Report: Pauly's Injury Still Uncertain
UHND.com - Frank Vitovitch
July 21, 2000 - 3:20 PM EST

Notre Dame, Ind - There has been a lot of rumor around the internet over Greg Pauly's injury that he suffered prior to a post season all star game.  From what I have been told by sources they are classifying it as a sprained knee for now.  However, the initial MRI was not conclusive so there is still a good possibility that the ACL is torn.  At the present time however whether or not his ACL is torn is still a big question mark.  Once he gets to Notre Dame on August 6, the orthopedic doctors at Notre Dame will reexamine and attempt to make a positive diagnosis.   Again, his ACL may very well be torn, but at this time it is still uncertain.

Pauly, a very promising defensive lineman from Wisconsin, would most likely have seen playing time as a freshman before the injury, but if it turns out to be a torn ACL his season will be over.  A redshirt year would not be all that bad however.  He would most likely not start this season unless he simply dominated in practice and a year of development is usually good for an offensive or defensive lineman in my opinion.  He will be going up against guys much bigger than what he is used to and getting used to that for a year is not a bad idea.  Darrell Campbell came in with a lot of talent last year and went off in practice but red shirted a year.   The same may happen to Pauly regardless of the injury.

Greg was Notre Dame's only big name defensive line recruit from this past recruiting season.  Others in the class include Kyle Budinscak and Jason Sapp (who will start off at linebacker).  Both came on late and had some big time schools recruiting them during their senior year.  They were not in many if any guru's top 100 or top 200 lists (although Sapp mysteriously jumped into Lemming's top 115 after he committed to ND), but both have raw talent and can be productive down the line. 

Pauly however was on everyone's top 100 and gave Irish fans a lot to cheer about in early December when he and Mike Goolsby committed to ND on the Banquet weekend.  Pauly has the most talent of this group coming in and will be expected to be a difference maker in the near future, this does not necessarily mean this season however.

That's about it for now on the Pauly situation.  I will pass along anything I am told about his injury as soon as I hear it.  I do want to emphasize however that I am NOT saying his ACL is not torn.  I am saying however that from what I've been told, the preliminary tests have been inconclusive.