The NCAA granted USC transfer Amir Carlisle immediate eligibility so that the running back could play for Notre Dame in 2012. Looks like he won’t need it, though.
An ankle injury sidelined Carlisle for the spring and will now cause him to miss the season as well. Irish coach Brian Kelly said on Thursday that Carlisle will use a redshirt this season and return in 2013. He will have three years of eligibility remaining upon his return.
“He will not play this year,” Kelly said. “He’s made close to the kind of recovery that we were hoping when we saw some really good things from him. We don’t want to waste him now.
“He’s really close and to try to fit him in in Week 5 or 6 and use up another year for a half-season wasn’t prudent in my mind. So we’re going to shut him down, put him on scout team, let him be a great guy over there and let our defense prepare, and then have him back for three seasons of competition.”
As a true freshman in 2011, Carlisle was impressive in limited play, averaging over six yards per carry on 19 attempts and catching a touchdown pass.