Preparation is officially underway for Notre Dame’s Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs. The Fighting Irish have dealt with injuries all season and they will have more to contend with as they prepare for the Jan. 1 game in New Orleans. Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman delivered the devastating news on Monday that defensive tackle Rylie Mills will miss the remainder of Notre Dame’s season with a right knee injury that he suffered in last Friday’s first round win over Indiana. Freeman says left guard RoccoSpindler, who had his right ankle rolled against the Hoosiers, will be “questionable” to return against the Bulldogs.
Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, a linebacker, is also dubious. After sustaining a knee injury during Notre Dame’s Shamrock Series game against Army on November 23, the freshman missed both the Indiana game and the regular season finale against Southern Cal.
“Mostly he’s been rehabbing,” Freeman explained. “(He has) obviously getting mental work in but hasn’t been able to practice. Now we want to see the progression in the practice and then build that confidence. He built that confidence in himself and also in his coaches and the doctors that he can go out there and get his job done, which I think he will.” Viliamu-Asa has 29 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries this season. He is one of just four true freshmen who played in each of Notre Dame’s first 11 games this season.
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