Notre Dame football reserves Matty Augustine and Chaz Smith face season-ending surgeries
Two reserve players for Notre Dame football - offensive lineman Matty Augustine and defensive back Chaz Smith - have been diagnosed with injuries that will require surgery, though both are expected to return later this season.
Notre Dame football reported that two reserve athletes have incurred injuries requiring surgery as the team began its fall camp. Offensive lineman Matty Augustine, a second-year player standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 315 pounds, broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot, an injury that will be addressed surgically. He was expected to challenge Sullivan Absher for the starting right-guard position.
Defensive back Chaz Smith, a freshman from Knoxville, Tennessee, suffered a scaphoid fracture in his right wrist and will also undergo an operation. Smith was projected to serve as a reserve and could contribute on special teams. Coaches, including offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and co-defensive coordinator Aaron Henry, expressed confidence that both players will recover and rejoin the squad before the season concludes. The announcements were made by Notre Dame on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Why it matters
Key depth players for Notre Dame's football team will miss practice time due to surgeries, affecting roster planning.
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