Clemson football needs its starting MIKE linebacker back against Notre Dame
The Clemson football team is set to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in a rematch of a game we saw just a few weeks ago up in South Bend, Indiana.
Notre Dame is currently ranked as the No. 2 team in the nation and the Fighting Irish went a perfect 10-0, including a win over Clemson football, during the regular season.
Clemson enters the matchup as the No. 3 team in the nation with a 9-1 overall record. The Tigers’ loss to the Irish occurred without a few key pieces including QB Trevor Lawrence and several defensive starters.
While we talk a lot about the loss of Lawrence- which didn’t actually turn out to be a huge deal with how D.J. Uiagalelei played- the loss of MIKE linebacker James Skalski proved to be a major blow to the Tigers.
Skalski had surgery and has been rehabbing a groin injury he suffered early on in the season. He returned to play the majority of the game last week against Pitt and things seemed like they were headed in the right direction before the Tigers went to Blacksburg to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Skalski played the first series and then was held out for the remainder of the game.
Percentage-chance that Clemson football has James Skalski ready to play by the time they play Notre Dame in Charlotte
After the game, Dabo Swinney told the media that Skalski was ‘sore’ and that they just made the precautionary decision to hold him out for the rest of the game.
"“Skalski was just sore. He felt a little sore at the beginning so we really just kind of held him as a precaution,” Swinney said via ClemsonSI. “We said let’s see how we do here and let’s not risk it.”"
Swinney was also asked about Skalski again on Monday during his press conference and said this:
"“Anything can happen, but as of today, I think he’s in a good spot,” Swinney said."
It makes sense to hold a player out who has battled injury in a game where you feel like you should gain the upper hand- against Virginia Tech- and knowing that it was 30 degrees over the course of the night.
That being said, Clemson football needs Skalski on the field and fully-engaged to slow down this Notre Dame offensive attack that accumulated 518 yards of total offense and 208 rushing yards on 5.2 YPC.
- Chance he’s on the field against Notre Dame? I’d give it a 90 percent chance.
- Chance he’s fully ready for Notre Dame? I’d give it 65 percent chance.
I think there’s very little doubt we’re going to see Skalski on the field as he’s been medically cleared and he’ll have two weeks to rest up. That ’90 percent’ should be higher, but I’m only giving it a 65 percent chance that we see him at full-strength completely active and ready to go.
That’s the game of football and how injuries work sometimes and it’s not something you want to see, but I’ve got good news: A Jamie Skalski at 85 percent is better than no Jamie Skalski at all.