Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/140522
tight ends player biographies Position Coach Scott Booker enters his fourth year with the Irish, and his second as the tight ends coach and special teams coordinator. He previously served as an intern at Notre Dame, working with the offensive staff and preparing film breakdowns, scouting reports and playbooks, among other duties. In his first year as the tight ends coach, Booker mentored star Tyler Eifert, who captured the 2012 John Mackey Award as the nation's top player at his position, in addition to several secondteam All-America honors (Associated Press, Walter Camp, Sporting News and Sports Illustrated). Eifert finished his career as the school record holder for receptions (140) and receiving yards (1,840) by a tight end before he was selected 21st overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2013 NFL Draft. Booker also had a successful debut as the special teams coordinator, with then-sophomore Kyle Brindza setting single-season school records for field goals made (23), field goals attempted (31) and points by a placekicker (95). Brindza tied for sixth in the Football Bowl Subdivision for field goals made and hit a 52-yard field goal, which is tied for the second longest in school history. He also equaled the single-game program record with five field goals against USC Nov. 24. Prior to coming to South Bend, Booker coached defensive backs at Western Kentucky in 2009. The Pittsburgh native also mentored the defensive backs at his alma mater, Kent State, from 2005-08 after he served as a student assistant and graduate assistant at the school the previous two seasons. He also worked with the special teams units at both schools. At Kent State, he helped develop cornerback Jack Williams and safety Usama Young into NFL Draft picks, while the defense ranked first or second in the MidAmerican Conference in pass defense efficiency, passing defense and interceptions in 2006. In 2005, the team ranked 24th in the country in passing yards allowed. Booker played safety at Kent State from 1999-2002 and was named to the MAC All-Academic team in 2001. Returning Players Ben Ko ya c k • TE Jr. • O il City, Pa. Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 253 C areer Highlights: Has logged action in 24 games over the past two years, including a pair of starts … Notched four receptions for 44 yards … Appeared in 12 games during the 2012 campaign and started in the BCS National Championship Game against Alabama … Notched three catches for 39 yards … Played in 12 games during the 2011 season and started the Air Force contest … Caught one pass for five yards in the win at Pittsburgh. Prep: A first-team all-state performer as a senior at Oil City High … Named SuperPrep Northeast Offensive Player of the Year after hauling in 62 passes for 1,031 yards and 11 scores as a senior … Added 65.5 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two passes broken up on defense … Selected to play in Under Armour All-American Game … Set district records with 152 career receptions and 2,591 career receiving yards … Ranked as a four-star prospect, the No. 1 player in his home state, the No. 4 tight end in the land and the No. 66 overall player nationally by 247Sports … Won a state crown in the javelin with a personal best of 192-11 in 2010. Personal: Born April 9, 1993 … Enrolled in Mendoza College of Business. YearG-GSRec.Yds.Avg.TD 201112-1 1 5 5.0 0 201212-1 3 39 13.0 0 Totals24-2 4 44 11.0 0 Tro y N ikla s • TE Jr. • Fullerton, Calif. Ht.: 6-7 • Wt.: 260 C areer Highlights: Started his career as an outside linebacker and appeared in 12 games as a freshman, but switched to tight end during 2012 spring practice … Opened seven games in the starting lineup last fall and logged action in all 13 games … Recorded five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown … Was one of five Irish pass catchers to log multiple receptions that went for 25 yards or more … Found the end zone for the first time in the win over Boston College Nov. 10, hauling in a seven-yard scoring pass … Played in 12 games as a freshman outside linebacker and tallied 20 tackles, 0.5 stops for loss and a fumble recovery … Started at outside linebacker in the win over then-No. 15 Michigan State. Prep: