Notre Dame starting tight end ruled out for season

The injuries keep pouring on Notre Dame’s football team.

The Fighting Irish is down yet another starter for the season with tight end Durham Smythe slated to miss the rest of the year after undergoing knee and shoulder surgery Tuesday morning, ND announced.

He tore the MCL in his right knee in the fourth quarter of Notre Dame’s win at Virginia. He scored his first touchdown on a fake field goal play Saturday, as defenders were draped all over him.

Smythe is expected to return for spring practice.

The tight end joins redshirt sophomore quarterback Malik Zaire (fractured right ankle) and junior running back Tarean Folston (torn right ACL) as ND players who suffered debilitating injuries over the first two games. The Irish also lost redshirt junior defensive tackle Jarron Jones (torn right MCL) and freshman nickelback Shaun Crawford (torn ACL) for the season during fall camp, according to ESPN.

Smythe played in all 13 games last season, but caught just one pass for 7 yards. Sophomore Tyler Luatua is likely to see many of Smythe’s playing minutes.