It will be a while before Devin Butler returns to the field for Notre Dame.
According to the South Bend Tribune, Fighting Irish coach Brian Kelly said Monday that Butler reinjured his foot late last week and will be out for “14 to 16 weeks.” Butler, a senior cornerback, first fractured the foot in late December a few days before the Irish played Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Butler will have surgery on the injured left foot next week, Kelly said. Butler re-fractured the foot and will have a screw inserted.
“It’s tough,” Kelly said. “(He’s) a guy that’s struggled both in life and in football. He had a great semester academically. We really see him trending in the right way. And then to have an injury like that was very disappointing for him. And we’re disappointed for him.”
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Butler played in 12 games for the Irish last fall and moved into the starting lineup for the regular season finale at Stanford after KeiVarae Russell went down with a broken leg. Butler was slated to start again for the Irish against Ohio State, but was injured in practice four days before the game.
Overall, Butler had 11 tackles in 2015.
Looking ahead, Butler was slated for plenty of playing time in 2016, most likely in the slot as a nickel corner. Now, with his redshirt season still available, he could have a decision to make. If he returns in the 14-16 week window Kelly provided, Butler could be available for the second half of the season. Otherwise, Butler could decide to use the season to get healthy and return as a fifth-year senior in 2017.
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Butler, a native of Washington D.C., played in a combined 25 games in 2013 and 2014, totaling 28 tackles and an interception.
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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
