Notre Dame came away with a win against Virginia but is losing a few important defensive players after the game. Coach Brian Kelly announced on his teleconference Sunday that defensive end Daelin Hayes is out for the year with a torn labrum and cornerback Shaun Crawford is out for three to four weeks with a dislocated elbow.
The announcement comes after Kelly praised his defense for an excellent second-half performance in the 35-20 win.
Hayes is a four-year player for Notre Dame who had 31 tackles and two sacks in 2018 and has already recorded five total tackles with three tackles for loss and one sack this season.
Despite being lost for the year, Hayes could benefit from the new rule allowing players to take a redshirt if they have not participated in more than four games in the current season. Hayes has played in each of his first three seasons on campus and is under the four game limit for 2019, which would allow him to return for a fifth year in 2020 if he decided to do so.
Crawford should be able to return this season, but the fourth-year defensive back has suffered numerous injuries in his time at Notre Dame. Crawford tore an ACL (which required surgery) in 2015, tore an Achilles in 2016 and again tore an ACL in 2018.
The Ohio native has 12 total tackles and one interception through four games this season.
