Notre Dame rules out leading tackler Drayk Bowen for Saturday against Miami

Notre Dame will play No. 1 Miami on Saturday without linebacker Drayk Bowen. The Irish listed him as out with a right ankle injury on the availability report they released Monday, a few days after he got hurt in a 35-13 win over Navy.

Bowen leads Notre Dame with 45 tackles, and his two pass breakups are tied for third on the team. He also wears the defense's radio helmet, relaying calls from the sideline. Coach Marcus Freeman said that role is less important than it sounds in a loud stadium. "Really, the coach-to-player communication is just more of a backup," he said, per ESPN. "But I'm expecting the stadium to be so loud that the coach-to-player communication ain't helping anybody but the person who has the helmet on."

Freeman said Jaiden Ausberry and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa will wear the green-dot helmets with Bowen out, according to South Bend broadcaster Chuck Freeby, who was at the news conference.

The full report

• Out: LB Drayk Bowen (right ankle), S Brauntae Johnson (left foot), CB DJ McKinney (right ankle).
• Questionable: DL Francis Brewu (left knee), DL Jason Onye (right knee).
• Off the report: CB Leonard Moore and LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa.

Johnson and McKinney have been out since the season opener against Wisconsin, per ESPN. The questionable tags on Brewu and Onye are the better news for the Irish, since both defensive tackles are on the depth chart for Saturday.

Why it matters

This is No. 4 against No. 1, and it carries playoff weight for both sides. Miami is 8-0 but just gave up 341 passing yards in a 38-35 escape at North Carolina. Notre Dame is 7-1, with its loss coming 28-24 at BYU. Losing its top tackler puts more on a linebacker room that will have two new voices calling the defense.

What to watch: Notre Dame's final injury report later this week, especially Brewu and Onye. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday in South Bend.