The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have won three games in a row after losing the first two of the season to Miami and Texas A&M.
Marcus Freeman’s team has responded with wins over Purdue, Arkansas and Boise State, with each one coming by at least three touchdowns.
In Week 7, Notre Dame faces North Carolina State in South Bend in the second of a three-game home stretch for the Irish.
However, Notre Dame will be without starting wide receiver Jaden Greathouse once again, Matt Freeman reported.
Greathouse also missed the Boise State game with a right thigh injury, and now he will wait at least one more week to get back on the field.
Notre Dame Expected to Get Starter Back Amid Injury Woes
Notre Dame released its injury report on Thursday, and Greathouse was one of five players ruled out for the contest against NC State.
- OL Will Black, Concussion
- CB DeVonta Smith, Right calf
- OL Charles Jagusah, Left arm
- OL Peter Jones, Left ankle
Tight end Cooper Flanagan is questionable with a left Achilles issue, and kicker Noah Burnette is also questionable with a right hip injury.
However, Burnette is expected to play after he also missed the Boise State game.
“Notre Dame kicker Noah Burnette will go through a workout today. It’s expected to go well, and if it does, he’ll be the Fighting Irish’s placekicker Saturday vs. NC State,” Tyler Horka of On3 Sports wrote.
Marcus Freeman also stated that the plan is to have Burnette back for the game, per Jack Soble of On3.
“Right now, Noah will be ready to go,” Freeman said. “He will kick today, and we plan on Noah being our kicker.”
The Notre Dame coach also added that the plan is to use Erik Schmidt in some capacity as well, per Soble.
“Right now, we already plan on Erik probably being a longer-distance [kicker], depending on where Noah’s line will be,” Freeman said. “But Noah will be our kicker.”
In Burnette’s absence, Marcello Diomede kicked a pair of extra points and Schmidt missed his only extra point attempt in the 28-7 win over Boise State.
On the year, Burnette is 3-3 on field goals and a perfect 13-13 on extra points despite missing two games, and the former North Carolina kicker should be back to face NC State.
Will Pauling Could Step Up in Greathouse’s Absence
Greathouse has just four catches for 73 yards this season, but missing his second straight game is not positive news for the offense.
Against Boise State, Jordan Faison led the way with six catches for 83 yards and Malachi Fields had four receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown.
Will Pauling, who transferred from Wisconsin, had a pair of receptions for 43 yards and a score, and he figures to be the immediate beneficiary in Greathouse’s absence.
“Will Pauling will be the Fighting Irish’s No. 1 slot receiver again,” Tyler Horka of On3 Sports wrote.
This season, Pauling has nine receptions for 138 yards with a pair of touchdowns, but he is averaging a career-best 15.3 yards per catch in a small sample size thus far.
NC State enters with a 4-2 record and the Wolfpack are coming off a 56-10 win over Campbell.
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