During Brian Kelly’s Tuesday remarks, he announced that the wide receiving corp is definitely shy one more playmaker -- and possible two -- as they prepare for Navy.
Theo Riddick will be wearing a cast on his severely sprained ankle and unavailable for Saturday’s contest.
“We were fearful it would require surgery,” Kelly said. “Doesn’t look like it will.”
A week after breaking out for his best game of the season, the hamstring that made Michael Floyd a game time decision also could sideline him a week later.
“Michael Floyd, we’ll rest him this week relative to practice, but we are going to dress him for Saturday and see where he is,” Kelly said. “We probably won’t have a true understanding of what he can do until game time.”
In the span of two weeks, the Irish have seen their receiving weapons decimated by injury, with their second and third best aerial weapons out indefinitely and their number one target a coin-toss to play.
TJ Jones will slide into the slot to take Riddick’s job this week, and John Goodman will stay outside, a position he’s split reps at with Jones the past few weeks. Duval Kamara, a senior who has become the forgotten man on the depth chart, will be asked to fill Floyd’s shoes if he’s unable to go on Saturday.
Jones’ work in the slot during spring practice is the main reason the offense is able to make this change.
“We couldn’t have done it unless he played the Z,” Kelly said about Jones’ switch inside. “He played it all spring.”
The lost of Rudolph, Riddick, and potentially Floyd puts plenty of strain on quarterback Dayne Crist, who will be forced to throw to an incredibly green set of receivers if all three top targets miss Saturday’s contest.