SOUTH BEND − Nobody wore black.
Nobody stood in silence or sought a sympathetic shoulder for support. Nobody shed a tear or wondered how all that looked so right only three days earlier could go so wrong.
In other words, nobody died. It was business as usual Tuesday morning for Notre Dame football.
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It may have felt funeral-like on Monday when Notre Dame, a potential Top 10 team, a certain College Football Playoff participant, announced that it had lost its starting left offensive tackle, sophomore Charles Jagusah, for the entire 2024 season. Jagusah, whose next regular-season start at left tackle would be his first regular-season start at left tackle, suffered a right pectoral injury Saturday that needed season-ending surgery.
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The reaction was predictable. The Irish are doomed. A season that could be special cannot even get out of August. How does an offensive line already suspect recover?
Outside the walls of Notre Dame football, it made for curious content and mindless message board banter (This season’s shot!) for a few hours. Inside Irish football, it was a non-issue.
Jagusah’s gone, but not forgotten while fifth-year veteran Tosh Baker is the new starting left tackle. Put it in pen. It’s permanent. Notre Dame moves on from Jagusah and moves forward with Baker.
“Obviously, it sucks,” left guard Pat Coogan said of Jagusah’s injury. “On Saturday, it’s a low moment; it’s a sad moment.”
But…
“We reload; we reset,” Coogan said. “We take a deep breath and we’re like, let’s get back to work. That’s the nature of the game. It’s a beast of a game and that’s what happens.”
The offensive line was going to be an area of interest for just about everyone with a website during Tuesday’s open viewing window. So much so that the Notre Dame media relations staff made specific mention of where the group would work on the team’s secondary all-grass practice field that sits tight against Twyckenham Avenue.
When the gates opened, it was like the morning rush at Costco. More than a dozen media members gathered in that O-Line area — even with no promise of free food. Imagine that.
Quarterback Riley Leonard could’ve thrown a few picks. Tight end Mitchell Evans could’ve made a one-handed grab in the corner of the end zone (wait, he did) and the defense could’ve wreaked all kinds of havoc in those first periods, and so few would’ve noticed.
All eyes were on the offensive line. Specifically, all eyes were on the left tackle. Who would step in with the first team? Baker was the winner, having shifted from right tackle, where he was running second behind starter Aamil Wagner.
Working behind Baker on Tuesday was true freshman Anthonie Knapp, which means this must work with Baker. He can’t get hurt. He can’t just kind of be good. Knapp may be good one day, but he’s not start-as-a-true-freshman good. Baker’s a mountain of a man at 6-foot-8, 320. Nobody on the O-line has been around longer (fifth season).
“I love Tosh,” said Coogan, who lined up next to Baker on Tuesday. “We’ve been playing together since the day I got here. I have the utmost confidence in him. We’ve been on this ride together, so I’m excited.
“I know he’s a great football player.”
Baker conveniently — strategically? — was not among the four offensive linemen to meet the media at the conclusion of practice No. 5. Like a kicker, the less you hear of him, the better. No news about Baker is good news for the Irish. For this season.
Texas A&M game is this week, Baker’s your starting left tackle, a spot he last staffed for two starts (Purdue, Wisconsin) in 2021. That was the year that saw Notre Dame audition a different left tackle in four of the first six games before a freshman named Joe Alt came along and basically set up shop for the next three seasons.
Baker started at right tackle for the Sun Bowl, then gave ground to Wagner for that starting spot as fall camp opened. He could’ve left, could’ve left long before this summer, but he stayed and stuck it out. Now, a massive opportunity awaits.
Baker knows it. His O-line brothers know it.
“His competitive level, his care level is off the charts,” said offensive line coach Joe Rudolph. “He’s ready to go.”
Ready to do what has long been a mantra under third-year coach Marcus Freeman — choose hard. Ready to run with another tried cliche — next man up.
Ugh … but both apply to Notre Dame. Now. Next week. Next month. This season. This is football. Some guys get hurt. Other guys step in. The revolving door never stops spinning.
This is hard. This will be hard. Next week. Next month. At Texas A&M to open the season and at USC to close it and everything in between. Losing a starting left tackle isn’t easy. Replacing him and moving on, cannot be. This team is about more than just the starting left tackle. Whoever it was (Jagusah) and whoever it is (Baker).
Dwelling on the loss of someone with one career start would be a disservice to Leonard. To defensive tackles Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills. To linebacker Jack Kiser. To everyone out there Tuesday morning on the practice field. Tuesday was a time to turn the page and keep moving. Without Jagusah. That may be hard to hear, but that also is what needs to be.
This train’s still moving. Everything about this season’s still very much alive.
“As soon as something happens, boom, next guy in,” Rudolph said. “They’re a brotherhood. They understand that when they get the opportunity to step in and step up for one another, that’s not something that even needs to be discussed.
“They know they’ll be stronger for this journey and so will Charles.”
So will Notre Dame.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on Twitter: @tnoieNDI. Contact: (574) 235-6153.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: This position might carry the biggest concerns/questions for Notre Dame football
