Getty Images A year after Notre Dame got through the season without an injury at the precariously thin defensive end position, the Irish have suffered a second loss, this time a major one. Head coach Brian Kelly announced defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore will miss the rest of the season with a detached medial collateral ligament.
“Kapron will be out for the season,” Kelly said this afternoon. “It was a very unusual injury. Our doctors couldn’t get a good feel after the game for what it was.”
The injury takes another key player out of the two-deep depth chart and robs the Irish of their most consistent defensive lineman at a time where he’s needed most. Freshman Stephon Tuitt will step into Lewis-Moore’s place on the depth chart.
Who starts across from his is the biggest question for the Irish front seven. Ethan Johnson has missed the past two games for the Irish, recovering from a high ankle sprain. Kelly hopes to have him back to play this weekend against Navy’s option offense.
“E.J. will practice for us today for the first time. We’ll see what he can do,” Kelly said. “I don’t believe he’s at a point now where he can take every rep, but we’re confident that he’s going to be able to help us on Saturday.”
If he’s not, it’ll be freshman Aaron Lynch lining up opposite Tuitt. Supplying the depth behind them will be freshman Chase Hounshell and sophomore Kona Schwenke.
When you looked at the defensive roster at the beginning of the year, the four most irreplaceable players on the defense were Manti Te’o, Harrison Smith, and Johnson and Lewis-Moore. The Irish will play an offense that relies on experience and physicality at the point of attack with mostly freshman across the front line, turning Saturday’s game into a very interesting proposition.
“Kapron and Ethan probably have more experience against the option than anybody here in terms of actually understanding their jobs and what to do,” Kelly said. “But, you know, we’ll call on the next guy.”
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- trbowman - Oct 25, 2011 at 4:23 PM
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Best wishes to KLM for a speedy recovery.
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- newyorknd - Oct 25, 2011 at 4:48 PM
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ditto
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- bgnd91 - Oct 25, 2011 at 5:01 PM
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screwed up my MCL playing hockey last year. wouldn’t wish something like that on anyone. hopefully he can not only fully recover, but also not be affected mentally by it, as well.
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- tedlinko - Oct 25, 2011 at 6:38 PM
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This is a HUGE loss for the Irish, the timing of which is that much more serious because of who we play this weekend. Defensive End is perhaps the most important position on the D-line when facing an option team -and experience is critical.
I’m always nervous when we play Navy – I just got three times as nervous and I was before I heard this news.
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- jerseyshorendfan1 - Oct 26, 2011 at 2:26 AM
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Couldn’t agree more. Remember those halcyon days when we NEVER worried about Navy. Anyway, here’s hoping KLM has a speedy and full recovery.
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- 1historian - Oct 25, 2011 at 9:59 PM
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Let’s not give up on these guys.
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- newyorknd - Oct 26, 2011 at 10:02 AM
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The Navy game is going to be quite a test in ‘assignment correct’ football for Lynch, Tuitt, and Nix.
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- fitz79 - Oct 26, 2011 at 10:33 AM
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Man oh man, Navy coming to town and us without our two best defensive ends. Navy couldn’t've asked for a better early Christmas present! What this’ll end up doing is putting more pressure not only on the defense and those two freshmen playing, but the offense as well to take advantage of every last scoring opportunity. I sense another nail biter.
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- alsatiannd - Oct 26, 2011 at 12:53 PM
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Either I was too emotionally engaged in the USC game, or the NBC announcers completely missed KLM’s injury/absence (I bet the latter), but when exactly did KLM leave the game?
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- ndfan4ever - Oct 26, 2011 at 1:38 PM
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Thats really a tough loss for sure. That being said the guys behind them maybe freshman but they are not the first freshman ever to have to play. Navy is tough but we are tougher and these guys will get it done. There should be no way for Navy to stop our offense like against Air Force. The offense will need to keep the ball and sustain drives and score. This will grealty help out the defense. The defense may have to change to a four man front instead of three to stop the run. We can do it have faith you guys on here sound like some whinning little girls sometimes. GO IRISH bets of luck KLM get well quick.
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- ndbcs2013 - Oct 26, 2011 at 3:06 PM
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I hear ya on the whining. But ND is 4 and 3 – are you happy with that?? Sorry, but I don’t think a bit of whining and complaining is out of order at all. In fact I would worry if ND fans WEREN’T complaining about the way this season has unfolded thus far. Still a huge supporter, just unhappy with the 2011 results so far, and getting impatient for the “resurgence” to really take hold!
As for Navy I am not as simply optimistic as you are. Navy is better than Air Force, and ND is hurt in critical places to defend. This will not be a cakewalk.
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- ndbcs2013 - Oct 26, 2011 at 3:19 PM
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Keith, I know that you have no issue with Kelly’s sideline demeanor and tirades, but I think that you are wrong about it. Even though BK has mellowed a bit since the start of the season (just like last year – why the cycle very year?), he’s still wound tighter than bolts on a new bridge. And I believe that when his team plays tight it is a reflection of him.
Remember the Trojans under Carroll? Loose, confident and seemingly unafraid to make mistakes or to go for it in big situations – just like their coach. I really like BK overall, but I do look forward to seeing him coach with calmer confidence in the future. And I’m honestly not sure how anyone cannot see this link between his sideline explosions and his players playing tight? It’s not that these huge men are babies that need to toughen up – it’s simple human nature to perform well in the optimal environment.
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- leftcoastirishfan - Oct 26, 2011 at 11:18 PM
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I was a little surprised about the way Kelly handled Calabrese after the ULC call. The guy plays with hate and great passion. We saw Shembo and Fleming get burned on huge plays earlier. Kelly calls him over and embarrasses him for all to see. What does that do to your locker room. Some things you can’t take back. It was a marginal call and Kelly should of stood up for him. I think it deflated the whole defense.
