Notre Dame will be without starting defenders Brauntae Johnson and Jason Onye for several weeks, but could regain linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa for Saturday's home opener against Rice.
Johnson (left foot) and Onye (left ankle) both sustained injuries in the first half of Sunday's season-opening win against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Coach Marcus Freeman said both will be out a few weeks but will return later this season.
Viliamu-Asa, who sustained an ACL tear in his left knee late last season, is "trending in a way that we expect him to be out there on Saturday," Freeman said, adding that how much depends on how practices go this week. Notre Dame continued to list Viliamu-Asa as questionable on its availability report. Viliamu-Asa tied for fourth on the team with 48 tackles last season, and had three sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss and an interception.
Freeman expects defensive tackle transfers Tionne Gray and Francis Brewu who both performed well against Wisconsin, to fill in for Onye, a sixth-year player who had 26 tackles last season. Senior Luke Talich is set to start at safety in place of Johnson, a junior who was second on the team with four interceptions last season.
