruled unavailable for all of spring football.

DL Jordan Botelho (right knee)
OG Ashton Craig (left knee)
DL Davion Dixon (right pectoral)
TE Cooper Flanagan (left Achilles)
LB Kahanu Kia (left knee)
OL Chris Terek (right foot and left shoulder)
DL Boubacar Traore (left knee)
CB Chance Tucker (right knee)
S Jalen Stroman (right clavicle)

Notre Dame Spring Football: 5 Players on Modified Activity

Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli (18) knocks helmets with offensive lineman Anthonie Knapp (54) before a NCAA college football game against Florida State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The following players will be on modified workout plans for all of spring football.

OL Anthonie Knapp (ankle)
DL Cole Mullins (knee)
WR Will Pauling (foot)
OL Billy Schrauth (ankle)
OL Robbie Wollan (miniscus)

Notre Dame Spring Football: 10 Players on Individualized Plans

Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Drayk Bowen (34) reacts on the bench after losing to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

LB Drayk Bowen
LB Joshua Burnham
CB Christian Gray
WR Jaden Greathouse
RB Jeremiyah Love
CB Leonard Moore
S Adon Shuler
LB Jaylen Sneed
OL Aamil Wagner
DL Bryce Young

Notre Dame Spring Football: 5 Players on are "Full-Go" Following Injuries

Nov 9, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (12) participates in warmups before the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Notre Dame Stadium. / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

S Taebron Bennie-Powell (shoulder)
QB CJ Carr (elbow)
RB Gi'Bran Payne (knee)
DL Jason Onye (personal)
OL Styles Prescod (shoulder)

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Takeaway

Sep 14, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Jordan Botelho (12) is carted off the field with an apparent injury during the second quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Usually, this time of year the anticipation grows for Spring football and the hope that comes with it. Hope for Notre Dame football fans is at the highest level it has been in decades entering a season which is a change itself but the philosophy around Spring football feels like it has almost changed, too.

It's usually, "Avoid injuries!" as Spring practice starts. This time around it feels more like "Get over those injuries" for the well-traveled Fighting Irish.

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