Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/531612
BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ✦ 65 TIGHT ENDS POSITION COACH Scott Booker enters his sixth consecutive year with the Irish, and his fourth as the tight ends coach and special teams coor- dinator. 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 each of the seasons at his current post, Booker mentored an NFL Draft pick and Mackey Award semifinalist. In 2012, Tyler Eifert won the trophy annually given to the nation's top tight end and was selected in the first round of the draft. He finished his Irish career as the school record holder for receptions (140) and receiving yards (1,840) by a tight end. The following year, Troy Niklas was a second-rounder after being named a semifinalist for the Mackey Award, while Ben Koyack continued the streak last fall before being picked in the seventh round. Booker has also been successful since he started work- ing with the kickers in 2012. In Booker's debut season as the special teams coordinator, then-sophomore Kyle Brindza set single-season school records for field goals made (23), field goals attempted (31) and points by a placekicker (95). Brindza broke his own mark with 98 points in 2013 and wrapped up his career last fall as the school's all- time leader in career field goals (57), 50-yard field goals (four) and field goal attempts (81). He finished No. 2 in the school's record book for career field goal percentage (.704) and scoring by a kicker (288), and also tied for the school's longest made kick with a 53-yarder in 2013. Brindza also picked up punting duties prior to the 2013 campaign, averaging 41.3 yards per attempt in his career under Booker. Prior 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 previ- ous two seasons. He also worked with the special teams units at both schools. Booker played safety at Kent State from 1999-2002 and was named to the Mid-American Conference All- Academic team in 2001. RETURNING PLAYERS MIKE HEUERMAN • TE Jr. • Naples, Fla. Ht.: 6-3½ • Wt.: 225 Career Highlights: Did not see game action last season … Under- went hernia surgery prior to the start of the year … Did not play in 2013. Prep: Ranked by 247Sports as a four-star recruit, the No. 31 prospect in Florida, and the No. 7 tight end and No. 214 overall player in the nation … Was named Florida 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. Personal: Born Sept. 29, 1994 … Older brother, Jeff, played tight end at Ohio State and was a third-round pick of the Denver Broncos … His father, Paul, played basketball at Michigan … Enrolled in Mendoza College of Business, majoring in management-consulting. CHASE HOUNSHELL • TE 5th-Sr. • Kirtland, Ohio Ht.: 6-4½ • Wt.: 255 Career Highlights: Made the move to tight end in the spring … Played in three games last fall … Joined the defensive line rotation after the group was depleted by injuries and notched two tackles at USC … Missed the entire 2013 campaign with an injury … Saw action in the 2012 sea- son opener, but missed the rest of the year with an injury … Appeared in six games as a rookie and tallied four tackles. Prep: Listed as a three-star prospect, the No. 35 player in Ohio and the No. 59 offensive tackle in the country by Rivals … Named Ohio Division II Co-Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press as a senior at Lake Catholic High … Was a two-way lineman who tallied 36 stops, nine tackles for loss, five sacks and three forced fumbles as a senior … All-state defensive lineman in 2010 and earned the same honor on offense in 2009. Personal: Born April 1, 1993 … Twin sister, Colette, played basketball at St. Francis (N.Y.) College, while his older brother, Chad, played offensive line at Central Florida … Enrolled in Mendoza College of Business, ma- joring in management-consulting. TYLER LUATUA • TE So. • Paramount, Calif. Ht.: 6-2½ • Wt.: 250 Career Highlights: Played in 10 games as a rookie. Prep: Ranked by ESPN as a four- star recruit, the No. 10 player in his state, and the nation's No. 3 tight end and No. 107 overall player … Notched 33 receptions for 412 yards and four touchdowns as a senior … As a junior, hauled in 43 passes for 594 yards and eight scores … Played in the Under Armour All-American Game. Personal: Born Dec. 16, 1996 … Brother, Isaac, will be a fifth-year senior offensive lineman at Alabama in 2015. DURHAM SMYTHE • TE Jr. • Belton, Texas Ht.: 6-4½ • Wt.: 245 Career Highlights: Made his Irish debut in 2014, appearing in all 13 games … Recorded one catch for seven yards … Did not play in a game in 2013. Prep: Scout tabbed him as a four-star recruit, the No. 25 prospect in Texas and the country's No. 6 tight end and No. 170 overall player … 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 straight season … Played in the Offense-Defense All- American Bowl. Personal: Born Aug. 9, 1995 … His father, Roy, played offensive line on Baylor's 1980 Southwest Conference championship squad … Enrolled in the Mendoza College of Business. Year G-GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD 2014 13-0 1 7 7 0 NIC WEISHAR • TE So. • Chicago Ht.: 6-4 • Wt.: 241 Career Highlights: Did not play in a game last fall. Prep: Listed as a four-star pros- pect, the No. 9 player in Illinois, and the No. 5 tight end and No. 213 overall player nationally by 247Sports … First-team All- America selection according to Parade and MaxPreps … Finished his prep career as the all-time leading receiver in Illinois high school history with 252 catches … His 3,238 career receiving yards ranked fifth in state annals … Was a two-time Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 8A first-team all-state pick … Was also a two-time East Suburban Catholic Conference Offen- sive Player of the Year … As a senior, he hauled in 86 passes for 1,044 yards and 10 touchdowns … Eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in both his sophomore and junior campaigns … Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Personal: Born Sept. 19, 1995 … Late brother, Andrew, played at Illinois Wesleyan … Enrolled in First Year of Studies. NEWCOMER ALIZ'E JONES • TE Fr. • Las Vegas Ht.: 6-5 • Wt.: 220 Prep: Scout listed him as a five-star recruit, the No. 1 prospect in Nevada, and the nation's No. 2 tight end and No. 32 overall prospect … Ranked by ESPN as the nation's No. 1 tight end and No. 52 overall player … Posted 41 receptions for 930 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior … Helped Bishop Gorman to a 15-0 record and its sixth straight Division I state title, in addition to topping USA Today's final national team rankings … Named a first- team All-American by MaxPreps and USA Today … Played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Personal: High school teammate of fellow 2015 Irish signee Nicco Fertitta. PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES BGI'S 2015 DEPTH CHART No. Tight End Ht. Wt. Cl./Elig. 80 Durham Smythe 6-4½ 245 Jr./3 13 Tyler Luatua 6-2½ 250 So./3 18 Chase Hounshell 6-4½ 255 5th/2 82 Nic Weishar 6-4 241 So./4 84 Mike Heuerman 6-3½ 225 Jr./3 10 Aliz'e Jones 6-5 220 Fr./4 Freshman Aliz'e Jones' combination of size (6-5, 220 pounds) and speed could make him a flex tight end candidate this season. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM