Jerry Tillery Suspended for 2016 Fiesta Bowl: Latest Comments and Reaction

Notre Dame will be without defensive lineman Jerry Tillery during Friday's Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State after the school announced the freshman had been suspended. 

According to Notre Dame director of football media relations Michael Bertsch, Tillery will not play due to a violation of team rules.   

Tillery appeared in six games for the Irish this season, recording two tackles for loss and one sack, but he's a huge presence in the middle of the defensive line that will be missed. 

Notre Dame entered the Fiesta Bowl already thin on defense. Cornerbacks KeiVarae Russell and Devin Butler are out with injuries. Safety Max Redfield was sent home for a violation of team rules, per Angelo Di Carlo of WNDU-TV. 

Sheldon Day, who led the team with 14.5 tackles for loss, is dealing with a foot injury but will try to play, according to Tim Prister of Irish Illustrated. 

Given all the injury problems Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly has had to deal with, it's almost shocking the team was able to win 10 games coming into the bowl game. Stanford did expose some of the flaws in a 38-36 win to end the regular season on Nov. 28, racking up 422 yards in the process. 

Tillery hasn't become a huge part of Notre Dame's defense yet, but the freshman figured to be a prominent part of Kelly's game plan against a stellar Ohio State offense that features big-play threats like running back Ezekiel Elliott and wide receiver Michael Thomas. 

The Irish have been tested all season, so Tillery's absence will be just the latest hurdle they have to overcome as they seek to end their year on a high note heading into 2016.