Notre Dame’s Charles Jagusah, a redshirt freshman who was expected to start at left tackle, tore his right pectoralis muscle during Saturday’s practice and will miss the entire 2024 season.
The Athletic’s Pete Sampson was the first to report the news.
Jagusah, a 6-foot-7, 330-pounder, made his first career start in the Fighting Irish’s 40-8 win over Oregon St. at last year’s Sun Bowl. He was filling in for starter Joe Alt, who pulled out of the bowl game to prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Jagusah played 61 snaps against the Beavers and helped Notre Dame rush for 236 yards and two TDs. He did give up one sack in pass protection.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Jagusah was a four-star prospect and Notre Dame’s top recruit in the 2023 class. The Alleman High School (Rock Island, IL.) product was the #1 player in the state of Illinois, the country’s #8 OT and the nation’s #46 overall prospect.
Fifth-year senior Tosh Baker started at right tackle against Oregon St. However, Baker ended up behind junior Aamil Wagner going into fall camp. He could end up moving to the left side and winning the starting job opposite of Wagner.
Baker started a pair of games in both 2021 and 2022. He’s played 327 career snaps for the Fighting Irish, allowing eight pressures and three sacks.
Marcus Freeman’s team has two true freshman who can play left tackle in Anthonie Knapp and Guerby Lambert. Knapp, who is 6’4″ and 291 pounds, enrolled early in January.
Lambert is a 6-foot-7, 318-pounder who was a four-star prospect and the #1 player out of the state of Massachusetts.
Most books have Notre Dame listed as a one-point underdog for its season opener at Texas A&M on Aug. 31. The total is 47 points.
FanDuel has the Fighting Irish’s season win total at 10.5 (‘under’ -176, ‘over’ +142).