Notre Dame football has pair of DBs ready to step in after key departure
While the Notre Dame football team is preparing for its biggest game of the year this weekend, it’s also working on figuring out how to replace a departed defensive back. Just as the Irish start planning for Louisville, Jaden Mickey is sitting out the rest of the season.
The biggest issue here is that the Blue and Gold have already taken some hits, injury wise to the defensive backfield. However, there isn’t and shouldn’t be any sense of panic in South Bend. The defense has an impressive level of depth.
Among the depth, and the players who are expected to step up in Mickey’s absence are a couple of true freshmen. And it’s entirely possible that the veteran DB’s exit could actually be better for the Notre Dame football program in the long run, as they get valuable snaps over the course of the rest of this season.
It helps that the Irish are very solid with Benjamin Morrison and Christian Gray are playing great. Then there’s guys like Jordan Clark and of Xavier Watts backing up the corners from the safety position. That lets the Irish bring along Leonard Moore and Karson Hobbs slowly, but steadily.
Notre Dame football freshmen poised to step up in Jaden Mickey’s absence
For his part, Moore has already got some playing time. He has played 55 defensive snaps, not all of which came in garbage time. He made his debut with 5 snaps in Week 1 at Texas A&M. In a game that wasn’t decided until the very end.
Hobbs has seen a few snaps here and there. He’s appeared in just two games so far and seen 15 snaps. But he’s going to see more as the season goes on.
It looks like Moore could be the guy that benefits the most as he’ll now likely take over what Mickey was offering and Hobbs will slide into Moore’s old spot. That’s A-ok with Benjamin Morrison.
The veteran defensive back thinks Moore will eventually be very, very good. “This might be a stretch,” Morrison told the media in August. “But Leonard Moore will be better than I will be here,” “He’s a special kid.”
Notre Dame football certainly hopes he and Hobbs can offer something special as there’s still two thirds of the season to go.