Marcus Freeman Updates Several Notre Dame Football Injuries

Notre Dame came out of its 35 days of spring practice in relatively good health. After the longest season in college football history that saw the Fighting Irish play in a record 16 games, head coach Marcus Freeman’s staff reduced the workloads this spring for several players who had heavy snap counts last spring to reduce their chances of injury both now and next season.

A trio of players, offensive lineman Gurbery Lambert (shoulder), defensive lineman Davion Dixon (pectoral) and Brenan Vernon (knee), all suffered injuries during this offseason. Dixon’s was during winter conditioning, while Vernon and Lambert’s happened during spring practices. Freeman updated the statuses of those three and others on Wednesday.

"Guerby Lambert and Davion Dixon will continue to work into full training activities during the summer as they return from surgery,” Freeman explained. "I know I said Brenan Vernon didn’t play in the spring game. He ended up having MCL surgery. He’ll be out for a little bit, but he’ll be back by July.”

Several other Irish players were injured last season but are on track to begin working out with the team soon.

"Boubacar Traore, Kahanu Kia, Ashton Craig, Jordan Botelho will all be able to participate full-go here in the summer,” Freeman remarked.

Traore tore his left ACL in Notre Dame’s Sept. 28 win over Louisville last season. He had just taken over the starting role for Botelho, who tore his ACL two weeks earlier in a win over Purdue. Craig also tore his ACL in the win over the Boilermakers. Kia tore an ACL after tearing an ACL last summer. Kia had rejoined the team last spring after spending the previous two years on a church mission.

Tight end Cooper Flanagan’s return to play will take a little longer after suffering an Achilles tear in Notre Dame’s Jan. 2 College Football Playoff quarterfinal win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

"The only player that we don’t anticipate being truly full-go in the summer, will take a little bit more time into the fall and fall camp will be Cooper Flanagan,” said Freeman. "(Flanagan is) still recovering from and rehabbing from surgery that he had at the end of last season.

Flanagan played just three snaps against the Bulldogs. He played in a total of 13 games and made 13 starts as a sophomore last season.