Notre Dame offensive lineman Charles Jagusah suffered a fractured humerus in his left arm during a utility-terrain vehicle accident over the Fourth of July weekend in Wyoming. The redshirt sophomore underwent surgery to repair the fracture, marking another devastating setback for a player who was projected to start at right guard this fall.
How Charles Jagusah’s Latest Injury Threatens Notre Dame’s Offensive Line Plans
The timing couldn’t be worse for Jagusah, who was expected to be a key protector for freshman quarterback CJ Carr in his collegiate debut. This marks the second consecutive offseason that the 6’7″, 333-pound lineman has suffered a major injury before the regular season began.
“Sophomore OL Charles Jagusah was injured in a UTV accident in Wyoming on July 5. He has undergone surgery to repair a fracture of his left humerus. The initial prognosis is favorable, and he will return to campus early this week for further evaluation and continued care,” Notre Dame said.
Per #NotreDame: another injury setback for projected starting right guard Charles Jagusah. pic.twitter.com/3tU85NbSBI
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) July 6, 2025
In August 2024, Jagusah tore his right pectoral muscle in preseason camp, which sidelined him for the entire regular season. He returned just in time for Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff run, appearing on special teams against Georgia before seeing his first offensive snaps in the semifinal win over Penn State.
The Rock Island, Illinois, native then started at left tackle in the National Championship against Ohio State, playing all 63 offensive snaps and impressing coaches and analysts alike. His performance in that game showed exactly why he was considered a cornerstone of the Irish offensive line moving forward.
ND LT Charles Jagusah.
such great lower body strength. easy push to his spot against 44 and then strain to finish even when his hands are out of place and JTT is up under his chin. not normal! pic.twitter.com/AJs6mc7ClO
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) January 21, 2025
What This Means for Marcus Freeman’s Offensive Line Depth
Originally projected to start at left tackle in 2024 before his pectoral injury, Jagusah’s absence opened the door for Anthonie Knapp to emerge as a viable option at that position. During spring practice, coaches moved Jagusah to right guard, a role where he appeared poised to thrive before this latest setback.
The former top-50 recruit has played in just four games during his career, but he’s displayed flashes of elite potential whenever he’s been healthy. His only other career start came during the 2023 Sun Bowl win over Oregon State, where he showed the versatility that made him such a coveted prospect.
Joe Rudolph feels Charles Jagusah, widely viewed as Notre Dame’s present and future at left tackle, can be one of the best interior OL in CFB.
So Jagusah has been repping at right guard all spring. That’s where he filled in admirably in the Orange Bowl.https://t.co/6WS1yRbZU1 pic.twitter.com/7tdAZFxfas
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) March 26, 2025
Without Jagusah, the Irish offensive line faces another major challenge after losing veterans Rocco Spindler to Nebraska, Pat Coogan to Indiana, and Sam Pendleton to Tennessee through the transfer portal. The unit was already going to rely heavily on younger players, and now they’ll need to find another solution at right guard.
Notre Dame still has talent in players like Knapp and center Ashton Craig, but the depth concerns are real. The Irish open the season on August 31 at Miami, giving them less than two months to solidify their protection schemes without one of their most promising linemen.
For Jagusah, this represents another frustrating chapter in what should have been a breakout season.
Two straight preseason injuries now cast doubt on when he’ll be able to fulfill the potential that made him such a highly regarded recruit. The initial prognosis may be favorable, but the timing leaves Notre Dame scrambling to adjust their plans once again.