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Notre Dame tight end Mike Ragone will undergo surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament and miss the rest of the season.
Ragone, known mostly for his blocking ability, was hurt in Saturday night's 35-31 loss to Michigan. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound senior has one catch for 10 yards this season and 11 for his career for 109 yards.
Ragone also missed the 2008 season after undergoing similar surgery.
''I'm pretty disappointed for him. He's been a warrior for us in a sense,'' Irish coach Brian Kelly said Tuesday. ''He's battled through a lot of injuries. He loves to play the game. He loves competition, and we're really going to miss him.''
Kelly said tight ends Alex Welch (foot) and Jake Golic (broken arm) have been cleared to practice and play, so that will help the depth at the position. Tyler Eifert is the starter. Freshman Ben Koyack saw action against Michigan.
Kelly also said linebacker Danny Spond's hamstring injury isn't as serious as first thought, but he will likely miss Saturday's game against Michigan State. Nose guard Sean Cwynar has improved after breaking a bone in his hand.
