Trevor Ruhland should not be starting at right guard for Notre Dame on Saturday at Duke. It’s not because he is not talented — any scholarship offensive linemen on the Irish roster has plenty of talent to at least make a spot start. And it’s not just because senior Tommy Kraemer is injured; an MCL sprain is a minor nick and somewhat an inevitability along the line. It is not even because Ruhland always thought his time to shine would come at center, not next to first-year starting center Jarrett Patterson.
It is because, literally, Ruhland should not be on the field.