The Irish lost two players Wednesday afternoon, as sophomore offensive lineman Parker Boudreaux was granted a release to transfer from Notre Dame and senior tight end Tyler Luatua was granted his medical disqualification, the program announced in two statements.
Boudreaux — whose commitment earned him notoriety when he pulled a 16,000-pound bus to announce his decision to attend Notre Dame — was a four-star prospect coming out of high school, per Rivals.com and did not play a down last season as a freshman for the Irish. He was expected to play a role as a backup on the offensive line for Notre Dame this season.
“We thank Parker for his work, dedication and commitment to the program over the last year and wish him nothing but the best moving forward,” Irish head coach Brian Kelly said of the sophomore offensive lineman in the statement.
Luatua, who has a history of concussions, will no longer play football after being medically disqualified. He will remain on scholarship as he continues to pursue his degree, but his scholarship will no longer count against the NCAA maximum of 85 scholarships. The senior failed to record a reception in 32 career games.
“It’s always a difficult decision for a player to step away from football,” Kelly said in the statement. “Most importantly, Tyler will still have an opportunity to earn his degree from the University.”
The two losses come within a week of two previous losses the Irish announced. BYU announced Monday that Tristen Hoge would be transferring out West. Boudreaux was expected to take over Hoge’s job as backup center, leaving the Irish thin at the center position. On May 31, the program announced junior linebacker Josh Barajas would be transferring to Illinois State to finish out his collegiate career as a Redbird.
