SOUTH BEND — Set to face Texas A&M in a little over two weeks, Notre Dame football is doing what it can to keep its already-thin cornerback group healthy.

While preseason All-American Benjamin Morrison is ahead of schedule in his return from March 25 right shoulder surgery, the star boundary corner admittedly still faces some level of contact restriction in live practice periods.

“I’m just following protocol,” Morrison said. “That’s the biggest thing I can do. I’m not going to push it too early if I don’t have to. Whatever they let me do or what they don’t let me do, I trust them. I know I’ll be ready.”

Launching pad: Jeremiyah Love looks poised to break out for Notre Dame football

Fellow junior Jaden Mickey, meanwhile, confirmed after Thursday’s practice he’s been “nursing a groin injury, trying not to make it worse.”

Mickey was spotted working on the side at the Aug. 10 practice, the last one media was allowed to sample before Thursday.

“It’s day to day,” Mickey said. “Just trying to be 100%. We have a scrimmage coming up.”

Sophomore Christian Gray, in a camp battle with Mickey for the starting job, worked with the first unit as the top field corner during the five open periods on Thursday.

Graduate transfer Jordan Clark, who played through a season-long quadriceps contusion in his final year at Arizona State, remains atop the depth chart at nickelback.

Precocious freshman Leonard Moore, who has been backing up Morrison at boundary corner, wore a red non-contact jersey on Thursday.

Noie: Can QB transfer Riley Leonard push Notre Dame football over the top? 'Most confident I've felt'

Morrison, who moved into the starting lineup three games into his college career, made a bold prediction after watching Moore for the past few weeks. At 6-foot-1 and 187 pounds, the four-star recruit from Round Rock, Texas has been holding his own.

“This might be a stretch, but Leonard Moore will be better than I will be … here,” Morrison said. “He’s a special kid, just the way he approaches the game, the way he goes about his business. I’m biased because I believe I’m giving him some tips and getting him there, but I think he has what it takes.”

Defensive pass game coordinator Mike Mickens must replace multiyear starters Cam Hart, a fifth-round picks of the Los Angeles Chargers; and Clarence Lewis, who left for Syracuse as a graduate transfer.

Hart, a team captain, averaged 626 defensive snaps over his final three seasons. Lewis, who lost his starting job to Morrison in 2022, still averaged 468 defensive snaps over the past four seasons.

Mickey has averaged 250 defensive snaps through his first two seasons, while Gray saw 198 defensive snaps in reserve last year.

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

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football needs its corners to round into shape