Tag: howard cross iii

Marcus Freeman updates Notre Dame DT Howard Cross III status for Army

Hopefully he’s a go this weekend

While Notre Dame football has a 9-1 record with just two games left in the regular season, they have battled injuries all fall, which makes its current record much more impressive.

The Irish will face the Army Black Knights on Saturday evening, in what head coach [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] called the “toughest challenge to date.” Unfortunately, it looks like Notre Dame might not have star defensive tackle [autotag]Howard Cross III[/autotag] for the contest.

Freeman lists the senior as questionable for the game, after he sat out this past weekends win over Virginia. The good news is that [autotag]Donovan Hinish[/autotag] has filled in and played very well.

This is the kind of game where if Cross can get on the field, he needs to be out there. Even if he is limited to a certain amount of snaps, he’s a game-changer that will help Notre Dame. Hopefully Cross heals up during the week and we see him against Army.

Notre Dame star DT Howard Cross III’s status for Virginia has been updated
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – AUGUST 31: Howard Cross III #56 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates his sack with Rylie Mills #99 against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on August 31, 2024 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)

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Is Howard Cross III playing today? Injury updates for Notre Dame defensive line

Notre Dame defensive lineman Howard Cross III is dealing with a left ankle injury. Here are the latest updates.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

No. 8 Notre Dame defensive lineman [autotag]Howard Cross III[/autotag] has a left ankle injury and will miss Saturday’s game against the Virginia Cavaliers.

The Fighting Irish have used a stout defense to push their way towards the College Football Playoff, and Cross has been one of their best, if not their best, defensive linemen all season long. His loss will hurt, though it is not expected to be long-term.

Graduate running back [autotag]Devyn Ford[/autotag] is also unavailable for today’s game.

Howard Cross injury update

Cross could return as soon as next week for the Irish’s tilt against No. 16 Army in New York.

“It’s not a long-term thing, but our doctors made the determination he’s going to be out this week,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said Monday, according to the South Bend Tribune. “We hope to get him back the following week depending on how the rehab continues to happen.”

How long will Howard Cross be out?

Cross might miss just one game, but it’s hard to say for sure.

Notre Dame defensive linemen depth chart

[autotag]Rylie Mills[/autotag] and [autotag]Donovan Hinish[/autotag]will be tasked with stepping up — Mills had a monster game last week against Florida State. [Armel Mukam[/autotag] and [autotag]Sean Sevillano[/autotag] are other depth options.

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Notre Dame star DT Howard Cross III’s status for Virginia has been updated

Not the news that anyone wants to hear

The biggest question mark following Notre Dame football’s win over Florida State is the status of star defensive tackle [autotag]Howard Cross III[/autotag].

The second-team All-American last year has been performing at an extremely high level this season, most likely heading to similar status this season. Unfortunately, Cross went down with an ankle injury on Saturday, and didn’t return to the field.

He was seen on the sidelines with a large brace on his ankle, and on Monday, head coach Marcus Freeman updated his status, as he will be out this weekend against Virginia.

It’s clearly a big loss for the Irish, but [autotag]Donovan Hinish[/autotag] played extremely well filling in for Cross. The good news is that this doesn’t seem like a long-term injury, as he is expected to suit up for the Irish in the coming weeks.

Notre Dame has shown impressive depth along the defensive line this year, and that looks like it will have to continue for at least this weekend.

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – SEPTEMBER 28: Howard Cross III #56 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish looks on against the Louisville Cardinals during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium on September 28, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

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Marcus Freeman updates Notre Dame DT Howard Cross III’s injury vs. Florida State

The Irish star defensive tackle didn’t play after hurting his ankle, but is it worse?

Notre Dame football star defensive tackle [autotag]Howard Cross III[/autotag] injured his ankle against Florida State and missed the majority of the game because of it.

The potential All-American is an integral part of the Irish defense, and losing him for any significant time would be a big loss. Following the game, head coach [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] gave everyone an update on Cross’ health, as he ruled out with an ankle sprain.

It seems like he could have come back into the game if needed, but as the game went on, it made the most sense for Notre Dame to keep him off the field.

Hopefully this isn’t a lingering injury, but you should take this as good news that if needed, Freeman would not have hesitated to put him back onto the field. Depending on his recovery during the week, it does seem as it’s still up in the air if we will see Cross lining up against Virginia as ankle injuries can be tricky.

Notre Dame is already creating playoff buzz.
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – AUGUST 31: Howard Cross III #56 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates his sack with Rylie Mills #99 against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on August 31, 2024 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images)

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Notre Dame vs. Florida State: Second-Quarter Analysis

The Irish are up with 30 minutes in the books.

(This story was updated to add new information).

[autotag]Jadarian Price[/autotag] wanted to finish what he started for Notre Dame late in the first quarter. On the first play of the second quarter, he ran for 65 yards and initially appeared to have just missed the end zone.

But a replay review confirmed Price had kept his foot in bounds, so he had a touchdown to extend the Irish’s lead over Florida State to 14-3.

There wasn’t a lot of action to speak of for a while after that, though the Irish’s defense had an interesting sequence. After [autotag]Howard Cross III[/autotag] went out with an injury, [autotag]Rylie Mills[/autotag] picked him up with back-to-back sacks on Brock Glenn to unseat Cross as the Irish’s sacks leader.

After getting close to Seminoles punter Alex Mastromanno a few times, [autotag]Adon Shuler[/autotag] got a piece of a punt, and that allowed the Irish’s offense to start a drive at midfield. It didn’t mean a thing though as the Irish never reached the red zone, and a [autotag]Mitch Jeter[/autotag] 42-yard field-goal attempt went wide left.

