SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -Wide receiver Michael Floyd and linebacker Brian Smith, both key players for Notre Dame this season, will miss the final two regular-season games against Syracuse and No. 6 USC because of knee injuries.
Coach Charlie Weis said both strained their knees in Notre Dame's 27-21 victory against Navy on Saturday. Floyd, a freshman who leads the Irish with 46 receptions and seven TD catches, injured his left knee on the third play of the game against the Midshipmen. Smith, a sophomore who is fourth on the team with 53 tackles, injured his right knee in the first quarter.
Both should be ready to play if the Irish (6-4) play in a bowl. Both should be ready to play in about four weeks, Weis said.
The loss of Floyd, who has 702 yards receiving, could be bad news for receiver Golden Tate. With Navy's secondary focusing on Tate, who has 43 catches for 742 yards, he was held without a catch for the first time this season.
Notre Dame's next game will be against Syracuse (2-8), which fired coach Greg Robinson on Sunday. Robinson, who is 9-36 in four seasons, will coach the final two games for the Orange.
Weis said the firing could make the game against the Orange more dangerous because Robinson and his staff have nothing to lose.
"You can coach loose. You know, you want to call five flea flickers in a game? Go ahead and call them. What are they going to say? You want to blitz on every down? You want to rush three in on every down? Go ahead and do it," he said.
Weis said the biggest unknown is how the Syracuse players will react.
"The team could rally or they could be dispirited. I think as a coach from the opponent team, you've got to count on them rallying," he said.
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