On
January 16th UND.com posted an article "20 Questions for Notre Dame Football for
2015". This is question 5.
5. Anthony
Fasano, John Carlson, Kyle Rudolph, Tyler Eifert and Troy Niklas—all those
recent Irish tight ends now draw paychecks in the National Football League. Ben Koyack, who
graduates this spring, should add his name to that list. That leaves a
combination of Durham
Smythe and Tyler Luatua, plus
untested Mike
Heuerman and Nic Weishar. Can a
less-experienced-than-usual list of tight end candidates fill the bill for the
Irish in 2015?
Answer; For the first time in a while the Irish will not have a clear number
one at tight end coming into the fall.
That’s not to say there is a lack of talent or there won’t be one when
September comes it is more an issue of a lack of experience.
 |
| Mike Heuerman |
Mike Heuerman is Notre
Dame’s elder statesman at tight end heading into his junior season without
playing a meaningful snap after redshirting his freshman season and out with an
injury during his sophomore year.
Heuerman came to South Bend at the #8 ranked tight end by Rivals.com and
the #10 ranked tight end by Scout.com.
Heuerman is not the most experienced or even arguably the best of the
current tight ends.
 |
| Durham Smythe |
After redshirting his
freshman year sophomore Durham Smythe had 1 reception for 7 yards last season
(against Arizona State) making him the only tight end with a college reception
for the Irish on next year’s roster. The
Irish also had two freshmen in 2014 that gained experience in Nic Weishar and
Tyler Luatua. While both received praise
from the coaching staff neither established themselves as the guaranteed
starter for the future in South Bend.
Lautua seems a bit undersized at 6’ 2 ½ “ and 260lbs but did come to
Notre Dame as the #38 player in the nation (regardless of position) by Tom
Lemming/CBS Sports and #107 by ESPN. At
6’ 4” and 237lbs Weishar came to the Irish at the #7 nationally ranked tight
end by Rivals.com. Walk on sophomore Ben Suttman (6’ 2’, 228lbs) was also on
the roster last season.
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