The knee injury Brenan Vernon suffered in practice earlier this month required surgery on his MCL.
Head coach Marcus Freeman shared that update on the junior-to-be defensive tackle at Wednesday’s press conference to wrap up Notre Dame’s spring football. The Irish practiced this week and last week following the Blue-Gold Game on April 12 with Wednesday marking the official end of spring practices.
Vernon’s spring ended two weeks prior, which prevented him from playing in the Blue-Gold Game. But Freeman expects Vernon to be physically ready to contribute by July. Freeman did not clarify which knee Vernon injured. Update (4/25): It's Vernon's right knee.
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The 6-foot-6, 293-pound Vernon has been fighting to become part of Notre Dame’s defensive line rotation after two seasons as a deep reserve. He played in just two games in each of the past two seasons with two career tackles.
Freeman provided positive updates on four injured players who were sidelined this spring while recovering from various injuries. Defensive ends Boubacar Traore (ACL/LCL in left knee) and Jordan Botelho (patellar tendon in right knee), center Ashton Craig (ACL in left knee) and linebacker Kahanu Kia (ACL in left knee) are all expected to be full participants in Notre Dame’s summer workouts, which will begin in June.
Freeman expects offensive tackle Guerby Lambert (labrum in right shoulder) and defensive tackle Davion Dixon (right pectoral) to work into full activities at some point this summer. Lambert suffered his injury in spring practice, which required surgery. Dixon’s surgery came in March before spring practices.
One player who is expected to miss all of summer workouts is tight end Cooper Flanagan. He’s still recovering from a January surgery on his left Achilles.
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