[autotag]Donovan Hinish[/autotag] recorded another sack on Glenn to force another Seminoles punt. The Irish had to start further back than before this time, and with time running out, they opted to go for it on a fourth-and-10 from the Seminoles 34-yard line after a timeout.

The Seminoles were flagged for having 12 men on the field, and the Irish  picked up a first down when Leonard completed a 22-yard pass to [autotag]Jordan Faison[/autotag]. Leonard took full advantage by promptly hitting [autotag]Mitchell Evans[/autotag] with a 12-yard touchdown.

The Irish are up, 21-3, at halftime. The way the Seminoles have played offense, that looks like a safe lead, but we’ll see.

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Notre Dame football star makes two midseason All-American teams

No one in South Bend should be surprised

It has been another big season for Notre Dame football safety [autotag]Xavier Watts[/autotag], as he has 22 tackles on the year with two interceptions and a forced fumble.

While it’s not quite what he accomplished last year en route to winning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, but the Irish senior still has impressed many with his play.

It was enough for both The Athletic and CBS Sports to name him to their midseason All-American teams. It’s nice honor for Watts, although this doesn’t really count towards that status

It was a big interesting not seeing defensive tackle [autotag]Howard Cross III[/autotag] on either list, who has very similar stats to Texas A&M’s Nic Scourton who made the team.

Regardless, there is plenty of time for Cross to make up ground and for Watts to continue his high level of play to get recognized later in the season. It wouldn’t surprise me at all for both of them end up on multiple All-American teams when they are announced at the end of the season.

Day after: Final thoughts on Notre Dame’s top-25 win over Louisville
Sep 28, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) celebrates after an interception against the Louisville Cardinals in the second quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

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Notre Dame DT Howard Cross III takes home a national award after Week 5

Congrats Howard!

One of the unsung heroes of Notre Dame football’s defense is tackle [autotag]Howard Cross III[/autotag].

While he did have a monster season in 2023, most don’t often credit a defensive tackle for their play. That’s not the case with the All-American as Cross was named the [autotag]Outland Trophy[/autotag] National Player of the Week after his play against Louisville.

Cross has picked up where he left off last year, as they pointed out that he had a 88.2 grade by Pro Football Focus against the Cardinals. He garnered 5 quarterback pressures to go along with “four ‘wins’against Louisville offensive lineman,” according to Outland’s release.

Not only that, Cross dominated against the run game, getting 18 pass rush ‘wins’ according to PFF’s metrics. That is the kind of performance that we are getting used to from the senior. He’s never going to fill up a box score, but his impact is felt way beyond that.

Congrats Howard on the national recognition.

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Notre Dame statistical leaders through four games

Who’s on the board going into the next game?

The great thing about Notre Dame’s dominant win over Miami (Ohio) is that a few more players got a chance to shine. Consequently, we have a few new names popping up in our weekly statistical leaders listicle heading into the game against Louisville. That should force the Cardinals to be a little more aware of the players they’ll be going up against.

This goes without saying, but the Irish always can benefit from new players appearing in these categories. It highlights just how deep the team’s talent is, and anyone can step in at any point. It might take some players longer to crack the leaders lists than others, but that’s the beauty of a regular season that runs through the end of November.

So who are the players standing out the most going into the Irish’s last game before their first bye week? Take a look for yourself here:

Previewing Notre Dame’s defense ahead of Week 1 vs. Texas A&M

Here’s what to expect from Notre Dame’s defense on Saturday night

Notre Dame’s identity this season starts and ends on defense. The Fighting Irish return three of the top defenders in the country, led by senior defensive lineman Howard Cross III.

In the secondary, junior defensive back Benjamin Morrison looks like one of the top cornerbacks in the country. At the same time, senior safety Xavier Watts led the team with seven interceptions last season and looks to become a versatile defender in the box this season.

Cross, who recorded 66 tackles and two sacks last season, will pair up with senior DL Rylie Mills. Mills readily utilizes his 6-5 frame and recorded 47 tackles and 2.5 sacks a year ago.

As a team, Notre Dame recorded 31 sacks and 75 tackles for loss while ranking 5th in total defense after allowing just 276 yards per contest. Many of us believe Saturday’s season opener vs. Texas A&M will be a low-scoring contest won in the trenches.

If A&M’s run game fails to find consistency, this will force starting quarterback Conner Weigman to drop back and deliver strikes in tight windows, as he will likely target sophomore corner Christian Gray. At the same time, Morrison will likely cover junior Aggie WR Noah Thomas throughout the night.

This could be the toughest defense Mike Elko’s team will face throughout the season, so the main goal continues to be squeaking out a tough win with limited turnovers.

No. 20 Texas A&M will host No. 7 Notre Dame on Saturday, August 31, at 6:30 p.m. CT, and the game will air on ABC.

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Three Notre Dame players named to Lombardi Award Watch List

Think any of them has a shot to win it?

Blockers are the unsung heroes of both sides of the line in football. Without them, none of the players on the other units would be allowed to do what they can do. It only makes sense that college football gives out the Lombardi Award for the best lineman every year.

The watch list for the 2024 season has come out, and three Notre Dame players are on it. Two of them of defensive tackles [autotag]Howard Cross III[/autotag] and [autotag]Rylie Mills[/autotag]. The other is [autotag]Mitchell Evans[/autotag], one of two tight ends to make the watch list. A tight end has never won this award, so Evans would make history if he went home with the hardware.

Notre Dame has had five players win this award, tied for the second most of any school. [autotag]Manti Te’o[/autotag] was the last player to win it in 2012. That being the case, the Irish are overdue for another winner, so let’s watch one of these gentlemen be the next one for them.

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