Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/140522
tight ends 'Up For Grabs' Opportunities abound for Irish tight ends in 2013 Troy Niklas appeared in all 13 games with seven starts as a sophomore last year and was a reliable blocker while catching five passes for 75 yards. photo by mike bennett/lighthouse imaging By Wes Morgan cott Booker sees what he has instead of worrying about what he lost. The Notre Dame tight ends coach is focused on a quartet of talented players at his disposal in 2013 and not NFL Draft first-round selection Tyler Eifert, who rose to the top of a S Quick Facts Position Coach: Scott Booker (2nd year) Returning Starters: Ben Koyack (2 career starts) and Troy Niklas (8) Departing Starters: Tyler Eifert (34) Projected New Starters: None Top Reserves: Alex Welch Waiting Their Turn: Mike Heuerman and Durham Smythe Other Departures: None FYI: Koyack was tabbed as the No. 1 player in Pennsylvania, the No. 4 tight end in the country and the No. 66 overall prospect in 247Sports' class of 2011 rankings … Since Brian Kelly took over as head coach in 2010, the tight end position has averaged 60.67 receptions per season … Phil Steele's 2013 College Football Preview ranks Niklas at No. 15 and Koyack at No. 20 on the list of the nation's top tight ends … Not only has Notre Dame groomed future NFL stars at tight end, several that stood out on the college level exceled at different positions professionally, including left tackle converts Tom Rehder, Andy Heck, Mike Brennan, Luke Petitgout and Mike Gandy. stunning list of all-time greats before leaving Notre Dame. But the reality is a Fighting Irish offense that hinged on the double-tight-end set and got 685 receiving yards and four touchdowns out of Eifert in last year's march to the BCS National Championship Game — 23 percent of the team's total output through the air — must figure out a way to continue on with that identity or forge a new one. That hasn't been a problem in the past … not at Tight End U. Starting in 1973 with College and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Dave Casper, all but two Notre Dame full-time starting tight ends have played in the NFL. From 2004-12, Notre Dame has started four consecutive tight ends that were either first- or second-round picks — Anthony Fasano (2006), John Carlson (2008) and Kyle Rudolph (2011) went in round two, while Eifert (2013) was a first-rounder. The only program in history to have a better decade-long run was Miami with four straight first-round picks: Daniel Franks (2000), Jeremy Shockey (2002), Kellen Winslow (2004) and Greg Olsen (2007). In head coach Brian Kelly's three seasons at Notre Dame, the tight end position has produced 58, 66 and 58 receptions. Eifert (21st overall to Cincinnati) became the first tight end selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since Jermaine Gresham 64 ✦ Blue & Gold Illustrated 2013 Football Preview 64-67.TEs.indd 64 6/25/13 2:40 PM