New redshirt rule may ease the pain of losing DT Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa to broken foot

SOUTH BEND — The NCAA’s new redshirt rule may ease the pain — a little — of losing sophomore defensive tackle Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa for most of the season.

The key backup defensive lineman suffered a broken bone in his foot Saturday night in No. 12 Notre Dame’s 24-17 season-opening, home victory over 14th-ranked Michigan, according to Irish head coach Brian Kelly.

The 6-foot-3, 285-pounder from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, is scheduled to have surgery on Monday.

“Fifth metatarsal … and that’s usually something that takes about 10 weeks,” Kelly said Sunday in his weekly teleconference wrap-up. “It’s disappointing obviously for Myron.

“He’s an outstanding player, but again we’re hopeful we’ll get some play out of him at the end of the year.”

And that’s where the new redshirt rule potentially comes into play.

Tagovailoa-Amosa could play up to an additional three games late in the season and still not burn a year of eligibility.

Under the old rule, ND would have had to choose between reactivating him late and losing a year if he played so much as a down in the second half of the season, or keeping him on the shelf.

In the meantime, freshman Jayson Ademilola will move up to No. 2 behind senior starter Jerry Tillery. Senior Micah Dew-Treadway will become part of the rotation and starting nose guard Jonathan Bonner, a grad senior, will cross train at defensive tackle.

Ademilola was credited with a tackle Saturday night in his collegiate debut.

“We have confidence in Jayson to play really good football for us,” Kelly said of the 6-3, 284-pound product of Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter’s Prep.

Tagovailoa-Amosa saw considerable playing time as a freshman and in high-leverage situations. He had 12 tackles over 13 games with 1½ for losses.