The 2010 Los Angeles Times Lineman of the Year … The two-way standout on the front lines at Servite High was also named his league's Co-Lineman of the Year and first-team all-state on the offensive line despite playing tight end until his senior campaign … Helped his squad to the state crown as a junior … Listed as a four-star recruit, the No. 29 player in California, the No. 15 strongside defensive end nationally and the No. 222 overall player in the class of 2011 by 247Sports. Personal: Born Sept. 18, 1992 … Brother, Austin, is a linebacker at Air Force … Uncle, Bruce Matthews, was a 14-time Pro Bowl selection with the Houston Oilers/ Tennessee Titans and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007 … Enrolled in Mendoza College of Business. YearG-GSRec.Yds.Avg.TD 2011 12-1 ——— — 201213-7 5 75 15.0 1 Totals25-8 5 75 15.0 1 A lex Wel c h • TE Sr. • Cincinnati Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 250 C areer Highlights: Has seen time in 11 games during his career and snared one reception … Appeared in only one contest during the 2012 season, after suffering a preseason knee injury … Played in 10 games during the 2011 season and caught one pass for eight yards … Also tallied three special teams tackles … Spent his rookie season on the Irish scout team. Prep: Coming out of Elder High School, was ranked as a four-star recruit, the nation's No. 12 tight end and the No. 14 player in Ohio by Rivals.com … Hauled in 43 passes for 620 yards and five scores as a senior en route to first-team all-state honors from OhioVarsity.com … Selected to play in the Ohio North-South Classic. Personal: Born Nov. 20, 1991 … Backed up former Irish tight end Kyle Rudolph at Elder as a sophomore in 2007 … Also is the nephew of former Irish linebacker Steve Heimkreiter (1975-78), who is third in the Irish annals for career tackles … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business as a management-consulting major. Newcomers Mike Heue rman • TE Fr. • Naples, Fla. Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 220 C areer Highlights: Enrolled in January 2013 and participated in spring practice. Prep: Was named Class 6A second-team all-state as a defensive lineman following his senior campaign … Used mostly as a blocker on offense and was limited for parts of the season by a tonsillectomy … Hauled in six passes, three of which went for touchdowns, as a senior … Caught 22 passes for 344 yards and three scores as a junior … The product of Barron Collier High was listed by 247Sports as a four-star recruit, the No. 7 tight end in the nation, the No. 31 prospect in Florida and the No. 215 overall player nationally … In the 247Sports Composite (a compilation of all the major recruiting services), he checked in as the No. 9 tight end in the land, the No. 39 senior in Florida and the No. 256 overall player in the country. Personal: Born Sept. 29, 1994 … Older brother, Jeff, plays tight end at Ohio State and his father, Paul, played basketball at Michigan. Du rha m Smythe • TE Fr. • Belton, Texas Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 230 Prep: Hauled in 37 passes for 547 yards and six touchdowns as a senior en route to first-team Texas District 8-5A honors for the second consecutive campaign … Was one of two tight ends listed on the Waco Tribune-Herald's Top 50, and was listed No. 2 on the newspaper's top Central Texas prospects for 2012 … Notched 22 catches for 341 yards and three scores as a junior … Played in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl … 247Sports tabbed him as a four-star recruit, the country's No. 6 tight end, the No. 25 senior in his home state and the No. 188 overall player in the class of 2013 … Checked in as a four-star recruit, the No. 8 tight end nationally, the No. 36 player in Texas and the No. 250 overall player and in the land in the 247Sports Composite. Personal: Born Aug. 9, 1995 … His father, Roy, played offensive line on Baylor's 1980 Southwest Conference championship squad. No. 85 18 82 9 80 BGI's 2013 Depth Chart Tight End Troy Niklas Ben Koyack Alex Welch Mike Heuerman Durham Smythe Ht. 6-7 6-5 6-4 6-4 6-5 Wt.Cl./Elig. 260 Jr./2 253 Jr./2 250 Sr./2 220 Fr./4 230 Fr./4 Blue & Gold Illustrated 2013 Football Preview ✦ 67 64-67.TEs.indd 67 6/25/13 1:01 PM