With Malachi Toney out for the game against Notre Dame, Miami could turn to Mark Fletcher and the running game to fill the gap in its offense. If the 'Canes do decide to go that route, the absence of both Francis Brewu and Jason Onye is going to hurt.
Both Brewu and Onye had been considered doubtful for most of the week. However, just over an hour before kickoff, the school announced that both are officially out. Both men are defensive tackles and among the sport's best at the position.
In place of Brewu and Onye, Notre Dame will likely start Armel Mukam and Tionne Gray at defensive tackle. The two players have gotten decent playing time, but the Miami offensive line is big and strong enough to push the defense around.
Losing those two defenders is especially concerning after Notre Dame's last game against a ranked opponent. Against BYU, the Irish had all kinds of problems generating any pass rush. With Malachi Toney out, when Miami does go to the air, it would be nice to see the defensive front pressure quarterback Darian Mensah as he looks for a new target.
Francis Brewu and Jason Onye ruled out as Notre Dame football faces Miami run-game threat
Against Navy, Mukam played 31 snaps and had one of his better games of the year. He recorded 3 tackles against a Midshipmen rushing attack that absolutely dominated the Irish defense at times last Saturday, especially in the first half.
Gray saw 30 snaps last Saturday but recorded just one assisted tackle. He’ll need to improve his game significantly to fill in at starting defensive tackle against the No. 1 team in the country.
For Onye, the injury is the latest in a disappointing, frustrating season. He had a breakout 2025 and was hoping to parlay a solid 2026 into a potential first-day draft pick. However, he suffered an injury in the first half of the season opener against Wisconsin, and he was starting to work his way into shape and back into the rotation when he suffered a knee injury.
Of course, another issue for Notre Dame is that Brewu and Onye are far from the only Irish players who are banged up. Leonard Moore will likely play tonight after seeing very limited action over the last few weeks. Starting safety Brauntae Johnson is definitely out, as is starting linebacker Drayk Bowen.
How well Notre Dame overcomes a plethora of defensive injuries against Miami will be key to whether it can knock off the No. 1 team in the country and effectively punch its ticket to the College Football Playoff.
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