Notre Dame football's championship dreams took a significant hit after the devastating news about the All-American defensive linemen, Rylie Mills, and that he will miss the remainder of the season due to the knee injury he suffered against Indiana in the first round of the playoffs. A captain and key piece to this Irish defense, Mills, leads the team with 7.5 sacks and added 19 solo tackles.
“You can’t replace Rylie Mills.” Marcus Freeman stated in his press conference ahead of the Sugar Bowl. “The value he provided to this team is tremendous and he has done an excellent job as a football player and a leader.”
The Fighting Irish won’t be able to replace Mill’s and the skillset and talents he brings to the Irish defense, but they will need players to step up and rise to the challenge and put pressure on the opposing teams quarterback. The Irish defense was led by Mills and has been stout all year long as the defense has given up the third least amount of passing yards with 157.9 and giving up just 133 yards per game on the ground.
“You have to replace the production, and you have to replace what he did for our defense in different ways. We have capable guys that will step up that have stepped up all year and that we are very confident in.” Marcus Freeman stated about is defense filling in Rylie Mills role.
Georgia also faces uncertainty heading into the Sugar Bowl, as sophomore quarterback Gunner Stockton is set to make his first career start. Irish defense has lost many key players this year, but if they want to shock the world and break their national championship curse, then here are three players for Notre Dame football who will make or break the Irish championship dreams.
3 players who make or break Notre Dame football championship dreams
Howard Cross
Cross was sidelined the last two games of the regular season for the Irish due to an ankle injury from week 11. Cross returned for the playoff opener against Indiana and registered an assisted tackle and had a pass breakup. Cross has been a dominant for the Irish and has helped lead the Irish to lead the nation in interior sacks with 19. Cross has recorded four sacks on the season with 23 tackles and 13 of them being solo and 5.5 of them were for a loss.
Cross stands at 6-foot-1, 288-pounds and is a versatile defender who can line up in many positions on the defensive line. The Irish will need him at 100% and back to not only the production he was at before the injury, but back to 2023 Cross, where he earned second-team All-American. With Mills out, Cross will get a lot of attention and must be a difference maker on the defensive line.
Bryce Young
Bryce Young is a true Freshman and has been a difference maker on the defense and special teams. Young has 12 solo tackles and 1.5 half sacks with a sack coming from their first round victory over Indiana. Young provides a spark of energy to this defense and will be a key piece to stopping the run game, but the freshman quick speed off the line allows him to get pressure on the opposing quarterback.
The freshman out of North Carolina received high praise from his head coach ahead of the quarterfinal game against Georgia.
“He played really well. He has played well all season, and he is a difference maker.” Marcus Freeman said on his freshman, Bryce Young. “To be a true freshman and to play at the level he is playing at, he prepares the right way and is performing at a high level. He is a huge part of what we are doing defensively. We will need another big game out of him as we get ready for Georgia.”
Gabriel Rubio
Rubio will need to improve his production and be a key experience player for this Irish defense. Rubio has eight solo tackles and a sack in his 2024 season so far. His best game of the season came against USC where he earned two solo tackles, including a sack for a loss, which was his first sack of his collegiate career.
Last year Rubio finished the season with 11 tackles, with four of them coming on his own. He had five quarterback hurries and forced a fumble as well as one pass deflection. Rubio will need to step up to this challenge and provide help to Cross and Young and the rest of the D-line. Irish will need to control the trenches to make a deep playoff run and Rubio has big shoes to fill.
"The next man has to get the next opportunity and he has to go do it." Freeman stated on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. "I have always say this, you earned the trust and the opportunity way before you get out there in front of the national TV. You earned that opportunity at practice and the trust from the coaches and the guys we put out there have earned our trust. You are not going to replace Rylie Mills with one person, it's multiple people that have to make up some of the production that he had."
The Irish will return to action in less than one week and will try and break recent history and get their first New Year Six bowl win in over three decades. The Notre Dame football team has won 11 straight and will face off against the Georgia Bulldogs on Jan.1 at 7:45pm