Notre Dame could begin the 2022 season without its offensive line’s lynchpin.
Head coach Marcus Freeman told reporters Thursday that center Jarrett Patterson suffered a foot sprain during Monday’s practice. He’s questionable for the Fighting Irish’s highly anticipated season opener at Ohio State on Sept. 3.
Freeman said Patterson’s Week 1 available will be a matter of pain tolerance.
“Right now, we’re being cautious on his return,” Freeman said, via Patrick Engel of On3 Sports. “We have to rest it. We’ll probably do a 10-day period of resting.”
Patterson, entering his fifth year as a graduate senior, has made 34 starts over the last three seasons without allowing a single sack. ESPN recently ranked him above all other offensive linemen as the No. 22 overall player in college football.
Although a source told The Athletic’s Pete Sampson that Patterson is “unlikely” to play against the Buckeyes, Freeman expressed some optimism.
“I know J-Patt, I know his mentality,” Freeman said. “As a head coach, I expect he may be out there because I know the competitor he is. That’s where we’re at right now, listening to the doctors and resting it for seven to 10 days.”