Notre Dame football player switches to basketball after CFP snub

Notre Dame is seeing a little turnover with the football program after the College Football Playoff selection committee bounced the team out of the final bracket on Sunday.

On Wednesday, linebackers coach Max Bullough chose to leave ND to take a job as a linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator with Michigan State.

On Thursday, the Irish revealed freshman cornerback Mark Zackery IV is set to join the basketball team. He's expected to provide immediate help at point guard after Markus Burton suffered a season-ending left ankle injury.

“I think that Mark will be a great addition to our program,” Irish basketball coach Micah Shrewsberry said, via Notre Dame. "He will be an asset for us with his ball handling, playmaking, and defensive abilities. 

"More importantly, he is a great young man that will add more value to our locker room and culture.”

Notre Dame is allowing Mark Zackery IV to stay competitive

The Irish men's basketball team is 8-3 before getting set to host Evansville on Saturday.

Zackery made his debut against Miami on Aug. 30 and recorded his first start against Purdue on Sept. 20. He finished with 10 total tackles and two passes defensed.

With the Irish turning down an invitation to the Pop-Tarts bowl to play BYU, Zackery is taking advantage of an opportunity to help the basketball team make a postseason push in Shrewsberry's third season with the program. The Irish did not make the NIT or NCAA Tournament in his first two seasons in South Bend.

Notre Dame has a chance to make the NCAA Tournament, and Zackery could be a fun story for "The Big Dance" in March. 

It's rare to see student-athletes compete in multiple sports at the college level. The football team is taking a risk that Zackery could suffer an injury during the basketball season.

However, the Irish are doing the right thing by allowing Zackery to be a competitor this winter, even after the program decided to call it quits before the bowl season.