Notre Dame starting cornerback DJ McKinney will miss "an extended period of football" with a right ankle injury sustained Oct. 17 at BYU, coach Marcus Freeman said Thursday.
McKinney, a transfer from Colorado who has started each of No. 5 Notre Dame's first seven games, sustained the injury midway through the fourth quarter of the team's 28-24 loss to the Cougars and had to be helped to the locker room. He had nine tackles, two pass breakups and an interception return for a touchdown in Notre Dame's season opener against Wisconsin in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
"We expect to get him back at some point this year, but he'll be out for quite a while," Freeman said.
Jayden Sanders, a transfer from Michigan, is set to start in place of McKinney this week against Navy in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Sanders, who has worked as a reserve at nickel corner, had an interception against BYU after replacing McKinney. He also filled in for All-America cornerback Leonard Moore when Moore was sidelined with a concussion.
"He's been terrific for us, and been able to play multiple positions for us," Freeman said. "His role has increased with the injury of DJ."