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Marcus Freeman confirms season-ending injury for star DL Rylie Mills
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Marcus Freeman delivered the bad news on Monday that many at Notre Dame had been fearing all weekend: star defensive lineman Rylie Mills, who injured his knee in Friday night’s Playoff victory over Indiana, is out for the season.
Freeman told reporters during his Monday press conference that the 6-foot-5, 295-pound senior wouldn’t be available for Notre Dame’s quarterfinal showdown against Georgia on New Year’s Day or in any game going forward should the Fighting Irish advance past that point.
Mills injured his right knee while recording a sack during the second half of Notre Dame’s dominant 27-17 victory over Indiana in South Bend. While there was initially some optimism after Mills was seen walking around the sideline afterward, he was not able to return to the game and now won’t be a part of Notre Dame’s Playoff run going forward — at least on the field.
Mills’ absence will be a huge loss for the Irish, especially against the high-octane Bulldogs. He leads the team in sacks in 2024 with 7.5, and Mills had 37 tackles — 19 of them solo — this season and 9 tackles-for-loss.
On a positive note, fellow defensive lineman Howard Cross III was back in action against the Hoosiers after missing several weeks with a sprained ankle. And Freeman also announced on Monday that left tackle Charles Jagusah, who was ruled out for the season in early August with a torn right pectoral muscle, will be available for the Georgia game.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
