Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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64 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW TIGHT ENDS both aspects. When we're both kind of coaching each other, watching each other's film, I feel like it's actually helping both of us become that well-rounded guy. "That's really the goal. If one succeeds, we're all succeeding." Through five seasons under Kelly, the tight end position has never had less than 31 receptions. It had 58 in 2010, 66 in 2011, 58 in 2012, 42 in 2013 and 31 last season — 30 of them by Koyack. Kelly's best success at Notre Dame has occurred when he has used a double-tight-end alignment as a base. The first time he incorporated a power double-tight-end package was in the final four games of 2010, when freshman Tommy Rees had to take over at quarterback in place of an injured Dayne Crist. With physical blocker Mike Ragone joining Eifert as the second tight in the lineup, the Irish finished 4-0. The second time occurred in 2012, when Notre Dame again had a first-time starter at quarterback with sophomore Everett Golson. Eifert was generally the flex tight end, while Niklas — who played defense as a freshman — started eight games that season, mainly with an in-line blocking role. The Irish finished 12-1, their best season in 19 years. Last year, the only time the Irish started two tight ends was LSU — Koyack and Luatua — because of the physical strategy implemented in that contest. Notre Dame rushed for 263 yards in the victory. The Irish head coach believes that two-tight-end packages can remain a staple in the offense despite limited experience there enter- ing this season. "We like Tyler," Kelly said of Luatua. "In the LSU game, I think he was outstanding in his blocking. He gained a lot of confidence in that game. He really needs to work on his route-running and ball- catching consistency. "Nic Weishar is a really talented pass catcher. He's getting bigger and stronger, he's up in the 240s … maybe able to get on the field for us this year. And Chase Hounshell is getting better every day. He's been on a faster track in the last couple of days toward getting more and more reps. He's big, he's strong, he's physical and he has the 'want to.' … We could have four tight ends there that could contrib- ute, which would really help our offense." At Notre Dame, such contributions at tight end are virtually a mandate. ✦ BLOCK-AID One of the more surprising personnel developments the past spring was the return of 2011-14 defensive line- man Chase Hounshell for a fifth season — at tight end. It underscored the need Notre Dame had for blocking aid at the position. Hounshell missed all of the 2012 and 2013 seasons because of a torn labrum, and didn't see much action on the injury-ravaged line last season. Yet he demonstrated a strong desire to return for a fifth season, and the coaching staff gave him an opportunity, with a caveat: With the defensive line plenty well stocked, he might be able to find a niche instead as a blocking tight end. "Everything starts with being able to be physical up front," Notre Dame tight ends coach Scott Booker said. "We have to be an extension of the offensive line. We need a physical mentality, and those guys need to under- stand how to block." Among the current players on the roster, Tyler Luatua was deemed the best blocker, which is why he received his first career start as a freshman in the bowl game. However, he shed about 10 pounds during the winter to help enhance his running/receiving skills, so the blocking aspect may not have advanced to a higher level. Thus, junior Durham Smythe distinguished himself as the best combination of receiver and blocker to gain separation as the starter. Who the second tight end will be in 2015 is a topic of intrigue. What will get a second tight end on the field is con- sistent blocking. That's why even in the spring of 2012, when Notre Dame had Mackey Award winner Tyler Eifert, Koyack and Alex Welch on the roster, the staff still moved Troy "Hercules" Niklas from defense to tight end because there was need of a physical in-line blocker. The same is true this season. If Notre Dame is going to be a strong running team, this position will need to aid that cause significantly, although Booker insists that the goal is not to have "specialists" at the position. "When we recruit guys, we're not saying, 'Hey, you're a blocker, or you're a receiving tight end,'" Booker said. "We go out and say, 'You're going to be an all-around tight end at the University of Notre Dame, and if you can handle that, then you're going to be able to play.'" Freshman Aliz'e Jones just might fall into that category, even this year. It would not be a surprise if Jones eventu- ally lines up as the flex tight end with his Eifert-like range (6-5) and vertical stretching ability, while Smythe is uti- lized more as the attached figure along the line. Whoever will play, the standards at Tight End U aren't going to be lowered, either as blockers or receivers. "Sometimes people use that against us in recruiting — 'Oh they just got the No. 1 tight end. Oh, they just got this guy who is the second-ranked tight end … you're going to go there and sit,'" Booker said. "If a guy can't handle that competition, then this probably isn't the place for him. "Because if he won't be able to handle the competition, he won't be able to handle the bright lights." — Lou Somogyi Sophomore Tyler Luatua's first career start came in the 31-28 Music City Bowl win versus LSU, with his blocking helping the Irish rack up 263 yards on the ground. PHOTO BY BILL PANZICA QUICK FACTS Position Coach: Scott Booker (4th year at Notre Dame) Returning Starters: None Departing Starter: Ben Koyack (21 career starts) Projected New Starter: Durham Smythe Top Reserve: Tyler Luatua (1) Waiting Their Turn: Chase Hounshell, Nic Weishar and Mike Heuerman Newcomer: Aliz'e Jones Moved In: Hounshell (from defensive line) Other Departures: None FYI: Notre Dame has one career catch at the position (Smythe), the fewest entering a season since 2001, when senior and future NFL player John Owens, with zero career catches, moved from defense to replace the graduated tandem of Jabari Holloway and Dan O'Leary … The number of career starts returning this season — one, by Luatua — is the fewest since Owens in 2001 … Luatua's lone start came in the bowl game last season, the first time an Irish freshman made a start at tight end since Ben Koyack also had one start in 2011 (Air Force) … Heuerman's brother, Jeff, played tight end for 2014 national champ Ohio State and was a third-round draft pick this spring (92nd overall) by the Denver Broncos … The all-time high school receptions leader in the state of Illinois with 252, sophomore Weishar caught a 25-yard scoring pass in this year's spring game.