Notre Dame Suffers Whopping Loss on Its Offensive Line

© Alberto Silva Fernandez-El Paso Times/USA TODAY NETWORK

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame suffered a major blow, losing left tackle Charles Jagusah for the season due to a shoulder injury. An MRI performed on July 5 revealed that the sophomore lineman tore his right pectoral muscle.

A five-star recruit, Jagusah was the consensus No. 1 prospect from Illinois in the 2023 recruiting cycle. He played a significant role in Notre Dame's triumph over Oregon State in the Sun Bowl last year. Jagusah was slated to be the team's starting left tackle this season.

The Fighting Irish coaching staff has regarded Jagusah as a future star in the trenches. In high school, he was a state champion heavyweight wrestler. His decision to play for Notre Dame rather than Michigan was major news when he committed in 2022.

Depleted Offensive Line

The 2023 Irish offensive line featured stalwart performers Joe Alt and Blake Fisher, who were selected in the first and second rounds, respectively, of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Notre Dame coaching staff was counting on Jagusah to step in and replace Alt. Now that role may fall to Tosh Baker or Aamil Wagner, who had been competing to fill the right tackle position vacated by Fisher.

Regarding Wagner, offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock told The Athletic, "He's got to continue to come along, but he did a really nice job in the spring." Neither Baker nor Wagner have started any games during their careers at Notre Dame, accentuating the significance of the loss of Jagusah.

Ashton Craig is the projected starter at center for the Irish, with Billy Schrauth the likely starter at right guard. A competition is underway between Rooco Spindler and Pat Coogan for the starting position at left guard.

Urgency to Rebuild

Notre Dame opens its season at Kyle Field against Texas A&M. The Aggies feature a strong pass rush, and they will be cheered on by more than 100,000 of their die-hard fans. Thus, the Irish have little time to settle matters along the front line before heading off to College Station, Texas. Head coach Marcus Freeman and his staff must proceed with a new sense of urgency.

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