SOUTH BEND — Preseason All-America cornerback Benjamin Morrison will miss the rest of the season with a hip injury that will require surgery, Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman announced Monday.

A junior captain projected to go in the first round of the NFL Draft in 2025, Morrison was on the field for 47 defensive snaps in Saturday’s 49-7 win over Stanford. Morrison, who had a first-half interception wiped out due to penalty, left the field for 12 snaps on Sept. 28 against Louisville while dealing with an undefined injury.

Morrison also was sidelined briefly in the season opener at Texas A&M with an issue that had him doing stretching exercises for his lower body.

“It’s a blow to our team to lose a captain, a great football player, and you feel terrible for the kid,” Freeman said. “He gives football and gives preparation everything he has. It’s just tough, but he’s a tough kid. He’s a tough individual.”

Morrison, who would have one more year of eligibility if he chose to return, missed the bulk of spring practice after having arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder.

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“He’s been through this before,” Freeman said. “He’ll have surgery and get back to work to become the best version of Benjamin.”

Morrison collected nine interceptions in his first two seasons, tying Luther Bradley’s 49-year-old freshman record with six picks in 2022. Morrison’s 26 career starts for Notre Dame trail only defensive linemen Rylie Mills (29) and Howard Cross III (27) on the current roster.

Morrison’s loss follows the recent departure of fellow junior cornerback Jaden Mickey, who decided to redshirt after Game 4 with plans to enter the transfer portal when it opens in December.

Sophomore Christian Gray has made five career starts at field corner, and freshman revelation Leonard Moore figures to step in as the starting boundary corner with Morrison out.

Nickelback Jordan Clark, the sixth-year grad transfer from Arizona State, fared well outside while spelling Morrison against Louisville. Freshman Karson Hobbs has been practicing at all three corner spots, and Northwestern grad transfer Rod Heard II thrived in the nickelback role at his prior stop.

“We’re obviously thin with some injuries,” Freeman said, “but I’m very confident in the room.”

Morrison is the third defensive starter lost to a season-ending injury halfway through the schedule. He joins Vypers Jordan Botelho and Boubacar Traore, who will miss the year with knee injuries suffered against Purdue and Louisville, respectively.

Notre Dame ranks eighth nationally in scoring defense, allowing 11.7 points per game. After leading the nation in pass efficiency defense last season, the Irish rank fifth in that category in 2024.

Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football loses cornerback Benjamin Morrison for the year