Notre Dame is turning again to its secondary depth, and this time the Irish will hand a first start to freshman Joey O’Brien at safety against Purdue.
With senior Luke Talich ruled out after injuring his left wrist in the win over Michigan State, Notre Dame is set to use a third different safety in four games opposite captain Adon Shuler. Talich was in a cast at practice Tuesday, assistant coach Marty Biagi said, though he still spent time helping the younger reserves get ready for the Boilermakers.
O’Brien has been the next man up in practice this week, and coach Marcus Freeman said the freshman has handled the opportunity well.
“Joey O’Brien’s really done a great job in practice,” Freeman said Thursday Sept. 24 on his media Zoom call. “He’s a guy that we knew at any moment could go in the game last week.
He was the backup. He’s done a great job in the starting role this week.
We have a lot of confidence in what he can do.”
A five-star recruit from the Philadelphia area, O’Brien has already appeared in 46 plays over three games, with his work split nearly evenly between defense and special teams. He also battled back from the Blue-Gold Game in late April, when he left the field on crutches, and still made it back for the start of fall camp in early August.
Behind him, second-year safety Ethan Long is expected to be the next option. Freeman pointed to Long’s growth and said he has had a strong week of work.
“Ethan Long will be the next guy in,” Freeman said. “He’s had a really good week. Ethan’s been a guy that’s really progressed over the year and a half he’s been here.”
Long has already shown he can make an impact. He had an interception last season against Syracuse and played 15 defensive snaps with three tackles in the Week 2 shutout of Rice.
Notre Dame’s safety picture remains incomplete for now, too. Third-year safety Brauntae Johnson, who injured his left foot in the season opener against Wisconsin, is still a few weeks away, Freeman said.
“This is why you recruit, this is why you have depth and this is why young guys have to practice in a way of being ready to play,” Freeman said. “You don’t know what each Saturday is going to present. If you wait for your opportunity, it’s going to be too late.
“Those guys have all done a great job of preparing and now they’ll have the opportunity to go do it in the game.”
Talich is expected back against North Carolina on Oct. 3 in Chapel Hill.
Freeman also offered updates on two other injured players. Wide receiver Quincy Porter, the Ohio State transfer dealing with a patellar tendon injury, had a “good week” of individual work and is getting closer, though he still is not practicing with the offense.
“He’s doing more than he’s ever done,” Freeman said of the midyear enrollee. “He increased his volume this week in terms of what he’s been able to do.
He’s not practicing with the offense but he’s doing individual. I think he’s a couple weeks away but he’s getting closer.
We’re going in the right trajectory.”
Offensive lineman Matty Augustine, who had been competing for the top spot at right guard before going down in August, is also making progress, though Freeman said there is still no timetable for his return.
“I don’t have a timetable, but he’s getting better,” Freeman said.
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