<\/p>\n
Marcus Freeman<\/strong> has quite the puzzle to solve. With the NCAA National Championship<\/strong> game just a couple of days away, the Notre Dame<\/strong><\/a> head coach needs to decide what to do without players who have been key<\/strong> to the team’s performance this season.<\/p>\n Freeman and his Fighting Irish will face the Ohio State Buckeyes on Monday<\/strong> at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The team will bring most of its stars, starting with quarterback Riley Leonard and receiver Jordan Faison<\/strong>.<\/p>\n However, they will also have to address the absence of several players who have not recovered from their injuries<\/strong>. Others will be able to play, but they will not be 100%, which will represent a challenge for Freeman and the Notre Dame coaching staff<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Related:<\/strong><\/p>\n The players that were ruled out<\/strong><\/p>\n Several of them were injured before the start of the regular season<\/strong>, so their absence will not weigh as heavily on the team. OL Styles Prescod, S Teabron Bennie-Powell, RB Gi’Bran Payne, DB Chance Tucker, CB Benjamin Morrison, and DE Boubacar Traore have been nursing injuries most of the season<\/strong> and will not play this Monday either.<\/p>\n The real problem for Coach Freeman<\/a> is the players who recently got hurt<\/strong> and who have already been ruled out for the game against Ohio State. Defensive lineman Rylie Mills<\/strong> injured a knee in the first round of the College Football Playoff (CFP)<\/strong>, which will keep him out against the Buckeyes.<\/p>\n Tight end Cooper Flanagan hurt his Achilles tendon<\/strong> in the second round of the CFP, while offensive tackle Anthonie Knapp injured an ankle<\/strong> in the semifinal against Penn State. Both will miss the grand finale<\/strong> against Ohio State.<\/p>\n Receiver Beaux Collins (calf) and offensive guard Rocco Spindler (ankle)<\/strong> were hurt in the Penn State game and are being evaluated day-to-day. They could play against Ohio State<\/a>, but their performances are unlikely to be the best<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Star running back Jeremiyah Love has battled a knee injury<\/strong> that has affected his stats in the CFP. He’s a lock to play Monday, but it’s hard to know how the injury will affect him. The issues appear serious, but fans are confident Freeman already has a solution<\/strong> that will allow them to hoist the championship trophy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nQuestionable and available<\/h2>\n