Notre Dame Football: Freshman poised for impact amid injuries

While it’s not hard to get excited about Notre Dame Football recruiting, it’s always nice when one of the program’s top recruits really starts showing out on the field for Marcus Freeman and company. Even if that player showing out isn’t remotely a surprise such as the case of Micah Gilbert.

The freshman wide receiver has been one of the most beloved Notre Dame Football gets since he committed last May.He’s also one that has already gotten praise this spring for the way he’s practiced, but on Saturday, Freeman made it clear that the man who has only officially been a part of the Fighting Irish program for a few months is going to make an impact this fall.

There is a bit of a caveat that is not all that positive as one of the reasons that Micah Gilbert is expected to get some serious playing time in 2024. Wide receiver injuries continue to be a problem.

Still, Freeman stepped to the mic after a jersey scrimmage on Saturday and said that Gilbert is “going to do some things for us this year." To underline that notion, the Notre Dame Football head coach stated that the freshman receiver was running with the first-team offense in the just-finished scrimmage.

Notre Dame Football envisions freshman receiver as big contributor in 2024

It’s true that part of the reason that Gilbert was running with the first team on Saturday was because some veterans are nursing injury. Also on Saturday, Freeman shed light on why transfer receiver Jayden Harrison was spotted wearing a walking boot earlier this week.

It turns out the former Marshall star is sidelined with a strained plantar fascia. His long term prognosis is good but Harrison won’t play the rest of the spring. 

Harrison not getting more chances to get to know his Notre Dame Football teammates is obviously not great. However, more chances for Gilbert to get playing time with the first team certainly isn’t a negative in the long run.